Deskercise, or desk exercises, are simple movements office workers can perform at their desks to improve circulation and reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). These exercises counteract the effects of prolonged sitting, which is a key contributor to poor blood flow and clot formation.
Effective Deskercises to Prevent DVT
1- Foot and Leg Movements
Heel and Toe Raises:
Sit upright and place your feet flat on the floor.
Raise your heels while keeping your toes on the ground, then lower and lift your toes while keeping your heels on the ground.
Repeat 10–15 times per set.
Ankle Circles:
Lift one foot off the floor and rotate your ankle in circular motions.
Do 10 circles in each direction for both feet.
Leg Extensions:
Straighten one leg and hold it parallel to the floor for 5 seconds, then lower it.
Alternate legs and aim for 10 repetitions per leg.
2- Seated Marching
Mini March:
While seated, lift one knee toward your chest, then alternate with the other leg as if marching.
Continue for 30–60 seconds to activate the calf and thigh muscles.
3- Seated Stretching
Seated Calf Stretch:
Extend one leg forward, keeping your heel on the ground.
Flex your foot upward and hold for 10–15 seconds.
Switch legs and repeat.
Hamstring Stretch:
Sit on the edge of your chair and extend one leg straight out.
Lean forward slightly from your hips until you feel a stretch in the back of your thigh.
Hold for 15–20 seconds per leg.
4- Core and Posture Boosters
Seated Torso Twists:
Sit upright and twist your torso to one side, holding the backrest for support.
Return to the center and twist to the other side.
Repeat 5–10 times on each side.
Seated Pelvic Tilts:
Rock your pelvis forward and backward while seated, engaging your core.
Perform 10–15 repetitions to ease lower back tension and improve circulation.
5- Standing Deskercises
Calf Raises:
Stand up and raise your heels off the ground, then lower slowly.
Do 10–15 repetitions for improved calf muscle activity.
Mini Squats:
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and perform shallow squats, keeping your back straight.
Aim for 10–12 repetitions.
Bonus Tips:
Set a Timer: Stand or move for a few minutes every hour.
Hydrate Regularly: Drinking water promotes better blood flow.
Compression Socks: Consider wearing these if you’re at higher risk of DVT.
Integrating these exercises into your workday can make a significant difference in preventing DVT and improving overall health. Would you like suggestions for incorporating these into a daily routine?
Disclaimer The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
If you run a women’s fitness business—whether it’s a personal training service, online coaching, gym, or activewear brand—your online reputation matters. People trust reviews. They trust what they read on Google. And they notice when your name shows up on a complaint board.
These sites are public. They rank high in search. And once a listing is up, it can stay there for years. Even if it’s false or posted by someone who never used your service.
Here’s how to handle it, get it removed (if possible), and protect your brand.
Why Complaint Boards Hurt Fitness Businesses
Women’s fitness is personal. It’s about health, trust, and transformation. If someone searching for your name finds a post that says you’re rude, unsafe, or dishonest—even if it’s not true—they’ll move on.
A BrightLocal study found that 94% of people say a single negative review has made them avoid a business. That includes anonymous complaints with no proof.
One studio owner I know had a listing on a complaint site from a former friend pretending to be a client. The post accused her of “body shaming” and “unsafe workouts.” She lost four regulars before she even saw the post.
Step 1: Find Out What’s Posted
Start by Googling your business name in incognito mode. Look for:
Your name + “complaint”
Your gym or brand name + “scam”
“[Business] review site”
Your name on sites like Ripoff Report, ComplaintsBoard, or PissedConsumer
If anything shows up, screenshot it. Save the link. Make a note of what it says and when it was posted.
If you don’t own your name as a domain or haven’t claimed your Google Business profile, do that now. Controlling your name online helps in the long run.
Step 2: Check if It Breaks the Rules
Most complaint sites allow free speech. But they still have rules.
A listing can sometimes be removed if it includes:
Hate speech or slurs
Private information (like your phone or home address)
Threats or harassment
Fake claims from non-customers
Duplicates posted over and over
Some posts violate the site’s terms without looking extreme. Always check the site’s reporting or content policy section.
One trainer I helped had a complaint that included her email and phone number. That post was removed in three days after she reported it for privacy violation.
Step 3: Try to Remove It Directly
Each complaint board has its own process. Here’s how to work with them.
File a content removal request
Look for a “report” or “flag” button. Or find a “Contact Us” page. Be specific in your message. Point out which rules the post breaks. Keep it short and professional.
Avoid writing long emotional responses. The goal is to make it easy for the site to say yes.
Ask the poster to remove it (if possible)
Some sites let users edit or delete their posts. If you know who posted it and think they were a real client, reach out calmly.
You can say: “I saw your post. I’m sorry your experience wasn’t what you expected. I’d love to make it right. If you’re open to removing the post, I’m happy to offer a refund or a free session.”
This won’t work every time. But it’s worth trying—especially if the post came from a misunderstanding or miscommunication.
Step 4: Suppress the Listing With Better Content
If the site won’t take the post down, your next move is to bury it.
Publish fresh content on trusted sites
Create content that ranks higher than the complaint. Start with:
Your own website (use your name and brand name in headlines)
Blog posts or testimonials from real clients
Medium or LinkedIn articles
YouTube videos about your workouts or fitness tips
Guest posts on fitness or wellness blogs
Google ranks newer, relevant content higher—especially if it’s posted consistently.
