It is no wonder why the weight-loss industry is a $20 billion per year industry. Dieters spend money on diet books, diet drugs and weight-loss surgery. 108 million people in the United States are on diets and typically attempt four or…
Women who are obese before they become pregnant may be putting their child at a disadvantage. New research shows that reading and math scores for kids ages 5 to 7 were lower if the mother was obese before she got pregnant.…
Coffee has been widely linked to an array of health benefits including: decreased occurrences of type-2 diabetes; lower risks of Parkinson’s disease; lower risk of colorectal cancer; lower mortality rates; decreased skin cancer risk; and decreased rates of heart failure. Some…
Results of a recent study in Preventive Medicine showed that compared to men, women are at greater risk for comorbid metabolic syndrome, depression and high homocysteine levels, thus prompting researchers to conclude that women must become more active in order to…
In a recent weekly press briefing, House Speaker John Boehner signaled that Republicans would not pursue legislation challenging the federal contraceptive coverage rules, Talking Points Memo reports. The requirement took effect on Aug. 1. The rules implement a provision in the…
Women cyclists who set their bikes’ handlebars lower than the saddle tended to show a degree of impaired genital sensation, researchers at Yale U reported. Among 41 competitive cyclists, the 19 who rode bikes with relatively low handlebars had, on average,…
A hotly contested provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that requires employers and insurers to offer free contraceptive coverage takes effect today despite ongoing legal challenges.
Starting August 1, 2012, all new insurance policies must cover birth control and certain other…
A new study points to indoor tanning as a cause for melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, particularly among young sunbed users. Overall, there was a 20% increased risk for melanoma with any indooor tanning, according to Mathieu Boniol,…
The onset of puberty is associated with an increase in depression among adolescents, particularly among adolescent girls. According to the 2008 to 2010 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health, an annual average of 1.4 million girls aged 12 to 17…
The FDA recently approved the first weight-loss drug, Belviq (lorcaserin hydrochloride), in 13 years. Arena Pharmaceuticals of San Diego developed the pill to help people lose 3-4% of their body weight when coupled with exercise and a healthy diet. The FDA…
An estimated 848, 000 men and 790,000 women will be diagnosed with some form of cancer this year according to the American Cancer Society. New genetic sequencing technologies have made it possible to get personalized genetic tests to determine one’s risk…
Several Affordable Care Act provisions that have “remained under the public’s radar” are women’s health-related, according to a Kaiser Health Newslist of 10 little-known elements of the law. The following is from the Daily Women’s Health Policy Report from the National…
A recent study published in Environmental Science & Technology tied a group of chemicals called benzophenones to an increased risk of endometriosis. The study measured the amount of benzophenones in the urine of 600 women who were tested for endometriosis. One…
We know that many women use contraceptives to prevent unwanted pregnancy often for social, career or economic reasons. In other words, it’s not the right time. There are also health reasons for avoiding or delaying pregnancy. The Association of Reproductive Health…
In a study recently published by the International Journal of Eating Disorders, women in their early 50’s (midlife) show more symptoms of disordered eating and concerns over their weight and shape than women in their late adulthood (mid 50’s and over). …
In many women with recurrent breast cancer, the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status of their tumors changes between treatment for the primary tumor and relapse, a large retrospective study has found.…
Despite stable rates of HIV diagnosis in older populations, the rate of HIV diagnoses from 2006 to 2009 increased in teens 15-19 and youth 20-24 years of age, and was highest in the 20-24 year-old age group. Undiagnosed HIV cases are…
Getting too hot due to weather can make you sick. You can become ill from the heat if your body can’t compensate for it and properly cool you off. Heat exposure can even kill you: it caused 8,015 deaths in the…
Consuming a low carbohydrate-high protein diet — like the Atkins diet — may be associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease in women. Decreases in carbohydrate intake and increases in protein intake were all associated with significantly greater risks of…
Chlorine can kill germs in the pool, but it can’t work miracles. At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Michele Hlavsa says the idea that swimming pool disinfectants kill germs instantly is a myth. She says that’s why it’s unhealthy…
The Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the health care law (Affordable Care Act) will keep in place important benefits to women:
Women will no longer be charged more than men for the same health coverage by insurance companies because women use more…
The American Medical Association’s House of Delegates has come out in support of routine screening mammography for women starting at age 40.
The new policy is in direct conflict with the controversial 2009 recommendation of the United States Preventive Services Task Force…
Thank you to all who attended TEDxNU: The Complex World of Fertility last night. We had a great time listening to the speakers and even got a chance to see some entertaining and enlightening clips from other TED talks. A special thanks…
Female physician researchers make less money than their male counterparts, researchers found. Among recipients of National Institutes of Health (NIH) career development awards, the average reported annual salary was $167,669 for women and $200,433 for men, according to Reshma Jagsi, MD,…
A hike in your blood pressure during middle age significantly raises the risk of having a heart attack or a stroke during your lifetime, according to new Northwestern Medicine research. The study offers a new understanding on the importance of maintaining…
The esophageal cancer risk with bisphosphonate bone drugs may be a bigger problem than thought, particularly with use of alendronate (Fosamax), an adverse event surveillance study suggested. Overall, 128 cases of bisphosphonate-associated esophageal cancer were reported to the FDA’s adverse event…
My daughter teaches dance to preschool children and recently I went to observe one of her classes. I was really surprised to see that some of the children could not follow a simple dance movement pattern and could not jump on…
Brooding in your apartment on Saturday afternoon? A new smart phone intuits when you’re depressed and will nudge you to call or go out with friends.
It’s the future of therapy at a new Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine center where…
Simply ejecting your rear from the couch means your hand will spend less time digging into a bag of chocolate chip cookies.
