HealthyWomen shares the concerns of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and other medical associations about the health and safety of pregnant people and newborns in the United States following the recent announcement that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will no longer recommend Covid-19 vaccination during pregnancy. This decision may significantly impact how pregnant people make healthcare decisions and undermines their ability to make informed choices for themselves and their families.

Covid-19 remains a serious threat. Getting a Covid-19 infection during pregnancy puts patients at higher risks for severe illness, and newborns rely on maternal antibodies for protection in their early weeks of life. The removal of this recommendation creates confusion, despite clear and consistent scientific evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines during pregnancy.

This abrupt departure from established guidance may cause people to forgo vaccination or lose access to the vaccine because of changes in insurance coverage — a particularly troubling outcome for those already facing health disparities.

The science has not changed. A Covid-19 infection during pregnancy can be catastrophic, and vaccines are a proven safeguard. This policy shift undermines confidence in vaccination at a time when trust and access are essential.

HealthyWomen urges HHS to reverse this decision and uphold evidence-based guidance that protects the health of pregnant people, newborns and their families.

“Splitting food intake so we eat many times a day will have metabolic benefits over and above the same food consumed in a small number of meals,” according to Dr Susan Jebb, head of the Medical Research Council’s Human Nutrition Research Unit. Frequent meals prevent a high influx of fatty acids – compounds that are released from foods and can lead to a build-up of fats in the arteries, and also contribute to high cholesterol levels.

The build-up can also lead to high blood pressure. Eating more frequently during the day means there are no sudden spikes of fatty acids, enabling the body to deal with the intake more effectively.

Eating more frequently may boost energy levels, suggests a study from the University Of Montana.

The scientists from Imperial College, London, compared the diets of more than 2,000 people from the UK, Japan, China and the U.S. While they all had the same calorie intake and food, half the participants ate fewer than six times a day, while the remainder ate more than six times. They found that those who ate five times a day were 32.6per cent less likely to have high levels of bad cholesterol than those who ate fewer meals. The cholesterol level dropped by 8.5 % from levels at the end of three meal diet.

It is estimated that the fall in cholesterol level might be due to nibbling diet’s effect on insulin secretion, because the hormone stimulates the liver to make cholesterol. When a person eats regular meal, insulin is normally secreted in quantities corresponding to the sudden rise in blood sugar after every meal.

Foods that Help Lower Cholesterol

• Oats
• Salmon & fatty fish
• Nuts (walnuts & almonds)
• Beans
• Red Wine
• Chocolate
• Tea
• Garlic
• Olive Oil
• Avocado
• Spinach
• Psyllium Seeds
• Egg white

Eating healthy is about choices. Fortunately, when it comes to low cholesterol food, there are many choices. Understanding where cholesterol comes from and learning to read food labels is an important step in starting to add low cholesterol food choices to your diet.

• “Cholesterol Free” it means less than 2 milligrams (mg) cholesterol and 2 grams or less fat;
• “Low Cholesterol” means 20 mgs or less cholesterol and 2 grams or less saturated fat;
• “Fat Free” means less than 1/2 gram fat;
• “Low Fat” means 3 grams or less fat;
• “Reduced Fat” means at least 25 percent less fat than other brands of same food.

So, “Free” does not literally mean free

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.

May is Healthy Vision Month.

My partner, Tom, often brags about his great eyesight. And I’ve always just assumed he has perfect vision because he’s dating me.

But I had to give him major side-eye when he told me it’s been decades since his last eye exam.

To be clear, everyone should get an eye exam at age 40 — regardless of how good you think your vision is. This is because your eyes change as you age, and the earlier you catch signs of disease — the better. But eye exams are especially important for women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) considering women are at higher risk for eye diseases than men.

Read: Women’s Eye Health 101 >>

What does an eye exam include?

The standard eye exam evaluates vision and overall eye health through a series of different tests.

First, your healthcare provider (HCP) will go over your medical history with you. This can include medications you’re taking, family history of health conditions and whether you wear corrective lenses.

To test how well you can see, most HCPs use a version of the iconic Snellen vision test. The chart has big letters at the top that get increasingly smaller toward the bottom. The test measures visual acuity, or how sharp your vision is from 20 feet away. This is where the term “20/20 vision” comes from. The top number refers to the distance — 20 feet — and the bottom number is the last line you can read correctly.

If you wear contacts or glasses, your HCP will have you look through a device called a refractor or a phoropter, which has different lenses to help determine your prescription.

An eye exam also checks:

• Eye movement
• Eye pressure
• The front part of your eye (cornea, eyelids, iris and lens)
• Pupils
• Side vision

To check for signs of damage in your retina and optic nerve, the HCP will put drops in your eye that widen (dilate) the pupil. Note: The dilation can make you sensitive to sunlight, so bring your sunglasses and someone to drive you home.