One bootcamp coach started a weekly blog answering common fitness questions. After six posts, her new content pushed the complaint listing off page one.
Get listed on trusted platforms
Claim and update your profiles on:
Google Business
Facebook
Instagram
Yelp
ClassPass or Mindbody (if applicable)
Positive reviews and active profiles help push down complaint links. They also build trust with new clients.
Step 5: Get Help From a Pro (If You Need It)
If the complaint is hurting your business and won’t come down, you may need outside help.
Some online reputation companies specialize in removing or suppressing complaint board listings. They work with lawyers, SEO experts, and public relations pros to clean up search results.
If you go this route, ask for real examples of past removals. Avoid companies that promise “instant results” or charge huge upfront fees.
Step 6: Protect Your Reputation Going Forward
Once the complaint is handled, build habits to protect your name.
Ask for reviews from real clients
After a great session, send a quick message with a review link. Focus on Google and Facebook.
Even a short “Loved the workout, felt strong and supported” builds trust.
Monitor your brand monthly
Set Google Alerts for your name, business, and top programs. This way, you’ll know if anything new pops up.
Check your search results once a month. If something bad is creeping up again, act fast.
Keep showing up
Don’t let one bad post stop you. Keep posting tips, updates, and wins. Share transformations, workout clips, and real moments from your classes. The more visible you are, the more control you have over what people see.
Final Thoughts
A complaint board post can feel personal. But you can fight back. Remove what you can. Bury what you can’t. Keep building content and trust.
You’re helping people feel strong, confident, and capable. Don’t let one angry post ruin that. Take action, own your space, and keep lifting others.
Your voice—and your fitness brand—deserves to be seen for what it is.
Disclaimer The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
America is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world. In addition to racial and ethnic diversity, more than 350 languages are spoken in the U.S. In fact, 1 in 5 people speak a language other than English at home, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
But for some people, cultural diversity means important health information can get lost in translation. Research shows that cultural barriers and language play a big role in misinformation and miscommunication between healthcare providers (HCPs) and patients.
Cultural humility vs. cultural competence
In the early 2000s, the government started requiring that HCPs learn cultural competence to help improve the quality of care.
Cultural competence in healthcare refers to a provider’s ability to understand, appreciate and engage with people across cultures. The idea is that the more HCPs know about different cultural backgrounds, the better the care will be.
In theory, cultural competence sounds good, but it has some flaws. For one, the concept suggests that there’s a core set of data that applies to specific groups of people, which can lead to bias and stereotypes. Cultural competence also suggests that a person can become fully culturally competent. But that’s not exactly the case.
“It quickly becomes apparent there’s no way that you can be culturally competent because you’re going to run into so many cultures and then variations within culture,” said Patricia Geraghty MSN, FNP-BC, WHNP, a nurse practitioner and member of HealthyWomen’s Women’s Health Advisory Council (WHAC, who has been working in women’s health delivering bilingual care for more than 20 years.
The concept of cultural competence isn’t bad, Geraghty noted, but there’s been a shift toward the practice of cultural humility in recent years.
Cultural humility is the ongoing process of self-reflection and self-critique of bias by HCPs, as well as the acknowledgment that culture is always evolving — there’s no endpoint.
“Intellectual humility is acknowledging and owning one’s own biases and limitations, and interpersonal humility is being open and prioritizing the well-being of others, which, as healthcare providers, that’s why we’re in the room,” Geraghty said.
The importance of cultural humility
Cultural humility can help enhance the relationship between the HCP and patient in different ways.
These can include:
Increased communication
Increased trust
A focus on person-centered care
Reduced stereotypes and bias by providers
“When someone who is part of a marginalized group feels like their provider is listening and understanding what’s important to them — that does a lot,” Geraghty said.
Trust can help people feel more secure and open and lead to better health outcomes. In addition to more personalized and effective care, cultural humility can help foster a more equitable healthcare system.
What is health equity?
Health equity is basically the idea that everyone has the same opportunity to live their healthiest life possible regardless of social, economic, geographical background. Social determinants of health (where you’re born, live, work, play and age) as well as biological determinants (e.g., being a woman or a person assigned female at birth) affect the potential for a healthy life.
Unfortunately, there are many factors that challenge health equity today. These can include:
Discrimination
Poor access to healthcare
A lack of educational opportunities
Unsafe environment
Living in a low-income household
Structural, social and institutional disparities are often made worse by stereotypes and discrimination.
Cultural humility can help HCPs take steps toward greater health equity through trust, listening to lived experiences and education to eliminate racism and bias.
Health disparities are a complex problem, but everyone deserves reliable health resources and services in a language that they can understand. A lack of clear and reliable information can lead to serious health problems, such as errors with medication, misdiagnosis and delays in care among other concerns that could be avoided with proper communication.
Health insurance companies are a good place to start to ask for a list of HCPs that may speak your primary language. Or ask friends and family for recommendations. If there isn’t a list to choose from — don’t sweat. Most clinics and hospitals that accept federal money are required to provide free language assistance such as a translator or document translation.
Another option: download a translation app on a smartphone. One study found patients and their HCPs who used online translation tools such as Google Translate increased satisfaction for the visit by 92%.
Geraghty said translation via smartphone has come a long way, but it’s always a good idea to be proactive and let the staff know your primary language and cultural considerations before meeting with a HCP. The more information the better as it can help everyone involved be prepared to focus on what’s most important — your health.
