Is it just me, or do others feel kind of sluggish and out of shape from those long, long months of fitness centers being closed?  I know there are some exemplary ladies with the self-discipline to carry on an exercise routine on their own.  I’m not one of those.  After a few months of a sporadic routine of half-hearted sit-ups and jumping jacks, it’s time to get back into some regular exercise.

Exercise is a very good thing. The Illinois Department of Public Health has a comprehensive list of the general health benefits of exercise for women and, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, “for many women, regular aerobic exercise lessens PMS symptoms”.

If you often curse your monthly cycle for making you feel crampy and crummy for a full week straight (or more), you are not alone nor being unreasonable. Our menstrual cycles not only bring on heightened emotions but are also frequently accompanied by general feelings of uneasiness and sickness that we’d rather not deal with. Here is why and how to handle them......

The barriers that transgender individuals face when it comes to healthcare can be devastating. However, with the change of practices and with dismantling stigmas and misunderstandings, thousands of individuals’ lives can be saved.

Often times, we think we are going outgrow skin problems as we get older. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. There are more than 3,000 skin diseases that can develop in adults. While some are minor, others can be more serious. Skin problems as an adult can really lower a person’s self-confidence. Thankfully, there are ways to avoid and treat these diseases. This article highlights 6 common adult skin problems and how to treat them effectively. 

Hot flashes.  You know what I’m talking about – that sudden burst of heat that causes your skin to tingle and turn red.  You start sweating, your fingers tingle, your heart races a bit, and if it goes on long enough or is severe enough, running naked through the snow starts to sound pretty good.

Hot flashes commonly occur during menopause and perimenopause, that time leading up to menopause.  They can last anywhere from a few seconds to many minutes or longer.  The medical term for hot flashes is “vasomotor symptoms”, although I prefer to think of them as power surges.

Seriously though, it’s no laughing matter for many women......

After weeks of working from home and scrolling through hundreds of self-care solutions that have popped up to calm our anxious souls, we’re sure you’ve come across the idea of meditation. But with so many things to add into our self-care calendar, the whole process can feel anxiety-inducing on its own. After all, if we’re exercising, journaling and socializing (virtually) on top of our usual tasks, do we really need to add in meditation?  

Dr. Ammar Mahmoud, OB-GYN

Whether you cut your knee or twisted your ankle trying on shoes that were way too high, your first aid kit is always ready. But what about your PMS? This quick guide will tell you everything you need in your premenstrual first aid kit to ensure you’ll have a smooth flow. Especially during the pandemic.

What is pre-menstrual syndrome? 

Some of you may have an app that estimates the date of your monthly menses. Others don’t need an app and can rely on bodily changes. These bodily changes that occur days or weeks before your period are known as premenstrual syndrome (PMS). These symptoms are caused by fluctuations of certain bodily hormones before menstruation. They may be physical or emotional and they often disappear once menstruation begins.

When it comes to our emotional health (especially during our periods), we all know how important our hormonal balance is. A slight change in our hormones can drastically affect how we feel mentally and physically. Some of our most common and frustrating symptoms, like mood swings, acne, and cramps can all come from hormonal imbalance. So we really can’t stress how important it is to understand how they work.

People often explain hormones as our body’s “chemical messengers”. But what does that really mean, and why do they have so much power over our mood? Today, we’re diving deep into the topic of hormones, how powerful they are, and how we can rebalance our hormones naturally.

To reduce the spread of the virus, social distancing is being urged. That means avoiding public places to the degree possible and, when it’s unavoidable, trying to stay six feet away from anyone else.  It also means that large crowds are excellent places to stay away from. Some states and municipalities have even imposed guidelines and restrictions on the size of gatherings allowed.

BUT that doesn’t mean you have to sit in a room by yourself and wonder what to do for the next few weeks (or months). And it doesn’t mean that you’re stuck inside the house.  You can still go for a walk or a hike, you can go for a bike ride, do some gardening, play fetch with the dog in the back yard.

J.B.

Menstruation is the body’s process of discarding blood and tissue from the uterine lining after an egg released during ovulation is not fertilized.  The menstrual discharge, a combination of blood, the unfertilized egg, and uterine lining tissue, often has a slight odor.  This odor may be metallic, due to the presence of iron and blood.

Vaginal secretions at times other than menstruation may also have a slight odor.  This is due to the presence of good bacteria such as lactobacillus, an important organism that plays a role in protecting against urogenital infection. 

If you notice a slight odor (usually a “musky” or “earthy” smell), it’s probably not a cause for concern and the chances are that you’re the only one who notices it.  But if you’d rather it wasn’t there, there are a few things you can do to cut down on it.

