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I’m Tired of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Being Misunderstood
Read More: I’m Tired of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Being MisunderstoodAs told to Jacquelyne Froeber I moved to Manhattan in my early 20s for a job in television production. I worked as a producer for shows on ABC News and Showtime, and I loved the fast pace of the job and the city. Between work and friends, I was constantly on the go and there…
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Type 2 Inflammation and Nasal Polyps
Read More: Type 2 Inflammation and Nasal Polyps+ Infographic text What is type 2 inflammation? Not to be confused with type 2 diabetes, type 2 inflammation involves the immune system. We all have a type 2 immune response, which is when your immune system sends out type 2 immune cells to fight certain infections or allergens. Type 2 immune cells fight “intruders”…
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How Is Lupus Diagnosed?
Read More: How Is Lupus Diagnosed?May is Lupus Awareness Month. + Infographic text What is lupus? Lupus is a chronic condition where your body’s immune system attacks tissues and organs. 9 out of 10 people with lupus are female. Black, American Indian and Alaska Native women are 2–3x more likely to get lupus than white women. Almost 1 in 2…
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Common Types of Lupus
Read More: Common Types of LupusMay is Lupus Awareness Month. + Infographic text Lupus is an autoimmune disease that happens when the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues and causes harmful inflammation. About 1.5 million Americans are living with some form of lupus. 9 out 10 people with lupus are women. Common types of lupus Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) …
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Doctores ignoraron mis dificultades para respirar, pero era esofagitis eosinofílica (EEo)
Read More: Doctores ignoraron mis dificultades para respirar, pero era esofagitis eosinofílica (EEo)English Tal como se relató a Marnie Goodfriend El 22 de mayo de 2025 es el primer Día Mundial de la EEo. Hace tres años, a mi hijo le diagnosticaron un trastorno que causó mucho estrés y cambios del estilo de vida de nuestra familia. Un año y medio después, empecé a experimentar una sensación…
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Doctors Dismissed My Breathing Issues — But It Was Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE)
Read More: Doctors Dismissed My Breathing Issues — But It Was Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE)Español As told to Marnie Goodfriend May 22, 2025, is the first World EoE Day. Three years ago, my son was diagnosed with a condition that caused a lot of stress and lifestyle changes in our family. A year and a half later, I was experiencing some burning and tightness in my chest every once…
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Cuando le diagnosticaron EEo a mi hijo, el mundo de nuestra familia se puso de cabeza.
Read More: Cuando le diagnosticaron EEo a mi hijo, el mundo de nuestra familia se puso de cabeza.English Tal como lo relataron a Nicole Audrey Spector El 22 de mayo de 2025 es el primer Día Mundial de la EEo. Era un día completamente normal, lo cual para mí, una madre de dos hijos que trabaja y que se asegura que todo marcha sin problemas en la casa, significaba que las cosas…
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When My Son Was Diagnosed With EoE, Our Family’s World Was Turned Upside Down
Read More: When My Son Was Diagnosed With EoE, Our Family’s World Was Turned Upside DownAs told to Nicole Audrey Spector May 22, 2025, is the first World EoE Day. It was a totally normal day, which for me — a working mom of two who made sure everything in the house ran smoothly — meant things were pretty hectic. I was at work and my boys (Jeric, 7, and…
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What You Need to Know About COPD and Menopause
Read More: What You Need to Know About COPD and Menopause+ Infographic text What is c hronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)? COPD is a broad term for lung conditions that block airways and cause breathing-related problems. COPD gets worse over time and can lead to severe lung damage and other serious health issues — even death. Fact: More women and people assigned female at birth…
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El alto costo de vivir con lupus