Who should get an eye exam and how often?

If you have overall healthy eyes, the frequency of eye exams depends on your age.

If you’re 20 to 39 years old:

• Get a complete eye exam every five to 10 years
• Get yearly exams if you wear corrective lenses

If you’re 40:

• Get an eye exam even if you have had no previous problems

After age 40, get an eye exam:

• Every two to four years until age 54
• Every one to three years for people ages 55 to 64
• Every one to two years for people ages 65 and older

People with a family history of eye disease, health conditions like diabetes and other risk factors may need to be seen more frequently than people who don’t have known eye issues. Check in with your HCP to see if you need an exam.

Ophthalmologist vs. optometrist

Routine eye care can be provided by both ophthalmologists and optometrists. The difference between the two is the level of training.

Ophthalmologists have medical degrees (MDs) and surgical training to care for all eye conditions. People with more serious eye problems should see an ophthalmologist.

Optometrists, on the other hand, are not medical doctors but have a doctor of optometry (OD) degree and can provide routine eye and vision exams.

Eye problems found during an exam

Many serious eye conditions don’t have symptoms in the early stages. An exam can help diagnose disease and prevent vision loss and blindness.

Common eye conditions found during an exam can include:

• Cataracts: Clouding in the lens of the eye that can cause blurry vision, trouble with night vision, sensitivity to light and double vision

• Diabetic retinopathy: An eye condition that affects the blood vessels in the eyes of people with diabetes. It can cause floating spots, blurred vision and blindness

• Glaucoma: A group of eye diseases that affect the nerve in the back of the eye (optic nerve) and cause loss of side vision and blindness

• Age-related macular degeneration: An eye disease that causes blurry central vision and can lead to vision loss

Eye exams are also crucial for catching early signs of chronic health conditions, such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis and high blood pressure.

Read: Glaucoma 101 >>

Eye exam cost

The cost of an eye exam can vary depending on where you go and whether you have vision insurance. Without insurance, the price can range anywhere from $50 to $200.

Medicaid may cover routine eye exams, but plans vary by state, so check your coverage before getting an exam.

Does Medicare cover eye exams?

Original Medicare plans do not cover eye exams. Most Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans cover vision care, including yearly eye exams and coverage of glasses or contact lenses.

Keep an eye on your eye health

Getting an eye exam is the best way to spot early warning signs of disease and other problems that may cause vision loss and blindness. An exam can even help diagnose chronic conditions hidden in plain sight.

If you haven’t had an eye exam, or it’s been a long time — make an appointment.

This educational resource was created with support from Viatris, a HealthyWomen Corporate Advisory Council member.

What is type 2 inflammation?

Not to be confused with type 2 diabetes, type 2 inflammation involves the immune system.

We all have a type 2 immune response, which is when your immune system sends out type 2 immune cells to fight certain infections or allergens.

Type 2 immune cells fight “intruders” by causing inflammation.

Type 2 inflammation can play a role in certain chronic conditions and health issues

In the nose, type 2 inflammation may lead to:

About 25–30% of people with CRS also have nasal polyps.

Symptoms of nasal polyps 

Nasal polyps are often painless and may not cause any symptoms, especially if they’re small. 

Large nasal polyps may block the nose, making breathing difficult. 

People with CRSwNP may experience:

Treating type 2 inflammation and nasal polyps 

For more information 

Wondering if you might be dealing with a type 2 inflammatory condition and/or nasal polyps? Talk to your healthcare provider. 

Resources

Allergy and Asthma Network

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

This educational resource was created with support fro m Sanofi and Regeneron.

Medically reviewed by Jessica Williams, M.D.

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that happens when the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues and causes harmful inflammation. 

About 1.5 million Americans are living with some form of lupus.

9 out 10 people with lupus are women. 

Common types of lupus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) 

SLE is the most common type of lupus. When people mention lupus, they usually mean SLE.

In the U.S., SLE is:

3x more common in Black and Native American people

2x times more common in Hispanic people 

SLE can affect many parts of the body, including:

• Heart

• Lungs 

• Skin

• Kidneys

• Joints 

• Brain

Some symptoms of SLE are:

• Fatigue

• Fever

• Joint pain, swelling, or stiffness

• Scaly rash

• Hair loss

• Mouth or nose sores

• Swelling around eyes or in legs

• Foamy urine

• Painful breathing 

• Fingers turning colors in the cold

Kidney inflammation caused by SLE can damage the kidneys, leading to a condition called lupus nephritis.

Cutaneous lupus (CLE)

Happens when the immune system attacks the skin, causing rashes that may be red or scaly.

