Author: St. Elizabeth Healthcare

For many women, regular exercise seems to get harder when you’re middle-aged. Balancing work responsibilities, caring for your family and helping your aging parents make it a challenge to find the time. However, in the years leading up to and after menopause, exercise is especially key. Regular physical activity can help ease some of menopause’s most vexing symptoms while also helping to protect you against health risks that increase after menopause. How Much Exercise Do You Need Around Menopause? No matter how active you’ve been in the past, you should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise…

Many women experience a heavy period at some point. But if you regularly experience menstrual bleeding heavy enough to disrupt normal activities and affect your quality of life, your doctor may recommend endometrial ablation. Here’s what you should know about the procedure: What is endometrial ablation? During this minimally invasive procedure, a thin probe applies some form of ablation (either heat, cold or another type of energy) that destroys the uterine lining, also called the endometrium. Endometrial ablation doesn’t stop periods altogether, but it typically reduces their severity and duration. This effect can last for years. Who might need endometrial…

Menopause: It’s that time of life where you’re just as likely to break down crying at the grocery store as you are to snapping at the next person who tells you good morning. If you’re at the age for menopause, you will start experiencing a lot of body and hormonal changes that can leave you feeling depressed, anxious, angry or just plain worn out. You may also feel relieved at no longer having to deal with a period or empowered to be embarking on a new stage of life. Whatever your experience, menopause can also affect those around you. Here’s…

If you could describe yourself as being easily distracted, forgetful or disorganized since childhood, you may have undiagnosed ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). ADHD is often diagnosed during childhood and can persist into adulthood. However, many adults may have undiagnosed ADHD. This can lead to feelings of failing at balancing work and family when the reality is that their brain chemistry causes their minds to function differently. Is ADHD Underdiagnosed in Girls and Women? Depending on symptoms, ADHD is categorized by Hyperactivity Impulsivity Inattention Some people have symptoms of all three categories, but males more frequently experience impulsivity and hyperactivity symptoms, such as extreme…

If you are going through menopause, you know this transition can be a bit bumpy. Many women have questions about ways to help manage symptoms and improve their quality of life without turning to hormone therapy. One option many women consider is dietary supplements. Symptoms of Menopause During menopause, your body goes through many hormonal changes. Estrogen levels drop, bringing on a host of unpleasant symptoms: Of these, hot flashes are one of the most common, with up to 80% of women experiencing them during the menopausal transition. Also called night sweats when they happen while you are sleeping, hot…

Menopause causes your body to produce lower levels of estrogen and progesterone. Some women also experience a drop in testosterone levels. Because estrogen acts as an anti-inflammatory, a decreased level of this hormone may cause weight gain in the visceral fat, especially in the abdominal area. An anti-inflammatory diet or supplements may help. Anti-Inflammatory Foods Eating a diet full of anti-inflammatory foods can help your body fight inflammation. Anti-inflammatory foods include: Anti-inflammatory Supplements Some supplements can help with inflammation relief. These supplements include: Some supplements can be dangerous if you have certain diseases or take certain medications long term. Before…

If you have a Pap smear annually or on a regular basis, you know that in most cases the results come back clear. If a test shows abnormal results, a common procedure called a colposcopy may be needed. What is a colposcopy? A colposcopy is a procedure used to give your doctor a close look at your cervix. It is typically recommended when a woman has abnormal results on a Pap smear or an HPV test. Your provider will use a colposcope to examine the cervix, which is the entrance to the uterus. This device looks somewhat like binoculars, enhanced…

Have you ever entertained the idea of weight training but hesitated because you didn’t want to “bulk up”? Weight training has multiple benefits for women, as it does for nearly all adults at any age and fitness level, including you. You don’t have to start with 40-pound weights. A beginner wright training program for women can ease you into strength training. What Happens When Women Start Weight Training? Strength training, also known as resistance training, builds bone and muscle for strength and stamina and helps flood your brain and body with endorphins so you can power through your day with…

Insomnia in women is a growing problem in the United States. If you’re a woman who’s been tossing and turning like it’s an Olympic sport, you’re one in a nation of insomniacs. Insomnia, the most common sleep disorder in the U.S., reached 9.4 million diagnoses in 2015, up from 800,000 just over two decades earlier, reports the American Journal of Managed Care. One-quarter of women in the U.S. experience symptoms of insomnia, according to the Office on Women’s Health. What Causes Insomnia? Insomnia is diagnosed when you have difficulty drifting off to sleep or staying asleep, causing you to function…

It’s summertime, but the living may not be easy if you’re managing hot flashes due to menopause. Is Menopause Worse in Summer? While most symptoms associated with perimenopause and menopause don’t change seasonally, one of the most common symptoms — hot flashes — may worsen in the summer, according to a study on women’s health published by the National Library of Medicine. Hotter temperatures can mean it’s harder to cool down when you feel a hot flash coming on. The solution to managing hot flashes is to be proactive with clothing, diet, accessories and activities so you feel less like…