Jody Miller’s Wellness Wisdom for the Month
** Intrinsic Motivation Ask yourself… Are you making changes because you think you “should” or because someone else tells you to do so? Long term change stems from making changes because you WANT to and choose it for yourself – self-directed and self-initiated. Nutrition & Fitness: ** Nutrition – Added Sugar – Recommended intake: Women 6 teaspoons…
What’s New with Flu (2017-18)
The autumn months bring temperature changes and remind us of the influenza (flu) season that will occur soon. Influenza is a highly infectious virus that causes 20,000 preventable deaths and 200,000 hospitalizations annually. The seemingly low protection (45%) of last year’s flu vaccine spells uncertainty for most of us when deciding to vaccinate for flu…
Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause
Many women experience discomfort in the peri- and post-menopausal period. The complaints vary but may include vaginal dryness and irritation, painful intercourse, lack of sensation with intercourse, leaking of urine, urinary urgency, recurrent urinary and vaginal infections, and even vaginal bleeding. The changes that occur are due to declining estrogen levels and estrogen receptor levels…
Is it true what they say about coconut oil?
There had been so much advertising and new product development around coconut oil – and all things coconut – that I thought I would let you in on what the medical literature says. Looks like it should be a short-lived fad if science has anything to do with it! Despite the fact that there are…
Tips for the Eclipse
The Great American Solar Eclipse will be darkening our skies on August 21, 2017. The area of totality is in a narrow strip of the country from Oregon to South Carolina, but those of us in other parts of the country will at least see a partial solar eclipse, meaning the moon never quite completely blocks the sun. The last…
Three Quick Tips For Change
Approaches & Strategies: ** What is your WHY?Ask yourself… what do I want to change? What do I REALLY want from my life?Having a WHY gives us purpose and direction. It helps to reinforce our actions making sense of our choices and behaviors. Change is moredifficult without a WHY… Nutrition & Fitness: ** Fiber 25-35…
Postpartum depression – a common but often overlooked problem
One in five women will experience postpartum depression. The same number, or more, will suffer from postpartum anxiety (let’s save this topic for another time). For many women, especially first-time mothers, the change from their baseline to being a new mother is so different that it is a challenge to make sense of any possible…
Health News: Coffee Consumption and Longevity; High Dose Vitamin D Decreases Sunburn Effects; Antidepressants’ Effects in Pregnancy;Antibiotics and Birth Defects…
*Coffee Consumption Could Improve Lifespan* Two large studies, recently published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, found a link between lower mortality risk and coffee consumption. The study from University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles, reviewed data on185,855 of middle aged to older Americans over a decade. The researchers…
Updates on Hormone Therapy in Menopause
As a practicing ob-gyn for the last 35 years, I have certainly seen the “hormone wars.” As is true in so many subjects in medicine, studies are presented that demonstrate a significant benefit of a drug or supplement, only to be challenged months or years later with the opposite findings, leading to confusion and angst,…
Health News: Hepatitis C Rates in Pregnancy; Wine and Breast Cancer; Foods and Depression; Breast Cancer Rates in Asian American Women…
*Hepatitis C (HCV) On the Rise in Pregnant Women* US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report showed a doubling between 2009 to 2014 of hepatitis C (HCV) infections in pregnant women. Increased incidences were found especially in W. Virginia and Tennessee where there’s a high risk for opioid addiction. The…