Read More: El alto costo de vivir con lupusEnglish Niranjana Parthasarathi, M.D., empezó a experimentar fatiga extrema y dolor de las articulaciones unos años después de su 20° cumpleaños.. Unos meses después, le diagnosticaron lupus. “Estudiaba medicina, así que sabía lo grave que esto podía ser”, dijo, recordando como una de sus compañeras había fallecido trágicamente debido a complicaciones de este trastorno autoinmunitario…
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I Lived with Undiagnosed Lupus for Years — Because Doctors Refused to Test Me for It
Read More: I Lived with Undiagnosed Lupus for Years — Because Doctors Refused to Test Me for ItAs told to Nicole Audrey Spector I grew up in a home plagued by chronic illness. My mother had lupus, and I was her caregiver, starting at the age of 10. My grandmother had severe rheumatoid arthritis (I now believe it was tied to lupus that was never diagnosed). I provided care to her, too,…
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I Still Live a Full and Active Life with Lupus
Read More: I Still Live a Full and Active Life with LupusAs told to Marnie Goodfriend I’ve always been a thrill seeker. At age 22, I wanted to experience life to the fullest, and I enjoyed snowboarding, traveling — and even bungee jumping. I was healthy and had never had anything more than a cold until I started experiencing extreme fatigue, joint pain, and swelling in…
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Autoimmune Disease & Women
Read More: Autoimmune Disease & Women+ Infographic text Did you know that women are more likely to have an autoimmune disease than men? As many as 4 out of 5 people with an autoimmune disease are women. What is an autoimmune disease? An autoimmune disease develops when the body’s immune system attacks its own healthy cells, organs or tissues. Autoimmune…
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The High Cost of Living with Lupus
Read More: The High Cost of Living with LupusNiranjana Parthasarathi, M.D., started experiencing extreme fatigue and joint pain in her 20s. Within months, she was diagnosed with lupus. “As a medical student, I knew how serious it could be,” she said, recalling how one of her peers had tragically passed away from complications of the autoimmune disease during her internship. Parthasarathi went on…
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The Skinny on Microdosing GLP-1 Drugs
Read More: The Skinny on Microdosing GLP-1 DrugsMarch 3 -7, 2025, is Obesity Care Week. The term “microdosing” probably makes you think of psychedelic drugs — us too. But the latest trend in microdosing involves taking small amounts of the popular weight-loss medications known as GLP-1s. GLP-1 drugs have revolutionized the way we treat Type 2 diabetes and obesity. The injectable medications…
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My Ear Infection Turned Out to Be a Rare Disease
Read More: My Ear Infection Turned Out to Be a Rare DiseaseAs told to Jacquelyne Froeber “I’ve never seen anything as invasive as this in my life,” my surgeon said. I was still groggy from the anesthesia, but the look on his face meant what I heard was true. Apparently, I was in surgery for six hours — not two — and whatever was growing in…
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Rare Diseases 101
Read More: Rare Diseases 101February 28, 2025 is Rare Disease Day. By definition, “rare” means uncommon. Unusual. Words you typically don’t think of when you’re thinking about your health. But living with a rare disease is a reality for a lot of people. Rare diseases affect 400 million people worldwide and 30 million people in the U.S. That means…
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Why Are Women of Color More at Risk for Lupus?
Read More: Why Are Women of Color More at Risk for Lupus?As a senior at Florida A&M University, Sharon Harris had been juggling a full course load, three jobs and other demands of college life when she started to feel sick. She visited the doctor and went to the hospital emergency room for gastrointestinal problems, and healthcare providers (HCPs) thought she might have Crohn’s disease. The…
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Continuous Glucose Monitors Go OTC
Read More: Continuous Glucose Monitors Go OTCIf you or someone you know has diabetes, you’ve probably heard of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). The small circular medical devices track blood glucose (sugar) levels via a small sensor under the skin. You’ve probably seen the commercials featuring pop star Nick Jonas showing off his CGM secured to the back of his (very toned)…
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It Wasn’t Just a Pain in the Neck. It Was Fibromyalgia.
