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Did You Know That Heart Disease Affects Women of Color Differently?
Read More: Did You Know That Heart Disease Affects Women of Color Differently?February is American Heart Month. Cardiovascular disease is often dismissed as a middle-aged white man’s disease, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. The risk of cardiovascular disease among women, especially women of color, is poorly understood, yet the statistics speak for themselves. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for all women,…
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7 Ridiculously Simple and Realistic Ways to Lose Weight After 50
Read More: 7 Ridiculously Simple and Realistic Ways to Lose Weight After 50Age is just a number. But when it comes to shedding pounds, that number is part of the equation. You’ve probably noticed that the pounds come on easier — and come off harder — as the years creep up. That’s because things are changing: your hormones, your level of activity and the way your body…
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9 Easy Ways to Fix Your Focus and Improve Concentration
Read More: 9 Easy Ways to Fix Your Focus and Improve ConcentrationHave you ever heard the story about the woman who lost her cell phone and found it, days later, in her freezer? And what about the time someone you know sat through an entire movie but couldn’t remember what it was about? It’s not always dementia, or memory loss. Sometimes it’s a matter of mental…
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5 Foods to Help You Live to 100 (Really)
Read More: 5 Foods to Help You Live to 100 (Really)With everyone from healthcare providers to influencers weighing in on the best ways to live longer, it’s hard to separate fact from fiction. Most of us know eating garden-to-table is good for our health, but to what degree? Are there certain foods scientifically proven to increase your lifespan? Enter blue zone eating — a plant-based…
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Ways to Cope with Common Menopause Symptoms
Read More: Ways to Cope with Common Menopause SymptomsMedically reviewed by Mary Jane Minkin, M.D. + Video Transcript How to Cope with Common Menopause Symptoms More than 8 out of 10 women have symptoms Image of 8 out of 10 women Narrator: The menopause transition can cause many symptoms — and more than 8 out of 10 women will experience them. Knowing what…
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Menopause Got You Down? There’s an App For That.
Read More: Menopause Got You Down? There’s an App For That.Brittany Barreto, Ph.D., is a podcaster, an entrepreneur and a molecular and human geneticist. (In other words, she’s really smart.) Read her column here each month to learn about what’s happening in the world of technology and innovation in women’s health. As if spontaneous hot flashes and unexpected weight gain aren’t enough for women who…
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Clinically Speaking: Questions and Answers About Vaginal Atrophy
Read More: Clinically Speaking: Questions and Answers About Vaginal AtrophyMedically reviewed by Sheryl Kingsberg, Ph.D. If you’re over 50 and sex has become less pleasurable, or even painful, you’re not imagining it — and you’re far from alone. According to Sheryl Kingsberg, Ph.D., chief of behavioral medicine in the OB-GYN department at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center and a member of HealthyWomen’s Women’s Health…
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Conversación sobre la salud: Preguntas y respuestas relacionadas con la atrofia vaginal
Read More: Conversación sobre la salud: Preguntas y respuestas relacionadas con la atrofia vaginalSheryl Kingsberg, Ph.D., hizo la revisión médica de este documento Si tienes más de 50 años y las relaciones sexuales se han vuelto menos placenteras o incluso dolorosas, no es tu imaginación y mucha gente enfrenta la misma situación. Según Sheryl Kingsberg, Ph.D., jefa del área de medicina del comportamiento del departamento de obstetricia y…
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Why Alcohol Affects You More As You Age
Read More: Why Alcohol Affects You More As You AgeIt was March 2020, the early days of the pandemic. When uncertainty about, well, everything, was too much to bear, I found solace in a glass of wine. My husband and I took our weekend wine-and-cheese tradition and made it an everyday event. We started skipping the cheese, and one glass would morph into two,…
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Women in the Middle
Read More: Women in the MiddleIf you’re a woman between the ages of 40 and 65, you’ve probably experienced any number of stressors, including financial, social, physical, mental health and emotional challenges. Women in midlife carry numerous responsibilities — for jobs and careers, parents, children, and partners and friends. They may also be experiencing personal health issues while experiencing menopause,…
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End-of-life Planning 101
Read More: End-of-life Planning 101When Taya Dunn Johnson’s husband died suddenly at age 37, her world was completely shattered. Worse, she and her husband had never imagined they needed to plan so early for this type of life event. He didn’t have a will, sufficient life insurance or other end-of-life documents. Some of their financial accounts, including their mortgage,…
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Once Hot Flashes Fade, Are There Lasting Health Impacts?
