As if dealing with a monthly period isn’t bad enough, there are conditions some women experience that make matters worse. Almost everyone dreads
“that time of the month” but having a regular menstrual cycle is a good sign.
There are many things that can go wrong whether you’re trying to
get pregnant or not. This month our local medical experts chime in
on four of the most common reasons women experience
menstrual irregularity, severe cramps and pain, and infertility.

I used to love sex, but now it’s painful. What can I do to revive my sex life?

If your sex life went from “Oh my!” to “Oh no!” there are a few common reasons and ways to try to revive the connection. Childbirth and pregnancy change the vagina and can result in painful sex for at least the first year after delivery. The weight of the uterus during pregnancy stresses the pelvic floor and can cause weakness and lack of support. This can change the angle of the vaginal canal and clitoris, which then changes sensation for both partners. If the beautiful new baby came through the vaginal route, there can be resulting tears or episiotomies which can cause long term scar tissue and pain during sex. Even C-section moms have changes in the pelvic floor due to the pressure of the baby’s weight during pregnancy. Imagine this change happening to the pelvic floor with multiple pregnancies over the years, the results are compounding and can create lack of sensation, pain with penetration and urinary incontinence.

Increased work hours and waistlines, less home cooked meals and even less sleep, all result in an increased intake of caffeine and sugar. It’s a vicious cycle. The average American consumes 17 teaspoons of sugar and about 135 mg of caffeine every day. While most are doing pretty good staying under the daily maximum limit for caffeine (read below for details), we are killing ourselves with sugar. However, if you’ve developed a daily habit of energy drinks, you’re not doing yourself any favors with caffeine, either. We wanted to find out the toll caffeine and sugar are taking on our health, so we went to the experts, and here’s what they had to say:

Matters of the heart are serious, especially when it comes to heart disease—the most serious disease today for women of all ages to pay close attention. In all its elements, more than any other female medical condition, heart disease is No. 1, and in this case, that’s not a good thing. It’s the No. 1 cause of stroke, disability and death in both men and women. Once thought to be only a concern for men, women need to take heart when it comes to their heart health.

Is your waist size creeping up? Are you eating more healthy foods than processed foods on a daily basis? Is your sweet tooth out of control? Is your body communicating any signs or symptoms? Are you paying attention? These Pink Prescriptions’ heart healthy answers to our questions, provided by our local panel of neuro and cardiology experts, are the facts. Please read on, and then, tear these two pages out to post to your corkboards and refrigerators as life-saving, heart reminders.

There is one thing for sure when it comes to obesity: It is not good for you! While the fashion industry and pop-culture are starting to veer away from stick-thin models, the “big” trend is swaying to meet its over-sized consumers, but that doesn’t mean being over-sized is healthy. Fact is, obesity is a leading contributor of almost every disease, from diabetes to heart disease, to high blood pressure to joint pain. The great news is any amount of weight loss—even 5-percent of your body weight—may help the possible invasion of disease recede!

Make 2023 your 5-percent year! Even if you weigh 200, all you have to lose is 10 pounds to help your body get a little healthier—literally less than a quarter pound per week. Find a program that fits you, one you will enjoy, and most importantly, that you can sustain. Don’t make this year about losing weight and then gain it back. It’s time to just lose it…because your health has so incredibly much to gain if you do!

Hearing is one of those things most of us take for granted. Unfortunately, most of us will eventually experience impaired, or at least dulled, hearing as we age. However, there are experts out there who can help us maintain our hearing for as long as possible. There is also good news in that hearing enhancements are getting better and more technologically advanced all the time. That’s not to say crank up the leaf blower and put your earbuds in, but keep reading, and you will find intriguing information about how to protect your hearing and what to do when people start asking, “Can you hear me now?”

Maintaining good health for your bones is recommended at every age. Moderate exercise and vitamin-rich nutrition can help keep your skeleton in tip-top condition. However, aging bones can weaken and, in severe cases, become brittle. Bone health is usually not thought about until there’s a problem. That’s why it’s time to put your bones on your prevention radar to help reduce your risk of breaking a bone, maintaining good posture and reducing aches and pains. We asked our doctors to get us started on taking care of our bones and share his knowledge about bone health with us. Read on to learn more.