Read More: It Wasn’t Just a Pain in the Neck. It Was Fibromyalgia.As told to Jacquelyne Froeber I was lifting weights at the gym when I felt something rip in my neck. I wanted to scream, but the sudden burst of fiery pain took my breath away. “Don’t panic,” I told myself. It was probably just a neck strain or a pinched nerve. I went home and…
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The Promise of Prescription Digital Therapeutics
Read More: The Promise of Prescription Digital TherapeuticsIf you’re sick of hearing about all the ways technology is bad for us, here’s some good news to consider: Prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs) are among the latest digital health products helping to increase access to quality healthcare. PDTs and digital therapeutics in general are used to help prevent, treat and manage a range of…
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POTS Stole My Energy and Everything That Made Me, Me
Read More: POTS Stole My Energy and Everything That Made Me, MeAs told to Jacquelyne Froeber About 15 years ago, I got really sick. It started with strep throat. Then mono. I was trying my best to power through as a busy mom with two young kids, but then the fever started. For days, I was out of commission, lying in sweat and unable to cool…
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The Importance of Making Obesity Treatment Accessible
Read More: The Importance of Making Obesity Treatment AccessibleIt’s always a successful day at the office for Fatima Cody Stanford, M.D., M.P.H.,M.P.A., when she can look at a patient’s chart, see a diagnosis of diabetes, high cholesterol or hypertension, and see progress in their health or resolution of a health concern. Shanna Tucker, M.D., an obesity medicine specialist at NYU Langone Health, has…
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What Is POTS?
Read More: What Is POTS?If you’ve ever stood up too fast and felt dizzy for a moment, you know how disorienting that can be. This happens because your blood pressure drops and your blood moves to the lower part of your body when you stand up. Sometimes, it can take a second for your system to increase your heart…
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Family Planning with a Chronic Health Condition
Read More: Family Planning with a Chronic Health ConditionErica Lemons knew her path to motherhood wasn’t going to be easy. But she wasn’t going to let her chronic health condition stop her from getting pregnant. “My doctor told me to talk to him before I got pregnant because of possible complications, so that’s the first thing I did,” she said. Lemons quickly learned…
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How MS Affects the Body
Read More: How MS Affects the Body+ Flipbook text Slide 1 How MS Affects the Body MS affects everyone differently and can impact many parts of the body Slide 2 Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease that affects the central nervous system, which is made up of the brain and spinal cord. MS happens when the immune system attacks the myelin…
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Tips for Living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Read More: Tips for Living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS)Living with multiple sclerosis means you’ll need to make some life changes, including managing self-care. It’s as important as your medical treatment! According to neurologist Le Hua, M.D., the earlier you address lifestyle issues, the easier it may be to manage your symptoms or even slow down their progress. Diet A healthy diet is one…
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Inflammation 101
Read More: Inflammation 101Inflammation. It gets a bad rap, but it may surprise you that it’s not all bad — but you can have too much. It’s like the ice cream of natural responses (sugar can cause inflammation, but more on that later). The obsession with anti-inflammation diets has grown in recent years. You may remember when the…
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Try a Sleep Tracker for Better Health
Read More: Try a Sleep Tracker for Better HealthMarch is National Sleep Awareness Month. Sleep … elusive sleep. It’s a much needed, yet somehow complicated part of life, especially if you’re perimenopausal. Luckily, like so many things these days, we have technology to help us figure it out. Enter sleep trackers. A lot of people use smartwatches to track their sleep. But some…
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Clinically Speaking: Importance of Clinical Trials in Lupus Research
Read More: Clinically Speaking: Importance of Clinical Trials in Lupus ResearchAbout 1.5 million Americans are living with some form of lupus — and 9 out of 10 of them are women. Lupus is often hard to diagnose because it shares symptoms with so many other conditions, and because it affects the immune system of each person differently. Lupus can also be tough to treat, and…
