Women's Health Archive

An ICD can be lifesaving, but it can have unique risks for women.

Our heart normally beats to a steady lub-dub, lub-dub rhythm. Yet in some of us, the heart beats faster or in a different pattern than usual. This is called an abnormal heart rhythm, or arrhythmia.

Vitamin E no help for heart failure.

If we just implemented a few simple healthy strategies into our daily lives, we could dramatically reduce the number of cancer deaths in this country, according to the American Cancer Society's annual report, Cancer Prevention & Early Detection Facts & Figures. An estimated 577,190 people will die from cancer in 2012, according to the report. Nearly 175,000 of those deaths—about a third—will be due to tobacco use alone. An additional one-third of cancer deaths will be caused by obesity and overweight, lack of physical activity, and poor diet, the organization says. To turn these numbers around, the American Cancer Society is focusing on several objectives over the next three years. Their goal is to get more Americans to:

• quit smoking

• do 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise a week

• eat at least 2 1/2 cups of fruits and vegetables daily

• protect their skin from the sun by staying indoors between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., wearing an SPF 15 or higher sunscreen, and avoiding tanning booths

• follow American Cancer Society guidelines for breast cancer, colon cancer, and other cancer screenings.

Study highlights exercise for memory.

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy has been taboo for some time, largely because drinking too much can cause fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Because no one has been able to identify a clear threshold for “safe” drinking during pregnancy, doctors tell women to steer away from alcohol entirely. A series of five studies from Denmark published in BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology found that “low” (1-4 drinks per week) to “moderate” (5-8 drinks per week) alcohol consumption in early pregnancy did not harm the neuropsychological development of children evaluated at age five. Drinking more appears to be a different story. In one of the studies, five-year-olds whose mothers consumed higher levels of alcohol (9 or more drinks per week) during pregnancy were significantly more likely to have lower attention spans. The authors of the study do not argue that drinking alcohol during pregnancy is wise or to be encouraged. In fact, most doctors will continue to advise pregnant women not to drink alcohol. is there a middle ground? Perhaps. Deciding to have a sip (or glass) of champagne at a special occasion during pregnancy may not be an unreasonable or unsafe choice–one that each woman has to make for herself, ideally after talking with her obstetrician or midwife about this issue.

Without any warning, your mind could be at risk.

A stroke can be dramatic—and devastating. As part of the brain is starved of its blood supply, cells may die. If a large number of brain cells die, with them may go some of a person's ability to speak, move, and remember.

This lipid plays a bigger part than you realize.

The strongest predictors of a woman's stroke risk may be the most over-looked lipids in your cholesterol profile, according to a new study published online Feb. 2, 2012, in the journal Stroke.

Before you get your next mammogram, learn the pros and cons of this controversial screening test.

Once a year, we subject our breasts to the ritual ordeal of poking, prodding, and viselike squeezing known as a mammogram. We willingly endure this process because we know—or at least hope—that if we do get breast cancer, a mammogram will pick it up early enough to treat it and save our life.

What you need to know about these cholesterol-lowering medicines.

If you've been having trouble controlling your cholesterol levels, your doctor may have recommended that you take a statin drug. Statins lower LDL cholesterol—the so-called "unhealthy" or "bad" cholesterol because it helps to form the artery-clogging plaques that can lead to heart disease.

Practicing seven healthy lifestyle habits might reduce your risk of dying from heart disease or any other cause. Unfortunately, few women are following all of these habits.