That is the simple but profound finding of a new Northwestern Medicine study, which reports simply changing one bad habit…
Interesting research on the outcomes of “The Biggest Loser” reality TV show highlight important news for diabetics! According to Robert Huizenga, MD , the medical advisor for the show, diabetic and prediabetic contestants were off medications within a few weeks of…
With women’s reproductive health reemerging as a heated issue this year in policy debates and news reports, this month’s Kaiser Health Tracking Poll assesses women’s perceptions and reactions to that attention and its potential impact on the upcoming presidential election.
Three in…
A new study shows that the biological clock is not the only clock women trying to conceive should consider. The circadian clock needs attention, too.
Epidemiological studies have shown female shift workers, such as nurses, and female flight attendants who work on…
People with spider phobia handle tarantulas and have lasting changes in fear response! A single brief therapy session for adults with a lifelong debilitating spider phobia resulted in lasting changes to the brain’s response to fear. The therapy was so…
The National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention has designated the Friday before Memorial Day as “Don’t Fry Day.” This year it is May 25. The goal? To make sure people stay safe in the sun and protect their skin while…
Heart disease and stroke deaths drop significantly for people with diabetes!
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) healthier lifestyles, better disease management are helping people with diabetes live longer. Death rates for people with diabetes dropped substantially from…
Ireland, a land of “happy wars and sad love songs,” is also a nation that is adopting some of the bad eating habits found in the U.S. and is trying to break those habits.
That assessment comes from Ian Graham, MD, of…
A Northwestern Medicine scientist has developed the first blood test to diagnose major depression in teens, a breakthrough approach that allows an objective diagnosis by measuring a specific set of genetic markers found in a patient’s blood. Diagnosing teens is an…
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered individuals (LGBT) experience differences in receipt of health care services and are sometimes denied services according to a new report. Some of the key findings from the National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR) related to health care…
In May 2012, an HBO Documentary Films series on obesity, “The Weight of the Nation,” premieres. Make sure you view the trailer, it’s explosive! The four-part series—Consequences, Choices, Children in Crisis, and Challenges—highlights several NIH research advances and addresses the factors…
A recent visit to Israel included a drive into the desert of the Negev region. I noticed small groups of tents and our guide said they were Bedouin —people who have no land and are not connected to water or electricity. …
In 1990, researchers in Britain started collecting tissues and detailed information from more than 14,500 pregnant women about their health, relationships, work and home. Furthermore, after giving birth, the study leaders tracked the offspring development through surveys, clinical exams and biological…
With record numbers of Americans lacking health coverage, the substantial growth of the uninsured population in recent decades has been a vexing problem in the United States and served as a primary impetus for the enactment of the Affordable Care Act. …
Recently Miley Cyrus has been touting a gluten free diet as a way to lose weight. Is this true or just another celebrity fad? Gluten is a protein present in foods including wheat, rye, oats, and barley but may also…
Sexual violence is a serious public health problem in the United States and world wide! Statistics underestimate the problem because many victims are afraid to tell the police, family, or friends about the violence. In the United States, 1 in 5…
Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women, and evidence-based national guidelines promote the use of daily aspirin for women at increased risk for cardiovascular disease. However, less than half of the women who could benefit from aspirin are…
Have you noticed Salmonella and other food borne illnesses are on the rise—everywhere. While we rely on government agencies to keep our restaurants inspected and food handling industries regulated, at the home level, it’s up to us!. The kitchen is the…
A migraine is the most common type of headache that propels patients to seek care from their doctors. Roughly 30 million Americans suffer from migraine headaches, with women affected almost three times more often than men, according to statistics from the…
Edie Falco, 9 year survivor
An overwhelming number of breast cancer patients and survivors say that talking to other survivors is key to dealing with the disease. The findings, the result of a new national poll of breast cancer patients and survivors, inspired…
Spending time on a bicycle seat, which has been linked to erectile dysfunction in men, may also be a hazard to a woman’s sexual health, a new study shows.
Many women who cycle or take spin classes are familiar with the numbness…
A type of exercise called pelvic floor muscle training is effective for treating adult women with urinary incontinence (the involuntary loss of urine) without risk of side effects, according to a new report from the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and…
Women take longer to give birth today than did women 50 years ago, according to an analysis of nearly 140,000 deliveries conducted by researchers at the National Institutes of Health.
The researchers compared data on deliveries in the early 1960s to data…
While we continue to fight for access to health care (pending the US Supreme Court decision on the Affordable Care Act) it’s rewarding to see that work continues on economic and job issues. U.S. Senator Tom Harkin recently introduced the…
We tend to think of rural women’s issues in the context of the developing world. But in America rural women also struggle. One of the big factors in rural poverty is the lack of access to decent health services. On March…
Just 38 percent of sexually active young women were screened for chlamydia in the previous year in the United States, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC recommends annual screening for all sexually active women aged 25…
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in 88 children in the United States has been identified as having an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to a new study released today that looked at data from 14…
More women work out at coed gyms and are comfortable sweating side by side with men. But what about the women’s locker room? A recent study found that when it comes changing in the locker room, the acts of disrobing,…
Women still pay more than men for the same health insurance coverage, according to new research and data from online brokers. This is one reason women should be monitoring the US Supreme Court’s hearings on the recent Affordable Care Act (ACA)…
If your eyes and mouth feel as dry as a desert, there are many possible causes, such as bad air quality and certain medications. But if you have long-lasting, uncomfortable dryness in your eyes and mouth, along with fatigue or pain…
A year ago our Institute hosted a private showing of Hot Flash Havoc, an award winning documentary on menopause. The long awaited release of this film in U.S. theaters begins later this month. To learn more about the sites and dates,…
Last week Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland became the longest serving US Congresswoman! She was elected to the US House of Representative in 1976 and, 10 years later, became the first woman elected to the Senate who stood on her own…