About 65% of people with SLE will develop CLE. 

Symptoms of CLE include:

Drug-induced lupus

Happens when certain medications trigger an autoimmune disorder similar to SLE. 

Medications most often linked to drug-induced lupus:

Symptoms of drug-induced lupus are similar to those of SLE. 

Neonatal lupus

Happens when a pregnant person passes certain antibodies to the fetus. 

These antibodies attack healthy tissue in the fetus, causing lupus-like symptoms in the newborn.

The most common symptom:

Symptoms usually clear up within a year, but in rare cases, neonatal lupus can affect the baby’s heart, preventing it from beating properly.

Shedding light on a complex condition 

Lupus is complicated, but it can be managed. 

For more information about the different types of lupus, talk to your healthcare provider or seek out online resources like those provided by the Lupus Foundation of America. 

Resources

Lupus Foundation of America

This educational resource was created with support from GlaxoSmithKline, Merck and Novartis.

As told to Jacquelyne Froeber

Everything happened so fast.

In December 2022, I was walking back from the bathroom to my office when I felt a tug in my chest and an odd sensation — like I’d smeared Icy Hot on my heart.

My initial reaction was that I might have a cold, or the flu or worse — Covid. I started having a hard time breathing, so I asked my husband, Mark, to drive me home. By the time I got into the car, I knew home was no longer an option.

“Drive to the heart hospital,” I said. Naturally, Mark was confused.

“The one off the highway.” It wasn’t the closest hospital to us, but I had remembered that there was a friend of a friend who went there when she had a heart attack.

I wasn’t entirely sure why I felt guided to the heart hospital. I’d never had any cardiovascular issues and I exercised most days of the week. I was a 53-year-old mom with two boys — one in high school and one in college — and our whole family was very active. My friends often said I was the healthiest person they knew.

But none of that seemed to matter in the car. When I started to lose feeling in my hands, I realized that I might not make it to the heart hospital. I told Mark I loved him. “It’s been a great life,” I said. “Tell the boys they have been the best part of my life.”

I felt the car shift into high gear. “You’re not dying today,” Mark said.

And everything faded to black.

When I woke up, I had a tube down my throat. My arms and my right leg were restrained, and I had various tubes coming out of my body. Uncomfortable doesn’t even begin to describe the sensation of being intubated. I felt trapped and scared — my wide eyes were the only way to express my thoughts. Thankfully, the steady stream of medication helped me calm down.

As I drifted in and out of consciousness, I was aware that my best friend Jessica was there. Mark had gone home to tell our son that I’d had a spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) — a deep tear in the left coronary artery of my heart. Doctors had put a stent in to restore the blood flow, but my heart was too weak to pump oxygen and blood to the important places in my body. At one point, they believed that I’d gone 18 minutes without oxygen to the brain, and I was in danger of organ failure. An artificial heart pump was keeping me alive, and doctors said the next 24 hours were going to be crucial. “If there’s ever a time to pray, this would be the time,” Mark said to our son.

The next day, the doctors took the intubation tube out earlier than planned, and we got the good news that my heart was responding very well. The percentage of blood being pumped out of my left ventricle had gone from 20% to 50%. I was beyond grateful, and I knew I was lucky to be alive.

But that night there was a code blue in the cardiac intensive care unit. “It’s me,” I thought. “I’m dying.” I wasn’t going to make it after all. Then I heard someone say room six. I knew I was in room eight, and it dawned on me that eight is the infinity symbol — limitless with no bounds. I divided eight by two — a sacred number — to get four, which represents the heart chakra in the body. That gave me the spiritual strength I needed. I knew that I was going to be OK.

2023

After just four days in the ICU, I was discharged and back at home. The doctors weren’t 100% sure why the SCAD happened, but I didn’t have any preexisting conditions or genetic disposition that would’ve put me at risk. I was, however, a woman, which is the biggest risk factor for SCAD. And stress is a big one, too.

Like many women, I didn’t fully realize the impact that stress could have on my heart. I’m the type of person who’s always on the go, and I tried to be as healthy as possible, but I’d admittedly had a stressful year. Physically, I thought I was taking care of myself, but my heart was taking cortisol hit after hit — until it broke.

The weeks following the surgery were extremely hard for me mentally. I grew up thinking that asking for help meant you were weak — and I didn’t want to be weak. For the first time, I had to lean on other people, and the way the women in my neighborhood and community showed up for me was profound. I received more love, support and meals than I knew what to do with.

I started going to cardiac rehab three times a week and felt myself getting stronger every day. Each visit, I would get hooked up to a bluetooth EKG that monitored my heart’s electrical impulses. I could see on the screen where the line dipped — that was the sign of the damage. My doctor said my heart may never fully heal.

