May is National Women’s Health Month, and experts are reminding women to prioritize their health and well-being.
Brenda Shelton-Dunston, executive director of the Philadelphia Black Women’s Health Alliance, said the worst of the pandemic showed that Black women’s health was at the top of the curve as far as health disparities.
She said her organization works to help improve healthcare outcomes and reduce disparities for women of color through awareness.
“We provide education and increase knowledge,” said Shelton-Dunston. “First, explain what a health disparity is. Health disparities are basically preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury, violence or opportunities to achieve an optimal health status.”
Shelton-Dunston said they provide strategies and approaches that can be used to prevent chronic conditions such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.
She said the Office of Minority Health reports that – per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – African American women are nearly 50% more likely to have high blood pressure, compared with non-Hispanic white women.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that women who are caregivers are at greater risk for poor physical and mental health.
Shelton-Dunston said it is important for women to focus on their mental health and to take time out for themselves while they are caring for their loved ones.
“You have ultimate responsibility for you and for your self-care,” said Shelton-Dunston. “How do you accomplish that? Making that a priority, making you a priority.”
She added that their 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 Obstetrician/Gynecologist and the chief medical officer for population health at UnitedHealthcare. She said as younger women begin adulthood it’s important to take preventive steps so chronic health issues do not begin to take hold.
“So it still is important to eat a balanced diet, and perhaps even more, so to have a consistent strength and cardiovascular training routine, that can also help minimize the stress,” said O’Shea. “As you know, stress hurts us in many ways. “
O’Shea urged women to make appointments for any screenings they may have put off during COVID, such as a mammogram or screenings for cervical or colon cancer.
She added that the good news is that colon cancer screening is an excellent way to catch it early so that it can be treated and cured.
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Two-thirds of adults are dealing with gut issues.
A new survey from healthcare provider MDVIP found a majority of Americans aren’t keeping their gut health in check and are experiencing recurrent digestive issues such as gas, bloating and abdominal pain – but very few actually seek medical care.
Chief Medical Officer with MDVIP Dr. Andrea Klemes said many in Nevada and across the country know very little about how important good gut health is.
She said gastrointestinal issues are linked to other serious health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and even Alzheimer’s disease.
“Now, the gut has good and bad bacteria in it, and that bacteria is a balance,” said Klemes. “That’s what makes you have a healthy gut or an unhealthy gut. That unhealthy gut can make you have bigger disease issues like the heart attack, but also can cause symptoms like brain fog or fatigue, moodiness or even eczema or psoriasis.”
Klemes said their survey found more than half of participants have used over-the-counter digestive products such as fiber supplements and laxatives.
She added that “people are looking for a magic pill,” but says the best way to a have a healthier gut is through the food you eat.
She said probiotic foods such as 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 simply isn’t true.
She said the number of times you visit the restroom in a day or week varies from person to person. She said one should understand what is “normal for you” – and when something is abnormal, she said you should visit your doctor.
Klemes said women are also more affected by digestive woes than men, with three in four experiencing symptoms a few times a month or more.
“It is interesting because women said they felt more dismissed by their doctor,” said Klemes. “So it is hard, if you have a GI issue, you shouldn’t suffer in silence. If your doctor doesn’t take it seriously, then you need to find another doctor.”
Klemes said stress, daily activity and other lifestyle habits can also have an impact on gut health. She encouraged everyone to take her group’s “Gut IQ” quiz to learn more about proper gut health.
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Researchers at the University of Iowa are using one of the body’s naturally occurring waste products to treat stroke, potentially lessening the damage.
Uric acid is a natural biological component of human blood, improving flow in the smaller vessels and reducing brain damage by neutralizing chemicals occurring during a stroke. But because the uric acid is quickly consumed by the body during a stroke, there is not enough left in the bloodstream to fully prevent brain damage.
Dr. Enrique Leira, professor of vascular neurology at the University of Iowa and a research leader, said scientists are introducing uric acid back into the bloodstream to block something called oxidative stress.
“We know the uric acid we have as humans helps us with this problem, but it’s not enough,” Leira explained. “That’s why the rationale is to supplement patients that are having an acute stroke with additional uric acid through their veins in order to block that oxidative stress.”
Leira pointed out wide scale clinical trials are next, with the help of the National Institutes of Health, during which doctors hope to be able to completely unblock blood vessels in a patient having a stroke, further limiting the potential damage it can do.
Leira noted using uric acid to protect brain tissue during a stroke could add to 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 putting a dent in a huge problem.
“We have 800,000 strokes per year in the United States, and it is the main cause of disability,” Leira emphasized. “In addition to opening the arteries of patients with procedures like we can do now, we need chemical, medical treatments that can boost their outcomes of these patients and result in lesser disability.”
Stroke is also among the leading causes of death in the U.S., and Leira said rapid treatment can often mean protecting brain cells, improving patient outcomes and potentially saving lives.
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A mobile clinic is bringing drug treatment to rural Idaho.
The organization Ideal Option‘s first treatment clinic on wheels is in Rexburg. Ideal Option received a grant from the state to create the roving facility.
Kim Hill is the community outreach manager with the organization.
“It’s really geared at allowing people in those rural communities to access treatment who otherwise would not be able to have those services available to them,” said Hill. “Transportation is a huge barrier with the clientele that we serve.”
Ideal Option offers medication-based addiction treatment for opioids, alcohol and other substances.
They have more than 80 standalone clinics in eleven states, including ten in Idaho. The clinics are largely 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 treatment long term. She added that treatment also reduces encounters with law enforcement.
“It’s allowing law enforcement to maybe deal with some bigger issues that they may see in the communities,” said Hill. “Same thing with the 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 do like the counseling aspect or some of those other services that they need,” said Hill. “And that’s why it’s really important for us to be involved in the communities and building those relationships with other organizations.”
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