Read More: Once Hot Flashes Fade, Are There Lasting Health Impacts?A sudden burst of heat in the upper body, flushed skin and drenching sweat: Hot flashes are all too familiar to millions of women as they move through perimenopause and menopause. In fact, the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) estimates that about three out of four women develop hot flashes around the time of menopause.…
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A Conversation With Dr. Octavia Cannon About How Race Can Influence Menopause
Read More: A Conversation With Dr. Octavia Cannon About How Race Can Influence MenopauseAlthough menopause is a normal part of aging, many women can feel unprepared for the physical and mental changes that come with this stage of life. For many women of color, the menopausal transition can be even more intense, and researchers are working to find out why. We reached out to Octavia Cannon, D.O., an…
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How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Read More: How to Get a Good Night’s SleepMedically reviewed by Smita Patel, D.O.
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Is It Menopause or Something Else?
Read More: Is It Menopause or Something Else?A woman in her late 40s may feel many things when she wakes up soaked in sweat: annoyed, anxious, maybe a little sad. One thing she probably won’t feel? Surprised, because she’ll assume her night sweats have to do with menopause. Not fun, but nothing to worry about. But what if it’s not menopause? While…
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From Hot Flashes to Night Sweats, a Rundown of Vasomotor Symptoms During Menopause
Read More: From Hot Flashes to Night Sweats, a Rundown of Vasomotor Symptoms During MenopauseStacia Crawford, 54, has been battling night sweats and hot flashes for the past four years. “Some nights I was unable to sleep because I would go from burning up to freezing in a matter of minutes,” she revealed, noting that she’s often changing her sheets several times a week. “There have been times when…
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A Conversation With Nina Coslov About Perimenopause
Read More: A Conversation With Nina Coslov About PerimenopauseIn her early 40s, Nina Coslov started experiencing symptoms of perimenopause, but she was still having regular menstrual periods. When she couldn’t get answers from her healthcare providers, she co-founded Women Living Better, an organization dedicated to improving women’s understanding of the path to menopause through research and education. She harnessed her science background to…
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What Increases Your Risk for Bone Fractures and Osteoporosis?
Read More: What Increases Your Risk for Bone Fractures and Osteoporosis?Medically reviewed by Dr. Risa Kagan
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Keep Your Brain Healthy at Every Age
Read More: Keep Your Brain Healthy at Every AgeMedically reviewed by Rudy Tanzi, Ph.D. In honor of Women’s Health Month, we’re exploring the importance of brain health for women of all ages. Join HealthyWomen’s CEO Beth Battaglino and Dr. Gayatri Devi of Park Avenue Neurology for a Q&A on all things related to brain health on Instagram Live today at 11:45 am EDT.…
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Almost Half the World Will Go Through Menopause. Let’s Talk About It.
Read More: Almost Half the World Will Go Through Menopause. Let’s Talk About It.Shannon Lee isn’t interested in complaining about perimenopause — even when her symptoms, such as fatigue and cycle uncertainty, are bothersome. She entered perimenopause early, at 41, and is looking forward to the next phase of her life, without her period. Lee, now 43, credits much of this acceptance to her mother, who also went…
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15 (More) Minutes With Dr. Sanjay Gupta
Read More: 15 (More) Minutes With Dr. Sanjay GuptaDr. Sanjay Gupta recently took time out from his hectic schedule to speak with HealthyWomen’s editor-in-chief, Jaimie Seaton. An award-winning journalist, CNN’s chief medical correspondent, professor of neurosurgery and practicing neurosurgeon, Dr. Gupta discussed his new book, “Keep Sharp: Build a Better Brain at Any Age” with Seaton. The book explains the connection between the…
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15 Minutes With Dr. Sanjay Gupta
Read More: 15 Minutes With Dr. Sanjay GuptaDr. Sanjay Gupta recently took time out from his hectic schedule to speak with HealthyWomen’s editor-in-chief, Jaimie Seaton. An award-winning journalist, CNN’s chief medical correspondent, professor of neurosurgery and practicing neurosurgeon, Dr. Gupta discussed his new book, “ Does Forgetting a Name or Word Mean That I Have Dementia? Racism Linked To Cognitive Decline in…
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Alzheimer’s Disease Is Devastating. It May Help To Remember That You’re Not Alone.