El cáncer pulmonar es el segundo tipo de cáncer más común de las mujeres en EE.UU. y casi 60,000 mujeres murieron de cáncer pulmonar en 2024, más que de cualquier otro cáncer.
Los avances de métodos para detectar y tratar el cáncer pulmonar han mejorado esta situación, pero todavía falta mucho por hacer. Aunque 1 de cada 4 muertes de cáncer son causadas por el cáncer pulmonar, menos de 1 de cada 10 subvenciones federales de investigación se otorgan para financiar estudios de cáncer pulmonar.
“El cáncer pulmonar es una enfermedad que tiene desenlaces clínicos muy malos y desafortunadamente no hay mucha esperanza”, explicó Nan Sethakorn, M.D., Ph.D., oncóloga médica y profesora adjunta de la Universidad Loyola Chicago. Debe haber más educación y concientización acerca de los nuevos tratamientos disponibles de cáncer pulmonar”, agregó.
Historia de la inmunoterapia como tratamiento contra el cáncer pulmonar
La inmunoterapia es un tipo de tratamiento contra el cáncer que usa el sistema inmunológico de tu cuerpo para eliminar células cancerosas y es útil para que algunas personas con cáncer pulmonar vivan más tiempo. Según Sethakorn, la inmunoterapia ha jugado un papel importante en el tratamiento contra el cáncer en los últimos años.
En las décadas de los ochentas y los noventas, se desarrolló el campo de la inmunobiología, en base a investigaciones que empezaron varias décadas antes que sugerían que el sistema inmunológico juega un papel importante en el desarrollo del cáncer. Pero Sethakorn dijo que no fue hasta los primeros años del nuevo milenio que las inmunoterapias modernas con las cuales estamos familiarizados, tales como pembrolizumab (Keytruda), se volvieron relevantes.
Se aprobaron inmunoterapias para personas que recibieron tratamiento con quimioterapia estándar cuando sus cánceres volvieron a aparecer. Los investigadores observaron desenlaces clínicos tan exitosos usando la inmunoterapia que el siguiente paso fue proporcionarlo a personas como su tratamiento inicial para cáncer pulmonar.
Eso también tuvo éxito y la inmunoterapia se usó como tratamiento de primera línea para el cáncer pulmonar, incluso en etapas avanzadas y ahora se usa para tratar etapas tempranas de cáncer pulmonar.
“Recordar los varios grupos que hicieron estas investigaciones fundamentales de inmunobiología me da una enorme sensación de humildad”, dijo Sethakorn. “Hemos tenido resultados asombrosos con el uso de fármacos más efectivos, tales como estas inmunoterapias, pero eso tomó algunas décadas”.
Disparidades del financiamiento contra el cáncer pulmonar
Desafortunadamente, la tasa de supervivencia a cinco años para el cáncer pulmonar, el porcentaje de personas que viven cinco años después de recibir un diagnóstico de cáncer, apenas supera 1 de cada 4 personas (el 26.7%) .
Según un estudio de 2024 de la revista JCO Oncology Practice, “no se ha financiado adecuadamente la investigación de muchos cánceres de incidencias y tasas de mortalidad altas”. Las investigaciones contra el cáncer pulmonar recibieron aproximadamente $300 millones en subvenciones de los National Institutes of Health [Institutos nacionales de la salud] (NIH) en 2019. Aunque eso podría parecer bastante, es extremadamente caro realizar investigaciones y ensayos clínicos. Y para tener una idea de lo que esa cantidad de dinero representa: $300 millones es menos de la mitad del presupuesto que financia los sitios web relacionados con el cáncer de próstata y de mama. El cáncer de mama, por ejemplo, causa el 15% de las muertes de cáncer, pero recibe más del 20% de financiamiento para investigaciones.
Las desigualdades en la diversidad de los participantes en las investigaciones son un problema en lo que se refiere a los ensayos y a los desenlaces clínicos en lo que se refiere a investigaciones relacionadas con el cáncer pulmonar.
El ensayo Pragmatica-Lung [Pulmonar pragmático] tiene el objetivo de estandarizar el diseño de los ensayos clínicos como resultado de esfuerzos de los NIH y de la FDA [Administración federal de medicamentos] para reducir los obstáculos para la participación en ensayos haciendo que sea más fácil para los pacientes registrarse, que sea más fácil para los investigadores realizar ensayos y que se incremente la diversidad de los participantes. “La participación de grupos que históricamente han tenido poca representación, tales como pacientes de raza negra, mujeres e hispanos, concuerdan más con las tasas de cáncer de estos grupos”, explicó Sethakorn.
Los defensores de los derechos de los pacientes trabajan para mejorar la investigación del cáncer pulmonar
Otras formas para reducir las disparidades del financiamiento para investigaciones relacionadas con el cáncer pulmonar incluyen el trabajo de grupos que defienden los derechos de los pacientes. Los defensores de los derechos de los pacientes, conocidos también como colegas revisores, hablan sobre los beneficios y las inquietudes de los estudios y de lo que implican los tratamientos. “Nuestro trabajo implica dar visibilidad a las necesidades y opiniones de nuestros grupos relacionados con el cáncer”, dijo Christina Sisti, DPS, MPH, defensora de los derechos de pacientes con cáncer.