Mood swings – many of us have been on that hellish roller coaster ride.  You’re fine one minute and then without warning and without any apparent reason, you’re irritated or depressed or anxious or nervous or just generally upset, and then you’re fine again. 

What causes mood swings?  Mood swings have been attributed to multiple sources, and very often to changes in hormones.  There’s no question that hormones running amok can have a profound influence on mood.  But we all have hormones and they all shift around before, during, and after menstruation but we don’t all go on crying jags or fly into a rage. 

So, could something else be going on?  There is an increasing number of studies that show a relationship between what you eat and how you feel emotionally.

Image source: amyshamblen

The New Year is here and with it comes the resolutions, some of them easier to keep than others.  Common resolutions are to lose weight, quit smoking, save money, exercise more, read more, learn a new skill.  These are all laudable goals.  But how do they affect your period?

Weight Loss

If you’re determined to lose weight to improve your health, that’s awesome!  Rock on, Sister.  But take it easy – don’t expect to lose an extreme number of pounds quickly and keep them off (no matter what the faddists on the internet have promised you).  It’s actually much healthier to lose a maximum of 1 or 2 pounds a week and gives a much more sustainable reduction in weight.

The Christmas season can be lots of fun – the shopping, the presents, the food, the parties, the get-togethers with friends and family.  

It can also be a particularly stressful time of year – the shopping, the presents, the food, the parties, the get-togethers with friends and family.

Christmas stress affects more people than you might think.  A recent survey conducted by Healthline revealed that 62 percent of the people surveyed reported that they found the Christmas season to be “somewhat stressful” or “very stressful”. 

Is there anything more disheartening than witnessing the monthly return of our period pimples? It seems that even as we stride deeper into adulthood, outbreaks during our time of month is a constant that we just can’t get rid of.

Trust me - the frustration is not only understandable but 100% relatable.

But don’t worry, there is hope. By understanding how our skin works and why period outbreaks are common, we can tackle this problem from the inside out. So first things first, let’s dig deep into the science behind it all.

J.B.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is one of those misnamed conditions. 

You would think from the name of the condition that someone with PCOS would have multiple cysts on their ovaries, but that’s not necessarily so.  PCOS is a syndrome, a group of signs and symptoms associated with a particular disease or disorder. 

Cysts are not necessarily formed in PCOS.  And, according to USC Fertility, a group of doctors who research fertility treatments, the “cysts” that do form aren’t really cysts. 

Confused yet?   Here’s what the experts say:

Renee Yang

Did you know that journaling can help our bodies mentally and physically? Here is why journaling is the ultimate self-care tool for nourishing your body and soul.

Self-care is currently having a moment, and journaling seems to be making a comeback along with it! But aside from giving us an outlet for our emotions, does journaling have actual health benefits?

Well, as we’ve become more educated about mental health, scientists are finding that the benefits of journaling extend much further than what meets the eye. In addition to boosting our creativity and productivity, journaling can help regulate our mood and improve our long-term health!

How? Here’s the science behind it.

Samantha. M

Image source

As a dad with a daughter, you may feel a bit anxious as she nears puberty. It can be especially difficult for dads who have no personal experience with things like menstruation. From a dad’s point of view, periods and the hormonal changes that women experience during puberty can be downright mystifying. Naturally, talking about these things may be something that you are not looking forward to.

You probably don’t even want to think about your little girl growing up, but it’s happening. And her first period will happen, too. This event is challenging for both dads and daughters, but it is one that you will both survive. Periods can be awkward, painful, and even frightening. Your daughter’s first period also signals the beginning of a very important time in her life, and while the topic may be uncomfortable, periods aren’t inherently a bad thing.  

If you have a daughter who is between the ages of 9 and 15 or so, the big day could come at any time. Take some time to prepare yourself so that you’ll know exactly what to do the first time Aunt Flo stops by for a visit. Keep reading for some helpful advice regarding your daughter’s first period from a dad’s point of view.

J.B.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines toxicity as:

1. The quality, state, or relative degree of being poisonous
2. An extremely harsh, malicious, or harmful quality

Hmmm.  We’ve all known people like that.  (I can think of one or two myself.)  But what about environmental toxicity.  What is it?  Where does it come from?  What does it do?

Samantha Mittelmeier

Getty / Lalocracio

There are a lot of different forms of birth control to choose from. For many women, an intrauterine device (IUD) is a popular and effective choice. Once inserted, these tiny devices protect you against pregnancy for up to 10 years, and for many women, they make their periods lighter or eliminate them altogether.