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FAQs about Lupus
Read More: FAQs about LupusAnyone who’s a fan of the hit TV series “House,” starring Hugh Laurie, knows lupus inevitably came up as a possible diagnosis for the mystery condition of the episode (and they were always wrong, except for that one time). The show is right about one thing — lupus has a wide variety of symptoms, shows…
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Lupus is A Cruel Disease — But Through Living With it, I’ve Found Balance and Grace
Read More: Lupus is A Cruel Disease — But Through Living With it, I’ve Found Balance and GraceAs told to Nicole Audrey Spector I was in my late twenties and working a demanding — but wholly fulfilling — job at a large nonprofit in New York City. In addition to dedicating myself to my career, I was also going full force with physical exercise, had an active social life and was deep…
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FAQs About MS
Read More: FAQs About MSMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic health condition that typically affects people who are 20 to 40 years old. And women are twice as likely to have the disease as men. If you have MS, it can be a sometimes scary and uncertain diagnosis, but with the right treatment, you can help control symptoms. Here…
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Tech Solutions for Chronic Pain
Read More: Tech Solutions for Chronic PainBrittany 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. For years I thought I had weak wrists. Sure, pushups and downward-facing dogs were…
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What You Need to Know About Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Read More: What You Need to Know About Chronic Fatigue SyndromeJessie Voigts was 27 when she started to feel tired all the time. Yet she just couldn’t sleep. Soon, she experienced brain fog and body pain so intense, it felt like she’d been hit by a truck and dragged for blocks while fighting the flu. It was difficult to move, breathe or simply be. Jessie…
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Hair Loss in Women
Read More: Hair Loss in WomenIt was the winter of 1989 when I went bald. And though I knew in advance I’d lose my hair from the chemotherapy to treat my breast cancer, nothing prepared me for the feeling of being stripped completely bare of a significant share of my identity. The chemotherapy rendered every last strand of my hair…
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How Psoriasis Affects Your Overall Well-Being
Read More: How Psoriasis Affects Your Overall Well-BeingMore than 7.5 million people in the United States live with psoriasis, a skin disease that causes scaly red patches all over the body — including on the face, hands, elbows and knees. Almost 6 out of 10 people with psoriasis have mental health issues such as depression and anxiety related to their disease. One…
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Hair Loss Affects Many Aspects of Life
Read More: Hair Loss Affects Many Aspects of LifeStephanie Yuen was just your average teenager trying to make it through middle school — when she was diagnosed with alopecia at age 13. Terrified and unsure where to turn for help, she quickly withdrew from the world. “I still went to school, but I locked myself in my room every day,” Yuen said. “I…
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How Psoriasis Changes as Women Age
Read More: How Psoriasis Changes as Women Age+ Infographic text The effects of psoriasis change throughout a woman’s lifespan. Many experts think hormones trigger immune system changes in the skin of women with psoriasis, so symptoms may get worse or better at certain times in your life. Here’s what you can expect. Puberty Around ages 7-13, your body starts making sex hormones,…
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Multiple Sclerosis and Cognitive Function
Read More: Multiple Sclerosis and Cognitive FunctionMost people know multiple sclerosis (MS) as a disease that affects you physically. But many don’t know that it can also impact your memory and cognition (learning and processing). Tara Kent, a 39-year-old mother of 12-year-old twins, was diagnosed with the disease seven years ago. She knows the emotional effect these mental issues can have…
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¿Conoces a alguien que tiene cáncer? Aquí encontrarás cómo puedes ayudar.
Read More: ¿Conoces a alguien que tiene cáncer? Aquí encontrarás cómo puedes ayudar.El cáncer es una enfermedad grave: Su diagnóstico afecta a todo y a todos. Se estima que en 2022, 1.9 millones de personas recibieron diagnóstico de cáncer en Estados Unidos y es probable que conozcas a alguien que tiene o tuvo esta enfermedad. Eso me pasó hace cinco años. Me diagnosticaron cáncer de mama de…