Sisti habla con otras personas en la comunidad de pacientes con cáncer acerca de ensayos clínicos y cómo personas pueden participar. “Descubrí que el departamento de defensa y el Instituto nacional contra el cáncer tienen oportunidades relacionadas con la defensa de los derechos de los pacientes de investigaciones”, dijo Sisti. El primer paso para convertirte en un defensor de los derechos de los pacientes de investigaciones, agregó, es responder formularios de sus sitios web.
Encontrar registros y ensayos clínicos relacionados con el cáncer pulmonar
Los ensayos clínicos facilitan un acceso temprano a nuevas terapias prometedoras que no han sido aprobadas todavía por la FDA según Sethakorn. “Es la forma en que nosotros, como comunidad de investigación médica, empezamos a entender cuán efectivo puede ser un tratamiento y qué efectos colaterales deben monitorearse”.
Los registros, un tipo diferente de investigación médica, no proporcionan dispositivos médicos ni tratamientos nuevos. En vez de eso, se enfocan en las características e información de personas que reciben diagnósticos de cáncer. Por ejemplo, pueden ser útiles para responder preguntas de ciertos tipos de cáncer pulmonar que tienen diferentes consecuencias para los hombres y para las mujeres.
Pregunta a tu oncólogo si hay ensayos clínicos en los que sería conveniente que participes. Frecuentemente podrá decirte si hay ensayos clínicos que estén buscando participantes en ese momento. También puedes hacer búsquedas en ClinicalTrials.gov. Organizaciones o grupos de defensa de derechos de pacientes tales como la American Lung Association [Asociación estadounidense del pulmón] o la Sociedad estadounidense contra el cáncer también tienen recursos para que personas encuentren ensayos clínicos.
Este recurso educativo se preparó con el apoyo de Daiichi Sankyo.
I’m from Michigan so I know what cold is. I now live in Las Vegas — because I know what cold is.
All those years digging my car out of the snow has given me freeze-phobia — I try to avoid anything that’s even associated with the cold. I drink hot tea. I prefer my true crime cases solved. I don’t know where Iceland is on a map. And I’m a fan of Netflix — you can keep the chill.
It’s hard for me to wrap my brain around doing anything arctic on purpose. But cold plunges have become increasingly popular in recent years, especially on social media. The hashtag #coldplunge has more than billion views on TikTok, and “cold plunge women” has more than 144 million posts.
A cold plunge, also called cold-water immersion, is when you submerge yourself in frigid water (around 50 degrees) in an effort to achieve physical and/or mental health benefits. Think of a bathtub filled with cold water and ice cubes or a chilled body of water like a lake.
Cold plunging isn’t new — the icy pastime dates back to ancient Greece. And you’ve probably seen athletes and entertainers like Lady Gaga posting photos of ice baths after a taxing workout.
The benefits of a cold plunge
Supporters of the plunge say it can help improve health conditions such as inflammation and chronic pain, as well as promote overall well-being.
Research on the benefits of cold plunging is ongoing, and most of the studies out there right now involve small groups of people. But there is some science to note behind the potential health perks of cold plunging.
Possible benefits may include:
Decreased pain and inflammation: During a cold plunge, your blood vessels narrow to save body heat, which reduces blood flow and decreases inflammation, swelling and nerve activity. The cold also numbs the body, which can decrease pain.
Improved mood: Getting chilly with it releases feel-good chemicals in your brain such as dopamine and serotonin, and studies have linked cold-water immersion to a positive shift in mood and increased self-esteem. A 2023 study found five minutes in a cold-water bath made participants feel more alert, proud and inspired.
Lower levels of cortisol: A cold plunge may naturally help decrease levels of the hormone cortisol. Your body releases cortisol during stressful situations, and high levels of cortisol can lead to serious health problems such as high blood pressure. One study found that people who spent 15 minutes in cold water had lower levels of cortisol for up to three hours after being in the water.
A metabolism boost: When you shiver — as one should in freezing water — your muscles contract. This increases metabolic rate and helps you burn more calories than you would if you weren’t in the cold water. Studies also show that cold plunging has a positive effect on brown adipose tissue, a type of body fat that is activated by cold and helps burn calories. However, the boost is not enough to aid in weight loss without the addition of lifestyle and dietary changes.
Better blood sugars: Repeated cold-water immersions may increase the level of a key protein in the body that protects against insulin resistance.
Increased immunity: Some research has linked cold plunges with an increase in white blood cells, which means your immune system may be stronger against infection.
How long should you cold plunge?
It takes anywhere between three and five minutes for the cold to penetrate past the skin, so most people stay in the water between five and 10 minutes.
Beginners typically start at 30 seconds or a minute and work their way up.
The time spent in the water also varies depending on the temperature and your comfort level, but staying in for more than 10 minutes increases the risk for hypothermia.
Who shouldn’t try cold plunge therapy?
Anyone with a chronic health condition should talk to a healthcare provider before trying cold-water immersion.
A cold plunge can cause increased breathing, heart rate and blood pressure. This can put stress on the heart and may cause abnormal heartbeats, so people with heart disease or a heart condition should avoid cold plunging.
You may also want to skip it if you’re living with:
Other risks of cold plunging include drowning and hypothermia.
Should you take the plunge?
Cold-water immersion isn’t for everyone. And without significant research, it’s hard to know if the potential health benefits are worth the freeze. Talk to your healthcare provider before jumping in.
