“Sweetheart, you’re too young to understand,” my patient — a man in his 60s, someone accustomed to commanding a room — barked at me from his hospital bed. Medical problems had recently upended his life, and he was having a hard time adjusting. “I can’t believe I have to talk about this stuff to a young girl.”
Not reaching your wellness goals? Take a look at your nighttime routine.
By Jae Berman – Washington Post
We all think our day starts when we wake up. But what if the day really starts the evening before? Why does it matter? When you create an ideal nighttime routine, it is far more likely that your first step in the morning will lead to a successful day. Continue reading
How Walking May Lower Breast Cancer Risk
by Gretchen Reynolds, NY Times offered by Ed Raiola
Physical activity, even including walking, can substantially reduce a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer, encouraging new science shows, in part, it seems, by changing how her body deals with estrogen.
Evidence has been accumulating for some time that exercise reduces the risk of many types of cancer, including breast malignancies. But the physiological mechanisms involved have not been well characterized, nor have scientists known what kinds and amounts of exercise provide the surest protection. Continue reading
women health, women breast cancer, exercise
From acne to pregnancy, here’s every ‘preexisting condition’ that could get you denied insurance under the AHCA healthcare bill
by Lydia Ramsey
The House of Representatives passed the American Health Care Act on Thursday, and one thing is clear: In Trump’s America, being a woman is a “preexisting condition.” And if this law passes the Senate, insurance companies will be able to charge you as much as they want if you have a preexisting condition. While the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) brought historic changes to the health care industry when it comes to reproductive health and women’s health, the AHCA would strip many of those hard-won gains. Continue reading
So, What’s the Big Deal with Healthcare in America?
written by Jane Edwards
The Freedom Caucus, led by our own Representative (R) Mark Meadows, is against the American Health Care Act (AHCA) because the bill does not deliver on the group’s promise of fully repealing “Obamacare” (ACA). Specifically, the Freedom Caucus wants to strip the ACA’s coverage for Essential Benefits, which are listed as (See Healthcare.gov):
The Politics of WOMEN’S HEALTH
WMC News: New Research on Sexism in Media, Religion, Single Mothers in Malawi, Talking Sex, WMC Live & More
There is agreement among voters that social media followed by cable news and broadcast news are the top places that they see the most sexist treatment of women candidates and elected officials, according to research conducted during the final days of the U.S. presidential election. Continue reading
A Reason to Celebrate Morning Sickness?
Morning sickness does not have a stellar reputation. You’d be hard-pressed to find a woman who recalls nausea or vomiting during pregnancy (morning sickness) with fondness. Yet a new study finds that there may be an “upside” to these symptoms: a lower risk of miscarriage and stillbirth.
Researchers at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHHD) studied a group of approximately 800 women, all of whom had experienced at least one or two prior pregnancy losses, and found that those who experienced nausea (with or without vomiting) had fewer pregnancy losses. Continue reading
Women’s Wellbeing and Development Foundation News
This fall, WWD-F is developing some exciting programs at its Hillcrest Resource Center.There will be some practical workshops and classes for the residents, including a course in soap making, a doula training for residents, and GED tutoring classes. We have also partnered with the Manna Food Bank to run a monthly food pop-up for the community that provides fresh produce and other grocery items to families in need.
The HRC is also expanding its Get Fit Hillcrest initiative by offering a variety of workshops and opportunities for residents to get serious about their health through diet and exercise. And new on the horizon is the Hillcrest Youth Initiative, a week-long after-school program for middle school youth.
WNC BIRTH CENTER – a 501(c)(3) organization
WNC Birth Center is the first of its kind in our region to provide comprehensive primary and preventive care from adolescence through menopause and beyond to women seeking high-quality, personalized healthcare in a homelike environment. Complete maternity care, from pregnancy planning through childbirth, postpartum and breastfeeding, is an important component of our services and is available to all pregnant women with a low-risk pregnancy.
