wow! you guys have been so helpful! thank you so much!

dottie, good point on the anemia thing...having a problem with very "heavy", etc. thing is, it probably won't affect me one bit...i have a very HIGH iron count. dr told me never to take supplements, etc. in fact, i never became amemic during either pregnancy, etc.

my niece had to have her blood thinned because she had a dangerously high level. it must be hereditary. i guess that can be a plus. i also have extremely dense and heavy bones.

hmmm, this might be good AFTER menopause.

good responses and thanks so much. i'd never heard about hot/spicy foods triggering hot flashes, but they surely are!

love,

kd