Two months after the incident, a group of girlfriends from high school flew in to see me. We spent the weekend catching up and laughing and relaxing the way only true friends could. When the weekend was over, I was a little sad, but also so appreciative of our friendship.

The next day, I went to cardiac rehab, and a few minutes into the workout, the tech called me over to the monitor. The line dip wasn’t there anymore — it was gone. My heart had healed. That’s the power of being surrounded by women who love you unconditionally.

Have your own Real Women, Real Stories you want to share? Let us know.

Our Real Women, Real Stories are the authentic experiences of real-life women. The views, opinions and experiences shared in these stories are not endorsed by HealthyWomen and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of HealthyWomen.

Quick poll: Who’s the best vampire of all time?

Old-school Count? Queen of the damned? Everyone on The Vampire Diaries?

Well, silly mortals, it’s none of the above. I know it sounded like an opinion question, but the answer is Claudia from Interview with the Vampire. Also acceptable: Michael B. Jordan in Sinners. Who knew the “B” stood for blood? Savage!

Vampires have been making their mark on entertainment since the 1800s when books with pages were still a thing. But today there’s a far less entertaining, human version lurking amongst us called energy vampires.

Energy vampires (not a scientific term) are people who drain your emotional energy. They feed on common decency, compassion and the willingness to listen, which can leave you mentally and physically exhausted.

Perhaps the scariest part is that you may not even know it’s happening, and some energy vampires don’t know they’re doing it. “Usually people are taken by surprise and don’t put two and two together in terms of a particular person that’s draining your energy,” said psychiatrist Judith Orloff, M.D., author of “The Empath’s Survival Guide.”

Orloff noted that women can be especially vulnerable to energy vampires. “Women are susceptible to energy drainers because they often look at the best in people, and it’s important that you look at people realistically because there are different types of energy vampires that women can be particularly vulnerable to, such as the narcissist.”

Here are Orloff’s tips for spotting energy vampires and keeping your spirit off life support.

Feeling bloated, tired, or off balance? You’re not alone. Digestive discomfort is one of the most common health complaints worldwide. But instead of reaching for quick fixes, why not turn to an age-old, gentle approach that’s stood the test of time? Ayurveda — a traditional system of medicine from India — believes that good health begins with good digestion.

On World Digestive Health Day (WDHD) day (May 29th) with the theme “Your Digestive Health: Nourish to Flourish” let’s try to adopt balanced diets, maintain proper hydration, and practice mindful eating habits.

Here’s how to reset your gut in just a few days using Ayurvedic principles, no matter where you are in the world.

1- Wake Up and Fire up Your Digestion:

Start your day with rituals that awaken your body’s natural rhythm:

• Warm lemon or ginger water: Hydrates and stimulates digestive enzymes.
• Gentle movement: Yoga or walking improves circulation and bowel movement.
• Tongue scraping (available online): Removes overnight buildup and enhances taste and appetite.

2- Eat Simple, Nourishing Meals:

For 2–3 days, give your gut a break with light, whole foods:

• Try “Khichdi” – a soft stew made from rice, lentils, and warming spices like cumin and turmeric. It’s easy to digest and deeply nourishing.
• Add steamed seasonal vegetables with a drizzle of ghee (clarified butter) or olive oil.
• Sip herbal teas like fennel, ginger, or a blend of cumin, coriander, and fennel (known as CCF tea).

Note: Khichdi alternatives: Light soups, mashed sweet potatoes, or congee (Asian rice porridge) work well too.

3- Practice Mindful Eating:

Ayurveda teaches that how you eat is just as important as what you eat.

• Eat without screens or distractions.
• Chew slowly and pause between bites.
• Eat at regular times — preferably before sunset for your last meal.
• Stop eating before you’re overly full.

4- Support Your Evening Detox:

Your body cleanses overnight — helps it along:

• Sip warm water in the evening to aid elimination.
• Take Triphala, a blend of three fruits available in capsule or powder form, for gentle overnight cleansing (ask a health provider before use).
• Sleep by 10 p.m. to support your body’s natural repair cycle.

5- Consume Gut-Loving Spices:

• Ginger: Fresh or dried, it boosts digestion and reduces gas.
• Fennel seeds: Chew after meals to soothe bloating.
• Cumin: Ground or whole, it calms inflammation and helps break down food.
• Turmeric: Anti-inflammatory and gut-friendly — great in teas, soups, or golden milk.

This Ayurvedic gut reset is about realignment, not restriction — a short, grounding break to let your digestive system recover and thrive. Celebrate World Digestive Health Day by tuning in — not just to what you eat, but how you eat. Your gut will thank you.

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.

As told to Jacquelyne Froeber