Cigarette smoking among drug dependent pregnant women is alarmingly high, estimated at 77 to 99%. Smoking during pregnancy can cause complications during delivery such as premature rupture of membranes, abruptio placentae, placenta previa, premature birth, low-birth-weight, stillbirth and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). About 20% of low-birth-weight births, 8% of preterm deliveries, and 5% of all delivery deaths are linked to smoking during pregnancy. It is important to stop smoking prior to pregnancy in order to help give your baby the best chance of survival.
If you quit smoking before you become pregnant (or during the first 3 months of your pregnancy), your risk of having a baby with low birth weight is the same as that of a woman who does not smoke.
Get working on a smoke-free home: The presence of other smoker(s) in your home can be a constant reminder and the sheer smell might make things difficult for you. Request them to smoke, if they really have to in your absence or outside the house.
Begin with small Baby Steps: Who says you have to quit smoking overnight? Jump start by eliminating the morning cigarette and then the one after meals. Soon there will be more time in the day and less time spent smoking. A slip is okay. If you find yourself some day smoking a cigarette first thing in the morning, do not take it as a failure. Get right back on the track by eliminating the cigarette for the evening. Count every day as a milestone.
Try looking for better options: Enroll in an online smoking cessation program (they can walk you through quitting, and they’re free). Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can make you twice as likely to succeed. As well as patches, there are tiny tablets, lozenges, gum and a nasal spray. If you like holding a cigarette, use an inhalator.
Exercise every day: Studies have reported that smokers have lower cravings for cigarettes after exercise compared with when they had been inactive. Moderate exercise can be a viable alternative to many of the pharmaceutical products, such as nicotine patches, for women who want to give up smoking. A ten or fifteen minute walk, jog or cycle when times get tough could help a smoker kick the habit. Also, exercise will release endorphins in the body that will make you feel naturally high and alert (an improved mood, sort off). There are many ways for you to experience a totally natural high. If you want to experience a high without using drugs or drinking coffee, just exercise.
Keep a journal: Record your thoughts about smoking, and start analyzing what you’re thinking when the craving pushes off. Figure out some new beliefs that you can start feeding yourself about smoking that might help in better handling of the habit. Collect your thoughts and use them as inspiration. Decide and write why you want to quit. Visualize the increase in your Energy so you can put in working towards your life purpose, and contribute more to life.
Modify your Diet: An American study has revealed that some foods, including meat, make cigarettes more satisfying. Others, including milk, cheese, fruit and vegetables, make cigarettes taste terrible. So swap your usual steak or burger for a veggie pizza instead. According to results of a new study, cigarette smokers who ate fruits and vegetables an average of 4 or more times per day were 3 times more likely to be tobacco free 14 months later, compared with those who ate fruits and vegetables fewer than 2 times per day. If you are experiencing a cigarette craving, eating increased amounts of fruits, vegetables or drinking a glass of milk may be potential ways to curb your urge to smoke. Fizzy drinks, alcohol, cola, tea and coffee all make cigarettes taste better. So when you�re out, drink more water and juice.
Ask friends or family to join you in quitting smoke: If your friends or family members want to give up, suggest to them to join you in the quest. Take help of a Smoking Helpline, available in your city. When you’re at a party, stick with the non-smokers.
Change your Routine: Avoid those things that make you reach for a cigarette. Think about how you can change your routine to help manage the times and places that trigger the urge to smoke. When you get up in the morning (and after meals), immediately brush your teeth or get physically active. While driving to work consider car pooling, listening to a different radio station, and taking a different route if possible. On breaks at work; read a book, walk around the building, or call a friend. The point is to stop smoking by changing your routine. By making things different you can help manage the cravings and triggers that make you want to smoke plus you are trying new things and that is always a plus.
Take folic acid supplements prior conception, which studies show can protect your baby from some serious birth defects, including spina bifida, a life-threatening spinal malformation. nearly all multivitamins contain at least 400 mcg per dose, the minimal amount needed for a healthy pregnancy
Keep trying. If you have tried over and over again to quit smoking, there is no reason to stop trying. Get counseling or join a support group for people who smoke. Find an Internet chat room for 24-hour support.
Before pregnancy, you can use almost any approach to kick the habit, including behavioral methods, nicotine replacement products (gum, patches and inhalers), antidepressants and smoking cessation drugs. But during pregnancy, some of the medications may not be safe. These agents may pass through the placenta to reach your baby.
Set a date to quit and stick to it.
Disclaimer The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Perimenopause and menopause symptoms can be brutal. Most women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) experience vasomotor symptoms (VMS) — night sweats and hot flashes — among other symptoms that can disturb your sleep, affect your mood and lower your quality of life. And these symptoms can go on for years and are associated with an increased risk of serious health conditions over time.
The good news is that there are treatments that can help with symptoms, bone loss and other issues that happen during menopause. Hormone therapy — treatment that replaces hormones like estrogen and progesterone that fluctuate during perimenopause — is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and considered the gold standard for care, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).
However, misinformation about the safety of FDA-approved hormone therapy is still shared online despite evidence that the treatment is safe for most people. The misinformation has led to an increase in interest in alternative hormone treatment options, namely compounded hormone therapy (HT).
Compounded HT is sometimes marketed as a “natural” alternative to FDA-approved hormone therapy because it may include plant-derived hormones called bioidentical hormones. In reality, there are FDA-approved bioidentical hormone options, such as estradiol and micronized progesterone, and not all bioidentical hormones are compounded.
In addition to seeking a more “natural” alternative for hormone therapy, people look to compounded HT for customized doses and alternative delivery methods that may not be an option with hormone therapy regulated by the FDA. But the lack of regulation means you don’t know for sure what you’re getting.
