Category Archives: Health

How Well Do You Know Her?

How much do you love her? And, how well do you know her?

Which “her” am I referring to?

Your her – that’s who.

Your body, that is.

Do you love her? Care for her? Know her?

Have you explored every little nook and cranny, bump and depression, protrusion and deep cavern? Do you know her ups and downs, ins and outs…know her up and down, inside and outside?

If not…why not?  You should.  Makes no difference what your mother, father, teacher, preacher…told you.

She’s your her and she’s yours to love.  That means she’s your responsibility to keep safe, clean, well and happy.

No one can love and care for her like you can.  And, no one can know her as well as you.

If you don’t, who will?

Oh, don’t depend on your doctor to know her well. Your doctor goes by what he/she sees of her and hears of her…hears of her from your own words via your own explanations and understanding.

If you don’t know her how will you know when she’s ailing or not quite normal?

How will you know when things go wrong with her?  How will you know what makes her happy?  How will you know how to fix what’s wrong or change what she doesn’t like?

Menstruation is a good time to start getting to know her on a more personal level.  Seriously.

And, continue throughout each day of your cycle.  Learn of her. Get to know her…all of her.

You’ll be glad you did.

Be period wise. Be body wise. Be HER wise.

World AIDS Day 2013

Today is World AIDS Day.

What can you do to make a difference?

AIDS affects millions of children, teens, women and men world wide. Chances are it affects someone you know.

In 2011, women and adolescent girls (aged 13 and older) accounted for 21% of the estimated 49,273 new diagnoses of HIV infection in the United States. Black, Hispanic/Latino, and white women represented 97% (9,901) of estimated new diagnoses of HIV infection among all women in 2011. Among a total of 10,270 new HIV diagnoses among women and adolescent girls, 86% of HIV infections were attributed to heterosexual contact and 14% to injection drug use. Overall, CDC estimates that 279,100 women and adolescent girls were living with HIV at the end of 2009 and that 15% of those did not know that they were infected. This means they are not getting life-saving treatment or taking steps to protect their partners. (Read more.)

Four risk factors put ALL women (all includes you and your daughter) at risk for HIV:

  • sex (yes, that includes oral)
  • having EVER had unprotected sex (vaginal/anal/oral) with a male partner who has had sex (oral/anal) with another male
  • drug use (which can lead to risky behaviors, like having sex or sharing needles, etc)
  • sexual abuse

Menstrual problems are common for women with HIV: lighter or heavier bleeding, missed periods, more severe PMS, early menopause.

And, there are menstrual concerns when we consider HIV/AIDS – just like there are when there is potential for contact with ANY bodily fluid from ANYONE.

 HIV/AIDS among girls and women is a real concern. What are you doing to raise awareness?

Cancer Causing Chemicals in Your Shampoo?

Did you know that it’s possible that your “female problems” – from menstrual irregularities to uterine cancer – could be caused by chemicals in your shampoo?

Check out: http://www.thedoctorstv.com/videolib/init/9806

Scary.

Would you believe I opted to give baby shampoo a try and after ONE use I’ve tossed my salon shampoo into the trash?

Yep.  After only one shampoo my hair is shiny, thick, soft and manageable. Unbelievable – all without the harsh, cancer causing chemicals.

Do Birth Control Pills Up Your Glaucoma Risk? Studies Say YES!

Have you ever noticed that your vision changes, depending on where you are in your cycle?

Ever wonder why?

Cells in your eyes have estrogen receptors.

What well known female hormone rises and falls throughout a woman’s monthly cycle?

Estrogen.

Did you know research is indicating that women who use oral birth control are at greater risk of developing glaucoma than women who don’t?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collected data on 3,406 women over the age of 40.  It was found that:

The women who had taken oral contraceptives for more than three years were more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with glaucoma. (Read more.)

As one who, during the first 5 years of my marriage, entrusted my menstrual cycle, family size and future health to birth control pills I’ll admit…I find this a bit unnerving.

And, especially so when I consider an article published in 2011 that cites findings from the Nurse’s Health Study, which followed 79,440 women aged 40+ from 1980 to 2006:

…we did find an adverse relation between longer duration of OC (oral contraceptives) use and POAG (Primary Open Angle Glaucoma). In a model that controlled for age at menarche, age at menopause, parity, and PMH (Postmenopausal Hormone) use, there was a 25% increased risk of POAG  associated with 5 or more years of OC use. (Read more.)

Couple these findings with the fact that oral contraceptives (aka birth control pills) are often prescribed to girls as an easy fix for menstrual irregularities, issues, and irritations and I can’t help but wonder what we are doing to the next generation of women.

Be future wise when you consider things period wise, especially when it comes to those who depend on you to make wise choices concerning them and their future.

BV or Yeast?

If you find yourself itchy “down there” with a recurrent irritating discharge and odor, and find that over the counter yeast infection creams don’t help – you might have BV (bacterial vaginosis).

Learn what causes the recurring itch and what to do about it in Dr. Lauren Streicher‘s article, “When Your Vagina’s in a Phunk.”

Here’s an excerpt.

In addition to being uncomfortable and dangerous, BV can be really expensive. Ask any woman who has gone to the drugstore and invested $50 in anti-yeast medication only to find that the irritation, odor and discharge are still there. By the time she sees her doctor, gets a test for BV, and pays for her prescription, one episode of BV can cost hundreds of dollars. As if that weren’t enough, it comes back 30% of the time. Read more.