MAY WOMEN'S HEALTH ISSUE: WOMEN’S TOP HEALTH CONCERNS plus MASSAGE AND BODYWORK

Feature:Women’s Top Health Concerns           1,934 words

Byline: Ronica O’Hara

Much has improved in women’s health from three decades ago when women were considered “small men” and rarely included in clinical studies. With more nuanced treatments and medications now offered, breast cancer deaths have dropped by 40 percent and autoimmune diseases don’t necessarily lead to wheelchairs, yet much remains to be done for women to prevent and treat heart disease, cancer, hormonal issues, autoimmune diseases and depression. Research and strategies point not just to medical advances but to integrative preventive approaches including specific vitamins and nutrients.

Fit Body: Massage & Bodywork                                                     656 words plus 183 sidebar   

Byline: Marlaina Donato

After a workout, a little TLC with a bodywork practitioner can combat soreness and stiffness, maximizing fitness investments in and out of the gym. Approaches such as Swedish massage, deep tissue massage, sports massage and myofascial trigger point release therapy can boost both blood and lymphatic circulation and give soft tissues a vital shot of cellular nutrition.

Healing Ways: Homeopathic First Aid                                        712 words plus 199 sidebar

Byline: Marlaina Donato                        

Having a homeopathic first aid kit at home is useful for such mishaps as cuts, burns, bumps and bruises, insect bites, poison oak/ivy and minor illnesses.Although for many conditions, homeopathic care demands a careful matching of symptoms with a person’s constitution, its first aid remedies are most often universally straight-forward, as well as being easy to administer, low-cost and virtually free of harmful side effects.

Healthy Kids: Holistic Pregnancy                                                    767 words plus 201 sidebar

Byline: Julie Peterson                        

During the nine months of pregnancy, mother and baby share blood, nutrition, and air,  which is why it’s wise during pregnancy to eat organic whole foods, take a high-quality prenatal vitamin, replace body care products and household cleaners that contain chemical toxins, exercise, and practice meditation or yoga. A midwife or doula can provide comfort, coaching and information particularly during the birth itself, and many apps and books offer valuable guidance.

WiseWords: Lindsay Berkson on Bio-Identical Hormones

Byline: Linda Sechrist

The use of estrogen as an anti-aging hormone plunged with a 2002 study that linked it to breast cancer, but research now verifies that estrogen actually protects breasts from cancer, bones from fracture, blood vessels from hardening and the brain from dementia. Bio-identical hormones outdo synthetic hormones, studies show, and pharmaceutical companies have jumped into offering them, trying through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to edge out the compounding pharmacies that traditionally make the bio-identical hormone.

Conscious Eating: DIY Baby Food                                                     700 words plus 144 recipes

Byline: Sandra Yeyati

When a baby is ready for solid food, which may be as early as four to six months, do-it-yourself food is cheaper and healthier: a store-bought sweet potato pouch that costs $2.50 is less practical than a single sweet potato that costs less than a dollar and provides multiple meals. All is takes to prepare baby food is a spoon and fork, or maybe a food blender. As the baby grows, using recipes from the Internet can help move a child into more adventurous and complex flavors and textures.

Inspiration: Three Steps for Facing Difficult Emotions                        453  words

Byline: Shauna Shapiro

The psychology professor and author advises us that when we meet uncertain and challenging times, we can find calm and well-being in three steps: by naming our emotions, which puts the brakes on reactivity; welcoming our emotions, which allows them to pass away like waves in the ocean; and practicing self-compassion by realizing we are not alone in our suffering but join in a common humanity.

Green Living: Eco-Fashion                                                            647 words

Byline: Kajsa Nickels

The “fast fashion” that delivers cheap designer knock-offs at lightning speed to stores around the world is coming at a high cost to consumers and the planet. That is good reason to buy sustainably-made clothes of high quality, shop at resale and secondhand stores, exchange clothing at parties with friends, practice creative mending, and repurpose old items with imagination, such as turning men’s dress shirts into dresses for little girls or onesies for a baby.

Natural Pet: Cancer in Cats                                                         768 words

Byline: Julie Peterson

One in five cats will be diagnosed with cancer at some point, but pet parents can lower those odds by detecting unusual behaviors or symptoms such as weight loss and sores that don’t heal. Healing approaches may include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, as well as holistic therapies such as acupuncture, homeopathy, supplements, and Chinese medicine.  A whole food diet of meats, organs and bones, with some vegetables, is also better than many commercial cat foods made with GMO crops.

Eco-Tip: Beauty Product Waste                                                  380 words

In the United States, beauty is a $49 billion industry  -- which means a lot of discarded plastic lipstick cases and shampoo tubes leaching poisonous chemicals in landfills. Eco-strategies include using cut-up T-shirts instead of disposable cleansing wipes, opting for glass rather than plastic containers, choosing brands that use minimal packaging materials, using refillable products and buying eco-friendly soaps and deodorants.