If you have decided that this form of birth control is right for you, you likely have some questions regarding what to expect. IUD insertion can seem a bit scary, but it is a very quick and easy process. While you may feel a degree of discomfort during the procedure, there is no need to be afraid. Keep reading to learn what to expect.

Erika.L

Feeling our best is an important aspect of living a happy, healthy lifestyle. When our self-confidence is high, we are often more willing to take the chances that can lead us toward achieving our goals whether that’s buying a new dress or starting a new business. From time to time, our confidence can take a hit due to hormones or stress from work or relationships, thus it’s important to know what to do to regain it when lost. Here are 5 fun activities that help to increase self-confidence, and get us back to feeling our best. 

J.B.

MSG (monosodium glutamate) is the salt of glutamic acid, an amino acid that is naturally present in our bodies and in some foods.  Manufactured MSG, used as a food additive to enhance flavor, is made by the fermentation of starch, sugar beets, sugar can or molasses.

Is MSG bad for you?  The answer depends on who you ask.

MSG is a hot topic of controversy these days, with “experts” unable to agree on much of anything.

Samantha Mittelmeier

Since more than 90 percent of women experience at least one PMS symptom prior to the beginning of their period, it’s no surprise that those symptoms are pretty well known. Nearly every woman is familiar with the moodiness, bloating, cramps, headaches, and general discomfort that tend to pop up every 28 days or so.

For most women, these symptoms are relatively minor and are not a significant cause for concern. Others, however, face much more severe complications when their periods roll around each month. Between three and five percent of the menstruating population suffer from a debilitating condition known as premenstrual dysmorphic disorder, or PMDD. This condition is an extension of PMS that includes a range of troubling emotional and behavioral symptoms.

Heather Silvers

Have you ever caught yourself fretting about why your period is late? Before you head to the local pharmacy to pick up a home pregnancy test, it’s best to consider other reasons why your monthly cycle could be off. Not every late period means you’re pregnant. Irregular cycles are more common than you think. University of California Professor of Obstetrics-Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences Dr. Amy Autry discussed how at least 30% of women have irregular periods during their childbearing years. Another report published by the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism cites that many women experience occasional period irregularities throughout their reproductive years. While many women may experience late periods, the factors causing it can greatly vary. Below, we’ll take a look at the reasons why your period could be late.

J.B.

If you thought your skin was acting up just before or around the time of your period, you’re not imagining it.  According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, “a significant number of adult women have perimenstrual acne symptoms”.   There are also some women suffering eczema or psoriasis that seems to get worse around the time of their period.

J.B.

Nanotechnology is, according to one government site, “science, engineering, and technology conducted at the nanoscale, which is about 1 to 100 nanometers”. (A nanometer is really, really small – it takes more than 25 million of them to make an inch.)

Richard Feynman, an American physicist, is credited with having introduced the concept of nanotechnology in 1959, although the term “nanotechnology” wasn’t coined until 1981.  Feynman’s idea was that things could be made much smaller.  For instance, in 1959 computers were massive; some of them weighed literally tons and took up entire rooms.  Feynman theorized that they could be made much smaller using nanotechnology.   He was bang on about that.  Computers keep getting smaller, faster, and better with nanotechnology.

Apart from not having to build an extra wing to your house for your home computer, there are many other applications of nanotechnology in use and in development. 

J.B.

A woman’s menstrual cycle has three phases:  the follicular (before the egg is released), ovulatory (when the egg is released) and luteal (after the egg is released).  Each of these phases is regulated by different hormones, primarily estrogen, progesterone, FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone), and LH (luteinizing hormone). 

These hormones work in concert with each other and with other hormones, much like the members of a sports team will work together, each performing a separate role in coordination with the other team members.

Kaitlyn Luckow

Male masturbation is usually the brunt of jokes, it’s assumed that all guys do it, and it’s totally fine to talk about and admit.

However, I have found that when women talk about masturbating, people are shocked and it is seen as something dirty or embarrassing. It’s something that is hushed, it’s not talked about, and it makes women afraid of their own bodies.

To be honest (and this is a little embarrassing), I didn’t even know that females could masturbate until I was well into puberty.  

There is a lot of misinformation out there about female masturbation and it causes a lot of myths to rise up around the subject. This can make learning about the female body confusing for a lot of young women and even daunting.   

I wanted to clear the air here. Yes, women masturbate. Yes, it’s awesome. Yes, we can talk about it.

Here are some common myths surrounding female masturbation and the truth behind the lies.