1. Impotence drugs such as Viagra, Levitra and Cialis

2. Testosterone

3. Arginine

4. Anti-stress herbs

5. Experimental medicines

Of course, there are thoughts and suggestions behind each of these, so be sure and read the entire CNN.com article. And good luck.

Post from: Healthbolt

Image details: "Go Red For Women" Movement Celebration served by picapp.com

Continuing with Celebrity Health Week here at the b5media Health & Wellness channel, we were shocked to read that R & B songstress, Toni Braxton, was (gasp!) a heart disease sufferer. How can that be? She’s young (late 30’s at the time of her diagnosis), slender, and well, a star. Not to mention the fact that she’s a woman!

Well, guess what, all? Heart disease is not picky. Not one bit.

Braxton, officially diagnosed with pericarditis (an inflammation of the lining of the heart), has taken her star power and put it to great use. She is now a spokeswoman for the Campbell Soup Co.’s Go Red With Campbells campaign. In this role, Ms. Braxton helps educate folks like you about the #1 killer of women: heart disease.

The entire GoRedWithCampbells.com site is a treasure box of info on how to reduce your risk for heart disease and how to support this movement.

Great job, Toni, for keeping up a healthy lifestyle and for helping the rest of us learn how to do the same. Bravo, and best wishes to you!

Post from: Healthbolt

This article (and the very thought of this topic, period) completely struck me. Wait a minute! You mean to tell me women are flawed when it comes to keeping things under control? No way! We are the keepers of schedules, the masters of multi-tasking, the calmers of chaos. There is no way we’d let a little thing like the big, bad doctor’s office make us lose our bearings. Uh-unh.

Well, um, I guess maybe we might.

In fact, there are five things that we do wrong in the doctor’s office so often, they were noteworthy enough to report to the masses. So what are they? Let’s see:

1. Women don’t question doctors - The theory behind this statement is that being at a doctor’s office puts women in a “child’s” role to their doctor’s “parent” role. The solution? Try writing down burning questions ahead of time, take someone with you who will ask the questions you are afraid to, or ask the doctor to think a question through together until the answer makes complete sense to you.

2. Women tend to over-research. Okay, this I can see, because, well, I’m guilty as charged. And I can see how most women would fit this description as well, especially computer-savvy mothers.

So what’s so bad about this “knowledge is power” perspective? Well, while doing your own research is a good thing to some extent, female patients tend to become overwhelmed by what they’ve read (since it’s usually way too much), and convince themselves of symptoms and diseases they might not even have. The solution to this problem? Draw out only key points from your research to keep conversations with your doctor focused and on-topic.

3. Women don’t recognize gender bias - Studies have shown that women’s medical problems are more likely to be interpreted as emotional issues or complaining. You want to be sure your doctor is taking your seriously and not discounting your visit simply because you are a woman. If a doctor makes a remark like “Now, dear, it’s not all that bad,” recognize that you need to stop the visit immediately.

4. Women interpret their own symptoms - Instead of running through the facts with their doctors, women also tend to offer their own interpretations, sometimes “choosing” less severe illnesses, when their symptoms are really more indicative of something serious. Remember, you never want to lead your doctor down the wrong path by being suggestive. Let them consider the symptoms and presentation and go from there.

5. The mother of all mistakes: Women don’t trust their intuition - This one very much surprises me, especially since women who are mothers are left to their own intuitions regarding their children regularly. But when it comes to health, women often talk themselves out of what they may already know is right, just to avoid making waves or creating conflict.

So ladies (and doctors), what do you think? Are these spot-on? Are you (or any of your patients) offenders to any of these “wrongs”? Let us know in the comments below…

Image: newscom

Post from: Healthbolt

There is something for everyone (breastfeeding or not) in the mix of the Breastfeeding 1-2-3 highlights from April 2008:
Free Pattern for Sewing Your Own Crew Neck Over-the-Head Baby Bibs
Judge Denies FLDS Request to Keep Mothers with Nursing Babies
World Health Day 2008: Protecting Health from Climate Change
Breastfeeding Basics Checklist for a Good Breastfeeding Latch
Gentian Violet and Grapefruit Seed Extract as Thrush Remedies
Breastfeeding and International Travel
Top Five Breastfeeding Interviews

And from Kristen at Lively Women…
April is STD awareness month
Resources for organizing your office and your life
Tap water vs bottled water whats safer and healthier
Guest post aromatherapy 101
Lunchtime lipo investigated by 2020
Gas station condom dispenser preaches abstinence and monogamy
Womens health giveaway nalgene bottle and brita faucet filtration system
History of abortion genocide of african american babies by planned parenthood hotly debated

Hope at Weighting Line also had a roundup pots for you on weight loss and all that goes with it.

Alicia at Mental health Notes had so much to offer…
The more serious stuff:
Wentworth Miller fan pull together for UNICEF
Austrian family presents psychiatrists with bizarre case
Meet famous poets who lived with mental illness
Nurture mental health during the fight against cancer
Mental health repercussions for flds religious sect children
University of virginia higher education meets lower health privacy
Postpartum depression legislation beneficial or conspiratorial

And the fluffier stuff:
They dont make condoms for your brain you know
Harry Potter saved Rowlings sanity
Giving freud the finger just got a whole lot easier
Goodbye American Idol Michael Johns the 5 stages of loss
Brain break oh hai lolcats
Of disloyal house elves and guilt stricken humans
2 sure fire ways to deal with phobias

Here we have Marijke’s top posts at Help My Hurt
Company’s calling – Olympic cyclist Kristin Armstrong talks about her osteoarthritis
Physical activity may help reduce arthritis pain
Help My Hurt lost one of its own today – RIP Tricia
Living with Cancer: Help My Hurt hosts this month’s Theme Day
Friday funnies – April fool’s jokes

Angelique at Breaking the Mirror offers up..
Please tell me weve all been punkd
Her fathers daughter 1st installment
Her fathers daughter 2nd installment
Her fathers daughter 3rd last installment
Anosexya some pro anas think so
In mauritania anorexics looking for love would be out of luck
Just dont tell me okay

Gab at Fertitlity Notes and Daily Tomorrow has some great posts for her roundup…
for Fertility Notes:
Oh wait are we sure we want to do this
The mistress daughter by am homes
The girl with two birthdays
Smokin drinkin sniffin glue
Appreciating the present
The greening of me part 2
The greening of me part 1

And Daily Tomorrow:
Allow me to introduce myself
Make your office a little more eco friendly
Where in the world is the green in that
Kid friendly fridays happy arbor day
Happy birthday John Muir
Another reason to love mushrooms bioremediation
Its national volunteer week

Liberty and Liz at Healthbolt are always a great read….
Testing the vitality compass
Movie theater cuisine so good but so bad
How dandy the anti stress benefits of a dandelion
Is it a computer is it a treadmill
Warning blogging could be bad for your health
Milk the drink of rock stars

What does Grace at Kids Health Notes have to say? Check her out here…
What your poo may be telling you
More students misusing stimulants during stress
Gymnastics cause 27,000 injuries per year, research shows
Skin contact with mom soothes preemies’ pain
Recycle with your kids Tip # 4: bottled water
Recycle with kids Tip #5: Reusing beats recycling

Scott at Health and Men has his roundup here…
Aprils top seven posts for health and men

And Karen at Pink Ribbon Review gave you this…
Seven of my favorite breast cancer blog posts

Post from: Healthbolt