Women's Health April 2022

CARDIOLOGY Jennifer H. Mieres, MD Professor of cardiology, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell; senior vice president, Center for Equity of Care, Northwell Health DERMATOLOGY Mona Gohara, MD Associate clinical professor, department of dermatology, Yale School of Medicine Ellen Marmur, MD Founder, Marmur Medical Joshua Zeichner, MD Director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City FERTILITY Sheeva Talebian, MD Fertility specialist and reproductive endocrinologist, CCRM New York FITNESS Ben Bruno, CFSC Certified functional strength coach and private trainer Betina Gozo, CFSC Certified functional strength coach; NASM corrective exercise specialist; Nike master trainer; creator of Women’s Health Woman’s Guide to Strength Training Lauren Kanski, CPT NASM-certified personal trainer; functional strength and conditioning specialist; kettlebell skills specialist Sohee Lee, MS, CSCS Evidence-based fitness coach and certified sports nutritionist; author of Eat. Lift. Thrive. Stacy T. Sims, PhD…

In my experience, feeling relief, peace, hope—my version of happiness!—often comes on the heels of a challenge or heartbreak. And science supports my nebulous hunch. @lizplosser Doing and surviving hard things is often a gateway to immeasurable joy. A scroll through the pics on myphone’s photo app provides undeniable proof that even during this wild time in the world, I’ve enjoyed many moments of authentic, crinkly-eyed delight. On days when I’m feeling anxious, exhausted, raw, or unsure, reflecting on those periods when the clouds lifted is a rad reminder that happiness is always there waiting, like the sun after a long, cold night. Happiness can be complicated. It can go up and down. It can mean something different every day. What I know, and what you can learn more about starting on page…

There’s a reason you feel the urge to dial up loved ones when something major happens in life. Confiding in a good listener not only provides a stress release but can also slow cognitive decline, per a new study at NYU. People in their 40s and 50s who self-reported having limited access to a supportive listener in their social interactions had a cognitive age that was four years older than those with more listeners in their life. Turns out, talking (and other mentally stimulating activities, like exercise) does the mind good. Recruit the right pair of ears: First, look for someone who waits for you to respond when they ask how you’re doing, says Kiki Ramsey, PhD, a psychologist in Georgia. Next, make sure your listener doesn’t tend to interrupt and…

Source: Obstetrics and Gynecology You may have heard anecdotes from friends about the vaccine’s impact on periods or even experienced a wonky cycle yourself. Turns out, most people with periods had little or no change in the length of their overall cycle, according to a recent study of nearly 4,000 users of Natural Cycles, a tracking app. Those who received two doses of the vaccine within a single cycle were more likely to see a shift in cycle—not period—duration compared with those who had doses across them. So think of it like this: If your full cycle is usually 28 days, maybe it was 26 and you got it a day or two earlier than usual. All good news for now, but more research needs to be done, says WH advisor…

Climate change at the forefront of your mind? Yeah, us too—specifically when it comes to how we, personally, can make real, albeit small, changes at home to play a part in limiting environmental damage. Sure, you’re just one person, but when more individuals become aware of the ecological implications of the products they use every day, we’re one step closer to making a true impact. May be time to start rethinking your consumption of these planet-altering items: Contact Lenses The single-use plastic packaging for contact lenses is too little to be salvaged by most recycling programs, which means it accumulates in landfills. To lessen waste, try switching to monthly lenses instead of daily ones. Even better? Wear regular glasses as often as you can, says Laura Young, environmental scientist and sustainability educator.…

Cannabidiol, or CBD (sans THC), is a much-talked-about ingredient in everything from sparkling water to dog treats, but there’s a lot more to this non-addictive chill “pill.” In fact, some people perceived it to be as effective at relieving fibromyalgia pain as opioids, according to one University of Michigan survey. This is promising news because fibro is a chronic health condition that predominantly affects women and is tough to treat, often requiring side-effect-inducing meds, says Micaela Bayard, MD, an assistant professor of medicine at Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine. Many CBD users said it provided so much relief, they decreased their traditional meds or stopped altogether. What’s more, those who made the switch reported larger improvements in pain and health than those who didn’t. The likely reason for the ouch-free…