Women’s Health

According to a recent study, 10 minutes of high-intensity swimming (swimming as fast as you can) three-times a week lowers blood pressure, reduces resting heart rate and reduces fat for women with mild high blood pressure. After a 15-week trial, researchers found “high-intensity intermittent swimming is an effective training strategy to improve cardiovascular health...
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Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are a group of more than 150 related viruses that can cause warts, or papillomas. Some types of HPV (known as “high-risk”) are also associated with certain types of cancer. High-risk HPVs are a major cause of cervical cancer. Of the more than 150 types of HPVs, 40 can be passed...
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There is no such thing as a totally safe drug, especially when you are pregnant. A new study “analyzed 97,680 pregnancies. Prevalence of medication use was 74% pre-pregnancy, 56% during pregnancy, and 80% post-pregnancy. Most frequently used medications during pregnancy were antibiotics (47%), antiemetic (nausea) drugs (23%), and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (aspirin, ibuprofen, Advil, Motrin,...
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Vitamin D has been shown to be very important for many physiological processes in our bodies. So much so that the findings of the latest study regarding pregnancy come as no surprise: “Normal plasma levels of Vitamin D3 are needed for physiological development of pregnancy, normal skeletal mineralization of the fetal skeleton and lactation....
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There is little argument that breast feeding is best for both mother and infant. Breast feeding reduces the potential for infections, diarrhea and obesity in babies. It also provides significant health benefits to moms including the reduction of postpartum bleeding and a quicker return to pre-pregnancy weight. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive...
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A case study looked at how vitamin C could increase the quality of life and reduce the fatigue for a patient undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. Researchers found that when taking vitamin C on a regular basis, “dramatic decreases in fatigue and insomnia were observed, as well as increased cognitive functioning.” Vitamin C has...
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Many people take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) assuming they can take as many as they want without much fear of negative side effects. Aspirin, Motrin and Advil are all different types of NSAIDs that are taken without much concern for potential harm. Studies have shown that there are “gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and renal (kidney) complications...
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Dysmenorrhea (also known as menstrual cramps) can be very severe for some women. Some studies have begun to draw an association between a lack of vitamin D and dysmenorrhea. A recent study of young women looked at this association and found “a high prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency and secondary hyperparathyroidism (overactive parathyroid glands...
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Researchers sought to discover if “multivitamins with minerals supplements (MVM) used by women already diagnosed with invasive breast cancer would affect their breast cancer mortality risk.” After an over 7 years of study, they found that “breast cancer mortality was 30 % lower in MVM users as compared to non-users.” The study concluded that “Postmenopausal...
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Breast cancer is certainly a frightening diagnosis for any woman. But a group of researchers was concerned that there may be a natural regression for certain forms of breast cancer that may not be considered. To determine this, they matched groups of women by age and compared those who had been screened for breast...
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