What is a compounded medication?
Compounded medications are prescription drugs that are altered to fit your specific health needs. For example, if you’re allergic to a type of dye in a medication, the compounded version would be made for you without the dye. The process involves a specially trained pharmacist called a compounding pharmacist who will mix, alter and/or combine ingredients specific to your needs that can’t be met with a standard, mass-produced drug.
The concern with compounded medications is that commercial drugs are approved by the FDA and compounded medications are not. So, in the case of hormone therapy, a customized treatment sounds good, but the safety, efficiency and quality of the drug can’t be verified because it hasn’t been approved by the FDA.
Hormone pellets, for example, are a common compounded HT that are inserted under the skin every three months. But as a compounded drug, hormone pellets are not approved by the FDA, which means the dosage, quality and other important factors haven’t been tested. And pellets are designed to dissolve over time — not to be removed — which can be a problem if you experience side effects or health issues.
“There’s no data to suggest preferred safety or preferred benefit [for compounded drugs],” said Lisa Larkin, M.D., an internal medicine, women’s health and menopause physician and member of HealthyWomen’s Women’s Health Advisory Council.
Larkin said her patients are hearing about compounded HT from sources on social media — like dieticians, estheticians and menopause coaches who are in credible professions yet have no formal medical training in hormone therapy — rather than from experts on hormone therapy. “They don’t have enough information to be giving them the truth. I think that people who don’t prescribe the medication should not be [saying who] should be taking prescription medications,” she said.
Both hormone therapy and compounded hormone therapy require a prescription from a healthcare provider. Larkin said people are looking to less reputable sources — a medspa or certain telehealth options — as a way to get compounded HT. “There’s lots of places and ways people are getting compounded products, and it’s lots of times compounded testosterone — and very high doses,” Larkin said. “Patients are coming in after a couple years on the compounded testosterone who were starting to have the male effects of the testosterone and now looking to get off [of it] because they’re bothered by it.”
In addition to dosage concerns, research shows unregulated hormone therapy can lead to serious health consequences including stroke, renal failure and even death. The lack of evidence on the benefits of compounded HT compared to FDA-approved HT has led professional organizations like ACOG and The Menopause Society to issue statements against compounded HT in favor of FDA-approved treatment when available.
Talk to your healthcare provider
When scrolling through social media, it can be hard to ignore advertisements and posts for alternative “natural” therapies to help with sleep, hot flashes, and all the other mental and physical issues that come with menopause. But if you can take FDA-approved hormones, that’s the way to be sure you’re getting consistent, effective and safe hormone therapy.
There’s a lot of misinformation on the internet about women’s health overall, so talk to your healthcare provider about your options. “Be cautious about who is giving you the advice,” Larkin said.
This educational resource was created with support from Kenvue, a HealthyWomen Corporate Advisory Council member.
Niranjana Parthasarathi, M.D., started experiencing extreme fatigue and joint pain in her 20s. Within months, she was diagnosed with lupus. “As a medical student, I knew how serious it could be,” she said, recalling how one of her peers had tragically passed away from complications of the autoimmune disease during her internship.
Parthasarathi went on to graduate medical school, and was able to take time off during her residency when she had a flare, which is a period when the disease becomes more active. She became a well-respected internist and worked full time as an associate professor of internal medicine. But at 50 years old, she experienced a flare that led to severe acute kidney failure and left her disabled.
“I’ve unfortunately not been able to resume full-time work or even consistent part-time work,” she said.
Despite this devastating turn, Parthasarathi, now 62, still considers herself fortunate, She had the network and access to care to get quickly diagnosed, and she continues to have health insurance that covers her ongoing medical care, which has included chemotherapy, blood transfusions and immunosuppressants. For those who don’t have access to resources, the costs related to lupus can be devastating.
How the costs of living with lupus add up
“If you have to get admitted to the hospital, go to the emergency room, get all of the testing that you need to have done when you have lupus — because you’re really supposed to be getting your blood and urine tested every three to six months — those costs add up over time,” said Jessica Williams, M.D., MPH, assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Rheumatology at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia.
The financial burden of managing lupus can be very different based on how severe your disease is, according to a study published in The Journal of Rheumatology. Researchers found that patients with severe lupus faced healthcare costs of $52,951 annually — while mild cases cost an average of $21,052. These expenses also include indirect costs, such as lost wages. A 2021 study published in Lupus Science & Medicine had similar findings, putting the costs at $68,260 for severe cases and $13,415 for mild cases
The study also revealed that even before diagnosis, patients who would eventually develop severe lupus already had significantly higher healthcare costs.
“Lupus is an autoimmune condition that can impact any part of the body, so patients can have symptoms involving many different organ systems,” Williams explained. On average, it takes five or six years for most patients to receive a correct diagnosis, partly because symptoms can come and go in periods of flares and remission and also because symptoms can be mistaken for those of other chronic conditions. This delay can lead to additional medical expenses while patients see multiple healthcare providers looking for answers.
The economic costs and disparities of lupus
The financial strain is particularly tough for women, who account for 9 out of 10 lupus cases. Many women with lupus are in their reproductive years, a time when flares from the disease can interfere with their career and financial stability. One study found that being a female with lupus was associated with unfavorable work outcomes, which include lost days of work and quitting work for health-related reasons. Symptoms like extreme fatigue, pain and brain fog can affect patients’ ability to do their jobs well, and more severe flares can lead them to reduce their working hours, switch to less demanding roles or even leave the workforce entirely.