WNC Birth Center believes:
*Compassionate care for women of all ages is beneficial to the family and society
*Birth is a normal process that is enhanced by a safe, familiar and relaxing environment
*Education, knowledge and evidence-based practices form the foundation of optimal health
*Family participation is an important aspect of quality patient care
*Breastmilk is the optimal food for babies
*Raising awareness about midwifery, normal birth and birth center care is one of our priorities
*Education of medical residents and midwifery students results in better healthcare for many who never enter our birth center
*Everyone deserves respect regardless of age, race, ethnicity, religion, socio-economic status, gender, sexual orientation or marital status
*All women have the right to quality healthcare and the unique services offered at our center.
For more information visit our website WNC Birth Center
*WNC Birth Center is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
Photo credit: Seana Berglund at Babymoon Birth Services
Take Heart: Three Important Steps for Heart Health and Why Minority Women are at Greatest Risk
For years we’ve been focused on improving heart health overall. For men and women. Yet cardiovascular disease is still the number one cause of death among women here in the U.S. and women are still at high risk – minority women even more so. Racial and ethnic minority populations confront more barriers to a heart disease diagnosis and care, receive lower quality treatment, and experience worse health outcomes than their white counterparts.
I’m a young, female doctor. Calling me ‘sweetie’ won’t help me save your life.
It’s not just condescending. To provide patients with the best possible care, I need their trust. By Faye Reiff-Pasarew in The Washington Post
PLANNED PARENTHOOD Information to TAKE ACTION
CLICK HERE for Top 3 Ways to Help Planned Parenthood Right Now
In October 2016, Planned Parenthood turned 100 years strong. Planned Parenthood was founded on the revolutionary idea that women should have the information and care they need to live strong, healthy lives and fulfill their dreams — no ceilings, no limits. Learn more about how 100 years of care, education, and activism have changed everything.
A Reading List For The Spirit
Spirituality and Health magazine has assembled its picks for the Best Books of the past year. Among them you will find reflections on mortality, explorations of depression, and insights from authors from a wide range of traditions. Some of the books examine the mind body connection for better mental health. One suggests that creating your own spiritual biography may help you recognize the times you’ve already brushed up against grace in your life. Check out the diverse selection here. { read more }
ON BEING – A Time to Breathe, A Time to Push
By (@OSTADJAAN), Columnist
Martin Luther King once told us that when the night is darkest is when we can see the stars most clearly.
Osteoarthritis of the Knee: Joint fluid injections may provide the relief to keep you going
Are you are suffering from knee osteoarthritis that is keeping you from participating in the activities you love? Are you looking for non-surgical options for treatment?
Beyond ‘poor and uneducated’ — demographics show WNC’s complexity
When it comes to wealth and education levels in Western North Carolina, the region is sharply divided in ways that could have substantial political implications.
Domestic Violence – Know the Signs
Know the Signs
Domestic violence is often more than just physical abuse. It encompasses sexual, emotional, economic and psychological violence. Initially, identifying the signs of an abusive relationship can be difficult, especially if the abuser uses subtle tactics to gain power and control. It is very common for survivors to recognize the beginning of the abuse as the first time the abusers hit them, but really the cycle of violence may have started early on in the relationship. Perpetrators tend to be charming and very convincing when exerting power and control tactics. However, understanding common occurrences or patterns in an unhealthy relationship and being able to begin an informed conversation is a major step to healing and helping others to join in understanding why and how domestic violence occurs.
A BEAUTIFUL MIND Mental Workouts To Strengthen Your Brain
Have you ever walked into a room and forgot what you went in there for? Perhaps you lost your train of thought mid conversation after being distracted by a noise. Maybe you forgot a name or a number or to buy milk. We’re human! We forget things. However, the more we multitask, the less we focus and the verdict is out on how this affects our brains long term.
So how do we strengthen our brains? Dr. Sanam Hafeez PsyD a New York City based licensed neuropsychologist and teaching faculty member at the prestigious Columbia University Teacher’s College, shares how we can exercise our minds and master our memory.
How do brain activities play a role in strengthening the brain?
Dr. Hafeez explains that just like physical exercise, brain exercises strengthen and keep the mind agile and active. “You have a cognitive reserve, a finite amount of memory, problem solving and visual motor even verbal reasoning skills that declines over time. The more you engage your brain, the longer you can hold on to your cognitive reserve,” explains Dr. Hafeez.
