Belly fat may pose more danger for women than for men

Weight carried around the middle may signal a greater risk for heart attack in women than in men with belly fat. Strategies to prevent weight gain can help reduce this risk. Monitoring waist-to-hip ratio can help indicate a potential problem. Whittling the waist requires reducing calories and increasing physical activity. (Locked) More »

Food and mood: Is there a connection?

Researchers can’t say for sure whether your diet affects your depression risk, but adopting a Mediterranean diet has many other health benefits. The Mediterranean diet is rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains and healthy oils, and lean proteins, such as chicken and fish. More »

Pelvic physical therapy: Another potential treatment option

The exact cause of pelvic pain for many women can be elusive, despite lots of tests and scans. In some cases, the symptoms are related to a problem that is often overlooked, says Dr. Eman Elkadry, an instructor in obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology at Harvard Medical School. Pelvic pain may stem from a pelvic floor muscle problem that can be helped by a specialized form of physical therapy known as pelvic physical therapy. "Although pelvic physical therapy may not work for everyone, it can be quite effective for certain individuals," says Dr. Hye-Chun Hur, director of the Division of Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and associate faculty editor of Harvard Women's Health Watch. She stresses that pelvic physical therapy is normally undertaken by a trained female practitioner. The pelvic floor is essentially a bowl-shaped set of muscles that supports your bladder, bowel, rectum, and uterus. Pelvic pain sometimes occurs when muscles of the pelvic floor are too tight, says Dr. Elkadry. This causes a condition called myofascial pain, or pain caused by muscle irritation. (Locked) More »

Is this normal?

Different women experience different types of vaginal discharge. There is a wide range of “normal.” However, some symptoms like postmenopausal bleeding do warrant a closer look from the doctor. (Locked) More »