“Women with lupus are often just financially devastated, and with our healthcare system being tied to employment the way it is, it can be impoverishing,” said Parthasarathi, whose book, “Lupus: In the Jaws of the Wolf,” is a personal guide to living with the disease and navigating the healthcare system.
Lupus also worsens economic inequalities for women of color. “We know that lupus is more common in racial and ethnic minority patients of all backgrounds,” said Williams, who was the lead researcher on a 2023 study published in Rheumatology that looked at demographic disparities in health outcomes for lupus patients.
Black and Hispanic women, in particular, are more likely to develop lupus and experience more severe forms of the disease, including complications like lupus nephritis, which can lead to kidney failure and the need for dialysis — a potentially huge expense. Williams highlights that these groups are not only at higher risk for developing lupus but are also more likely to face poor outcomes due to factors such as limited access to healthcare, being underinsured and environmental exposures.
These groups are also more likely to have public forms of insurance, and Williams’ study revealed that patients on Medicare or Medicaid have higher rates of 30-day hospital readmissions and preventable lupus hospitalizations compared to privately insured patients. Additionally, lower income levels are associated with increased disease activity, organ damage, depression, work disability and mortality. Patients living in poverty often report only being able to manage their lupus during disease flares and not being able to take care of themselves while in remission because of competing demands like food and housing insecurity.
Tips and resources
“Many of the manufacturers of drugs for lupus have patient assistance programs,” Williams said. She recommended checking with healthcare institutions about financial assistance programs and contacting local chapters of the Lupus Foundation of America, which may offer support for housing and food insecurity.
In Parthasarathi’s book, the proceeds of which are donated to the Lupus Foundation of America and Lupus Research Alliance, she emphasizes the importance of lifestyle measures that can help control the disease, particularly for those who may not have access to all available treatments. Some tips include eating more whole plant-based foods, getting extra rest, reducing stress and walking for 30 minutes per day, if possible.
For women who may be struggling to get a diagnosis, both Williams and Parthasarathi encourage advocating for oneself. Williams suggests taking photos and videos and journaling about symptoms during flares so doctors’ visits during remissions are more valuable.
To those who are diagnosed with lupus, Parthasarathi said, “I would want people to feel very empowered that they can take control of their lives. Not only are there lifestyle measures that they can take to keep themselves healthier, but they will also find that they’re more resilient than they think.”
This educational resource was created with support from Novartis.
Una recurrencia de cáncer ovárico significa que la enfermedad reapareció después de que estuviste en remisión o que se declaró que ya no tenías la enfermedad. Si bien las tasas de supervivencia de personas con cáncer ovárico recurrente actualmente son aproximadamente 3 de cada 10, conocer tus riesgos, defender tus derechos y participar activamente en tu tratamiento y atención puede mejorar los desenlaces clínicos y la prognosis.Hablamos con Blair McNamara, M.D., una oncóloga ginecológica de la facultad de medicina de la Universidad Yale y miembro del consejo de asesoría de la salud de la mujer de HealthyWomen acerca del cáncer ovárico recurrente y sus opciones terapéuticas que cambian continuamente.
¿Qué tan posible es que el cáncer ovárico reaparezca?
Las tasas de recurrencia de cáncer ovárico dependen de la etapa del tumor cuando se haga el diagnóstico, tu edad y factores que indican cuán agresivo es el cáncer, es decir su grado de malignidad o características histológicas. La mayoría de pacientes con cáncer ovárico de alto grado de malignidad recibirán diagnósticos de la enfermedad en la etapa 3 o 4. Más de 7 de cada 10 de estas pacientes experimentarán una recurrencia de la enfermedad en los siguientes cinco años.
El cáncer ovárico recurrente a veces puede tratarse quirúrgicamente si tuviste un período de seis meses o más sin la enfermedad y si no se ha propagado. De otra forma, e incluso después de una cirugía, el cáncer ovárico se trata con quimioterapia.
¿Cuál es el significado del término cáncer resistente a derivados de platino?
El cáncer ovárico resistente a derivados de platino significa que el cáncer de una paciente reaparece en los primeros seis meses desde que se realizó una quimioterapia con derivados de platino. Usualmente el derivado es carboplatino, que evita que células cancerosas se reparen o multipliquen.
¿Es el tratamiento diferente para cánceres resistentes a derivados de platino?
Sí. En casos de cánceres ováricos resistentes a derivados de platino, usualmente no se consideran opciones quirúrgicas y no se ofrecen tratamientos con carboplatino. Hay muchas otras quimioterapias que pueden usarse para tratar cánceres ováricos resistentes a derivados de platino y muchas de ellas son terapias dirigidas más nuevas. Solíamos decir a las pacientes que la quimioterapia tiene mucho menos posibilidades de funcionar si tienen una enfermedad resistente a derivados de platino. Sin embargo, ya no es así con estas terapias nuevas y el tratamiento depende de la circunstancia específica de la paciente.
¿Qué son los biomarcadores y cuáles biomarcadores se asocian al cáncer ovárico y a la recurrencia?
