May is National Women’s Health Monthand experts remind women to put their health and well-being first.
Brenda Shelton-Dunston, executive director of Philadelphia Black Women’s Health Alliancesaid the worst of the pandemic showed that the health of black women was at the top of the curve in terms of health disparities.
She said her organization works to help improve health care outcomes and reduce disparities for women of color through awareness.
“We provide education and increase awareness,” Shelton-Dunston said. “First, explain what a health disparity is. Health disparities are basically preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury, violence, or opportunities to achieve optimal health status.”
Shelton-Dunston said they provide strategies and approaches that can be used to prevent chronic conditions like obesity, heart disease and diabetes.
She said the Office of Minority Health reports that, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, African-American women are nearly 50 percent more likely to have high blood pressure compared to non-Hispanic white women.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that women who are caregivers are at greater risk of poor physical and mental health.
Shelton-Dunston said it’s important for women to focus on their mental health and take time for themselves while caring for loved ones.
“You have the ultimate responsibility for yourself and your personal care,” Shelton-Dunston said. “How do you do that? By making that a priority, by making yourself a priority.”
she added that her Prime Time Sister Circle program helps women understand that they won’t be able to take care of anyone else unless they take care of themselves first.
Dr. Donna O’Shea is an OB/GYN and the medical director of population health at UnitedHealthcare. She said that as young women enter adulthood, it’s important to take preventative steps so that chronic health problems don’t start to take hold.
“So it’s still important to eat a balanced diet, and maybe even more so, to have a consistent cardio and strength training routine, which can also help minimize stress,” O’Shea said. “As you know, stress hurts us in many ways.”
O’Shea urged women to make appointments for any exams they may have put off during COVID, such as mammograms or cervical or colon cancer screenings.
The good news, he added, is that screening for colon cancer is a great way to find it early so it can be treated and cured.
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Two thirds of adults are dealing with intestinal problems.
A new survey from healthcare provider MDVIP found that the majority of americans do not control their gut health and experience recurring digestive problems such as gas, bloating and abdominal pain, but very few seek medical attention.
MDVIP Medical Director Dr. Andrea Klemes said many in Nevada and across the country know very little about the importance of good gut health.
He said GI problems are linked to other serious health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease and even Alzheimer’s disease.
“Now, the gut has good bacteria and bad bacteria, and that bacteria is a balance,” Klemes said. “That’s what makes you have a healthy gut or an unhealthy gut. That unhealthy gut can cause you to have more serious disease problems, like a heart attack, but it can also cause symptoms like brain fog or fatigue, changes in mood or even eczema or psoriasis”.
Klemes said his survey found that more than half of the participants have used over-the-counter digestive products, such as fiber supplements and laxatives.
He added that “people are looking for a magic pill,” but says the best way to have a healthier gut is through the food you eat.
She said that probiotic foods like yogurt and pickles can really go a long way. Prebiotic foods like garlic, onions, asparagus, and oats feed the good bacteria.
Klemes added that most adults believe the myth that healthy people should have a bowel movement every day. She said that’s just not true.
She said the number of times she visits the bathroom in a day or a week varies from person to person. She said that one must understand what is “normal for one”, and when something is abnormal, she said that one should visit his doctor.
Klemes said women are also more affected by digestive problems than men, with three in four experiencing symptoms a few times a month or more.
“It’s interesting because women said they felt more rejected by their doctor,” Klemes said. “So it’s hard, if you have a GI problem, you shouldn’t suffer in silence. If your doctor isn’t taking it seriously, then you need to find another doctor.”
Klemes said that stress, daily activity and other lifestyle habits can also have an impact on gut health. He encouraged everyone to take your group’s “Gut IQ” quiz for more information on proper gut health.
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Researchers at the University of Iowa are using one of the body’s natural waste products to treat stroke, potentially reducing damage.
Uric acid It is a natural biological component of human blood, which improves flow in the smallest vessels and reduces brain damage by neutralizing chemicals produced during a stroke. But because the body rapidly uses up uric acid during a stroke, there isn’t enough left in the bloodstream to completely prevent brain damage.
Dr. Enrique Leira, a professor of vascular neurology at the University of Iowa and a investigation leader, said scientists are putting uric acid back into the bloodstream to block something called oxidative stress.
“We know that the uric acid that we have as humans helps us with this problem, but it is not enough,” explained Leira. “That’s why the logic is to supplement patients who are having an acute stroke with additional uric acid through their veins to block that oxidative stress.”
Leira noted that upcoming large-scale clinical trials, with help from the National Institutes of Health, during which doctors hope to be able to fully unblock blood vessels in a stroke patient, further limiting potential harm which can cause
Leira noted that using uric acid to protect brain tissue during a stroke could increase the effects of standard treatments to remove blood clots and could make an especially big difference in rural areas where treatment has been lacking; potentially saving even more lives in underserved areas and making a dent in a huge problem.
“We have 800,000 strokes a year in the United States and it is the leading cause of disability,” Leira emphasized. “In addition to opening up patients’ arteries with procedures like we can do now, we need chemical medical treatments that can improve outcomes for these patients and result in less disability.”
Stroke is also among the leading causes of death in the US, and Leira said prompt treatment can often mean protecting brain cells, improving patient outcomes and potentially saving lives.
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A mobile clinic brings drug treatment to rural Idaho.
The Ideal Choice organizationThe first treatment clinic on wheels is in Rexburg. Ideal Option received a grant from the state to create the traveling installation.
Kim Hill is the organization’s community outreach manager.
“It’s really geared towards allowing people in those rural communities to access treatment who might not otherwise have those services available to them,” Hill said. “Transportation is a huge barrier with the clientele we serve.”
Ideal Option offers drug-based addiction treatment for opioids, alcohol, and other substances.
They have more than 80 independent clinics in eleven states, including ten in Idaho. The clinics are mainly located in rural towns, such as Idaho Falls, Lewiston and Sandpoint.
Hill said opioid use disorder treatment comes in five stages, and if patients make at least three visits, more than 80% stay in long-term treatment. He added that the treatment also reduces encounters with the police.
“It’s allowing law enforcement to deal with some of the bigger issues that they can see in the communities,” Hill said. “Same with emergency rooms.”
Hill said getting the word out about their services is the biggest challenge in rural areas, so partnerships are crucial.
“We do the medication, but we don’t like the counseling aspect or some of those other services that they need,” Hill said. “And that’s why it’s really important for us to get involved in communities and build those relationships with other organizations.”
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