Read More: Alzheimer’s Disease Is Devastating. It May Help To Remember That You’re Not Alone.Just the other day, I received a late-night call from a girlfriend who’s caring for her mother who has Alzheimer’s disease. She shared the heart-wrenching news that her mom no longer recognizes her. It’s no secret that an Alzheimer’s diagnosis is life-altering: Alzheimer’s disease, a type of dementia, is a progressive neurologic disorder that causes…
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Fast Facts: Everything You Need to Know About the Thyroid
Read More: Fast Facts: Everything You Need to Know About the ThyroidJanuary is National Thyroid Awareness Month. Medically reviewed by Dr. Uzma M. Siddiqui. In the United States, approximately 20 million people have thyroid disease, and women are five to eight times more likely to develop a problem than men. Up to 60% of people with a thyroid condition are unaware of their condition since the…
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What You Need to Know About Glaucoma: Q&A With Dr. Marlene R. Moster
Read More: What You Need to Know About Glaucoma: Q&A With Dr. Marlene R. MosterJanuary is Glaucoma Awareness Month. To learn more about this disease, which affects millions of Americans, I reached out to Dr. Marlene R. Moster, a board-certified glaucoma physician at Wills Eye Hospital and a professor of ophthalmology at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University. Dr. Moster answered my questions via email. The transcript…
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What You Need to Know About Menopause
Read More: What You Need to Know About MenopauseMedically Reviewed by Barbara Dehn At 47, Louisa, a community college adjunct professor, has been struggling with perimenopause symptoms including an erratic menstrual cycle, cramping without bleeding, leg pains and severely sensitive breasts. “I had to protect them, even in the shower,” Louisa said, referring to her breast pain. Though she had already been taking…
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I Found My Secret to Feeling Younger and Stronger. The Pandemic Stole It Away.
Read More: I Found My Secret to Feeling Younger and Stronger. The Pandemic Stole It Away.By Bruce Horovitz, Kaiser Health News Back in early January, before COVID-19 was as familiar as the furniture, I went in for my annual physical. My doctor looked at my test results and shook his head. Virtually everything was perfect. My cholesterol was down. So was my weight. My blood pressure was that of a…
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How to Get Ready for Menopause
Read More: How to Get Ready for MenopauseAs Molly struggled to get rid of the extra weight around her midsection, she began to wish she had prepared better for menopause. “I didn’t realize how much my metabolism would slow down, and I would have to watch my weight more. It really stressed me out,” said Molly, 59. Molly is far from alone.…
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Do Transgender Women Experience Menopause?
Read More: Do Transgender Women Experience Menopause?Medically reviewed by Dr. Sarah Pickle. Lisa Scheps, an activist and artistic director, experienced menopause-like hot flashes after going off estrogen for 10 days before a surgery. “I wouldn’t say that I’ve experienced perimenopause or menopause like a cis woman would have, but I certainly know what a hot flash feels like,” said Scheps, 62,…
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Menopausal and Feeling Forgetful? Brain Fog Might Be to Blame
Read More: Menopausal and Feeling Forgetful? Brain Fog Might Be to BlameMenofog. Mentalpause. Perifog. Menobrain. Brain fog has plenty of nicknames, but whatever you call it, this menopause symptom causes distress for women who suffer from it. “I find it frustrating. I feel stupid,” Tania Wastney, 52, told HealthyWomen. Wastney described her brain fog as simple mix-ups — putting milk in her coffee instead of cream…
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Fast Facts About Multiple Sclerosis
Read More: Fast Facts About Multiple SclerosisNearly 1 million people in the United States are living with multiple sclerosis, yet this complex condition isn’t widely understood. What Is Multiple Sclerosis? Most nerve fibers in the body are covered with a protective layer called the myelin sheath. This covering insulates nerve fibers, allowing signals to move quickly and accurately along them. In…
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Important Questions to Ask About Multiple Sclerosis
Read More: Important Questions to Ask About Multiple SclerosisOf the nearly 1 million people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the United States, 74% are women. Yet, there is still a lack of understanding among women about how MS affects the body. To learn more, we spoke with Aliza Ben-Zacharia, PhD, an MS consultant, researcher and assistant professor at Hunter College in New…
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Menopause Goes Beyond Reproductive Issues
Read More: Menopause Goes Beyond Reproductive IssuesSmall stepsEvery week, I go running with a group of women. We’re all about the same age and over the years we’ve compared notes on everything from parenting to gardening. Lately, our conversations have turned to signs of perimenopause — who’s having hot flashes or trouble sleeping, when we had our last period and whether…
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Coronavirus Is Hundreds of Times More Deadly for People Over 60 Than People Under 40
Read More: Coronavirus Is Hundreds of Times More Deadly for People Over 60 Than People Under 40By Nir Menachemi, IUPUI How deadly is SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19? And what are the risks of death for people of different ages and demographics? These have been hard numbers to calculate during this pandemic. To calculate the true death rate – more accurately called the infection–fatality ratio (IFR) – you would simply…
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Menopause and Chronic Health Risks
Read More: Menopause and Chronic Health RisksAt my most recent physical, I brought a long list of ailments to discuss. First up: waking every day with achy joints and muscles — despite going for long walks at least five days a week and lifting weights regularly. That was followed by loss of energy and weight gain. In short, since entering menopause…
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What Happens When You Hit Menopause Early
Read More: What Happens When You Hit Menopause EarlyFor Leslie Mac, it started with irregular menstrual periods. Mac, a digital strategist and organizer, didn’t think much of it, but once she started going months without menstruating, she decided to see her doctor. “Something must be wrong,” she remembered thinking. She was not expecting to hear that, at 28, she had already entered perimenopause,…