Los biomarcadores son químicos medibles en el cuerpo que pueden indicar la presencia o progreso del cáncer ovárico, así como su reacción a tratamientos. Una prueba de sangre para detectar CA-125 se usa frecuentemente para pacientes con cáncer ovárico puesto que puede ser útil para que oncólogos determinen cuál sería tu reacción a quimioterapia y detecta la recurrencia de cánceres ováricos. Los tumores pueden tener biomarcadores diferentes que se identifican después de la cirugía inicial. Estos biomarcadores pueden ejercer influencia en la terapia de cánceres ováricos iniciales y recurrentes.
¿En qué forma las opciones terapéuticas dependen de los resultados de las pruebas de biomarcadores?
Se están desarrollando tratamientos nuevos que la Administración federal de medicamentos (FDA, por sus siglas en inglés) está aprobando para cánceres ováricos resistentes a derivados de platino y ciertos biomarcadores de tumores nos dan una indicación de cómo los cánceres de pacientes reaccionarán a quimioterapias dirigidas. Estas terapias dirigidas se están volviendo cada vez más comunes y los oncólogos determinarán qué tratamientos puedes tener en función de las características biológicas del tumor. Por ejemplo, si tumores tienen una deficiencia de recombinación homóloga o DRH, los pacientes podrían cumplir con los requerimientos para ciertas opciones orales de tratamientos de mantenimiento para evitar que el cáncer reaparezca.
¿Qué factores deberías considerar cuando consideras tus opciones terapéuticas?
Lo primero que analizará tu proveedor médico cuando determine tus opciones terapéuticas es la naturaleza de tu cáncer. Por ejemplo, la etapa, el grado de malignidad, la ubicación y cualquier información disponible de biomarcadores. Cuando decidas qué plan terapéutico implementar, deberías considerar en qué forma toleraste la quimioterapia durante tu tratamiento inicial y deberías conversar acerca de qué cambios se harán a la quimioterapia en función de eso. Asegúrate de considerar cualquier otro problema médico que tengas y qué actividades son más importantes para ti, para que puedas darles prioridad y preguntar a tu oncólogo si los efectos colaterales del tratamiento podrían afectar la forma en que realizas tus actividades favoritas. También es conveniente que consideres participar en un ensayo clínico, el cual podría darte acceso a tratamientos nuevos.
Este recurso educativo se preparó con el apoyo de Daiichi Sankyo.
An ovarian cancer recurrence means the disease has returned after you’ve gone into remission or been declared disease-free. While survival rates for people with recurrent ovarian cancer are currently around 3 in 10, knowing your risks, advocating for yourself, and actively participating in your treatment and care can improve your outcome and your outlook.
We spoke with Blair McNamara, M.D., a gynecologic oncologist at Yale University School of Medicine and a member of HealthyWomen’s Women’s Health Advisory Council about recurrent ovarian cancer and its evolving treatment options.
How likely is ovarian cancer to recur?
Recurrence rates of ovarian cancer depend on the stage of the tumor at diagnosis, your age and factors that tell us how aggressive the cancer is — the grade or histology. Most patients with high- grade ovarian cancer will get diagnosed with stage 3 or stage 4 disease. More than 7 out of 10 of these patients will experience a recurrence of their disease within the first five years.
Recurrent ovarian cancer can sometimes be treated surgically if you’ve had a six-month or longer disease-free period, and if the disease is not widespread. Otherwise, and even after surgery, recurrent ovarian cancer is treated with chemotherapy.
What does platinum-resistant cancer mean?
Platinum-resistant ovarian cancer means a patient’s cancer has come back within six months of completing chemotherapy that included a platinum agent. Usually the agent is carboplatin, which works by preventing cancer cells from repairing or copying themselves.
Is the treatment different for platinum-resistant cancer?
Yes. In platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, surgery is usually not considered and treatment with carboplatin is not offered. There are many other chemotherapies that can be used to treat platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, and many of them are newer, targeted therapies. We used to tell patients that chemotherapy is much less likely to work once they have platinum-resistant disease. However, that is no longer the case with these newer therapies, and treatment depends on a patient’s specific circumstance.
What are biomarkers, and which biomarkers are connected to ovarian cancer and recurrence?
Biomarkers are measurable chemicals in the body that can indicate the presence or progression of ovarian cancer, as well as its response to treatment. A blood test for CA-125 is often used in patients with ovarian cancer, as it can help oncologists determine what your response will be to chemotherapy and detect recurrence of ovarian cancer. Tumors themselves can have different biomarkers that are identified after initial surgery. These biomarkers can influence therapy for both initial and recurrent ovarian cancer.
How do the results of biomarker tests influence treatment options?
With new treatments for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer in development and approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), certain tumor biomarkers suggest a patient’s cancer will respond to a targeted chemotherapy. These targeted therapies are becoming more common, and oncologists will determine what treatments you can have based on your tumor’s biology. For example, if tumors have homologous recombination deficiency, or HRD, patients may be eligible for certain oral maintenance treatment options to prevent the cancer from coming back.
What factors should you consider when weighing your treatment options?
The first thing your provider will look at when determining your treatment options is the nature of your cancer. For example, the stage, grade, location and any biomarker information available to you. When making decisions about what treatment plan to proceed with, you should consider how well you tolerated chemotherapy during your initial treatment and discuss changes to your chemotherapy based on how well you tolerated the initial treatment. Be sure to think about any other health issues you have and what activities are most important to you, so you can prioritize them and discuss with your oncologist whether treatment side effects might get in the way of doing the things you love. You may also want to consider joining a clinical trial, which could make new treatments available to you.
This educational resource was created with support from Daiichi Sankyo.