What are some brain-boosting activities someone could do before work?
There are a lot of activities one can do to boost your brain. Research shows that any stimulating activity will “boost” circulation and activate areas of the brain. According to Dr. Hafeez things like writing with your left hand, trying to remember phone numbers, doing mental math calculations, the daily crossword, or looking up a new word in the dictionary on a daily basis, helps your mind stretch in ways you can’t see but certainly feel. “The frustration that you feel when doing something that’s mentally taxing is when you know your brain is getting a workout. It’s good for you,” she says.
How do brain-boosting exercises help when it comes to work life?
There are a lot of websites and computer generated programs that offer memory training and visual spatial exercises. Dr. Hafeez suggests looking for puzzles, numerical sequences, and recall activities that can help boost processing speed, attention and memory. Just like your body, the more you do, the more your brain can stretch and accommodate.
How does doing these exercises before work enhance our performance?
“Doing something stimulating and challenging, before work, gets your brain geared up for the day. If you run two miles in the morning, walking seems like a stroll. Similarly, if you perform math calculations as you’re driving or insist on spelling words backwards for the fun of it will make the stuff you do at work every day seem like a breeze. It’ll make you more aware and vigilant not to mention focused and almost raring to keep moving from one task to the next,” Dr. Hafeez explains.
Can it enhance our performance in other areas of our lives? If so, which areas and why/how?
Mental health practitioners agree that over time, brain boosters such as learning a new language, a sport, a musical instrument, or painting, sewing, arts and crafts, boost the brain in bigger, more long-term ways. “It may even reduce or delay the onset on Alzheimer’s and other mental decline, again by strengthening the cognitive reserve. Brain exercises are good for one’s overall daily health and may actually protect one from more serious ailments. Daily smaller brain boosters can help with mental agility, daily memory, an active work and even social life, by helping increase attention, focus and creative, problem solving skills,” adds Dr. Hafeez.
About Dr. Sanam Hafeez:
Dr. Sanam Hafeez PsyD is an NYC based licensed neuropsychologist. She is a teaching faculty member at the prestigious Columbia University Teacher’s College and the founder and clinical director of the Comprehend the Mind Institutes in Manhattan and Queens. She was a long time child school psychologist. She specializes in providing neuropsychological, educational and developmental evaluations to both adults and children in her practice. She works with individuals who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), learning disabilities, autism, attention and memory problems, trauma and brain injury, abuse, childhood development and psychopathology (bipolar, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, etc…) In addition, Dr. Hafeez serves as a medical expert for various news outlets and programs, and as an expert witness providing full evaluations and witness testimony to law firms and courts. Connect with her via twitter @comprehendMindor at www.comprehendthemind.com
Bringing Pelvic Organ Prolapse Out of the Shadows
Recently, I was at a baby shower. I overheard a mother of two teenagers relay the story of her many postpartum surprises to a young woman with no children who wondered out loud what kinds of changes happen to a woman’s body after giving birth. One of the shocks the older mother shared included problems with urinary incontinence that followed her pregnancies and never entirely went away. It may not have been typical party conversation, but as more women dig past their embarrassment to share their experiences with urinary incontinence and other pelvic floor disorders, we chip away at the stigma that prevents women of all ages from seeking help. Continue reading
Growing Up the Internet
MS. KRISTA TIPPETT, HOST: Tiffany Shlain thinks of the internet when she thinks of her favorite quote of the naturalist John Muir, that “when you tug at a single thing in the universe, you find it’s attached to everything else.” She is an internet pioneer and a filmmaker committed to reframing technology as an expression of the best of what humanity is capable, with all the complexity that entails. She founded the Webby Awards — the “Oscars of the Internet” — which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. And for over six years she and her young family have held to a technology sabbath or “shabbat” — 24 unplugged hours each week. Her perspective on our technology-enhanced lives is ultimately a purposeful and enriching one — the internet is our global brain, towards which we can apply all the wisdom we are gaining about the brains in our heads and the character in our lives. Continue reading