Hormones are essential to our overall health, but it can be difficult to keep them in balance. Too much of one hormone, or too little of another, can have a major impact on our well-being. As advocates for women, we decided to ask local experts for the best ways to handle these hormonal fluctuations to reach our optimum health goals!

There are several organs that our human bodies can live without, but we’re especially curious about three of them.
These mystery organs are a puzzlement to most of us. About the only time one hears about the gallbladder, spleen or appendix is
when someone is having it removed. What is the point of these seemingly unnecessary organs? How can they just be removed?
We asked the experts to clue us in and not spare any details.

You may not be able to point to your thyroid, but it controls many activities in your body, including how fast you burn calories and how fast your heart beats—pretty important things. However, the thyroid seems to be a mystery gland that is not thought about until it begins to wreak havoc. Basically, when your thyroid is functioning properly, things we take for granted, like a good night’s sleep, regular bowel movements, controlled inner temps—not inappropriately hot or cold, are also functioning properly. Because an out-of-order thyroid can cause symptoms that are quite common, usually the thyroid is the last thing we point to as the culprit for our dis-ease and discomfort. That’s why we wanted to unlock the mystery behind this little gland in your neck that can make feeling good a real pain-in-the-neck! In order to learn more about the almighty thyroid, we asked our local experts to clue us in.

When it comes to back pain, words such as non-functioning, desperation, unbearable and horrifying are heard by back experts every day. Fact is, back pain can be some of the most severe pain a human may ever encounter. The good news—and there is good news—is much of it resolves in time by the body’s natural healing combined with the help of professionals like surgeons, physical therapists, acupuncturists, exercise physiologists and massage therapists. When it comes to back pain, all modalities are welcome if it leads to relief. If you, or a loved one, has experienced back pain, then you are well aware of the toll it takes on overall well-being and function. Bottom-line: Our backs are truly the back bone of our health. That’s why we asked local experts to radiate their knowledge to help us have healthier backs.

During Mental Health Awareness Month this May,
It’s Never Been More Important to
Raise Awareness about Mental Health …
and the Importance of Seeking Help

Family Mental Health Check-In:

By Dr. Stephanie Jamison-Void, PhD
CEO, Jamison Consultants Integrated HealthCare Services

For more than 70 years, the month of May has been designated as Mental Health Awareness Month, helping to raise awareness of mental illness, mental health and behavioral health issues. This year, as the world still deals with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on both physical and mental health, the observance of Mental Health Awareness Month is particularly relevant, and increasingly important. Fact is, mental health experts have noted that the pandemic has led to a significant increase in people suffering with both anxiety and depression, as well as exacerbating existing mental health conditions in many individuals.

After so much time spent inside during the cold winter months, we are all ready to get out and enjoy the gorgeous spring weather. However, it’s important to take precautions before basking in the sun. Yes! You can get sunburned even on these beautiful, cool, sunny spring days. Skin cancer—the abnormal growth of skin cells—most often develops on skin that has been exposed to the sun. Are you at risk?

There are three major types of skin cancer:
• Basal Cell Carcinoma: This is skin cancer that begins in the basal cells, which are a type of cell within the skin that produces new skin cells as old ones die off. Basal cell carcinoma typically appears in sun-exposed areas, such as the head and neck and has a slightly transparent bump. It is usually a growth or sore that won’t heal.

Keeping our stomachs happy can be a difficult task when large portions, processed foods and eating on-the-go are all lifestyles most people have adopted, especially in the South, where fried foods are preferred. Most of us know when we’ve gone too far with excessive food and drink, waddling to the couch to assume a horizontal position soon after dinner for relief from overeating. But when are stomach issues, which may be caused by more than a stomach-revolting, self-induced food binge, a concern? We had a gut feeling it was time to ask our local experts to tell us more about the importance of gut health and the perils we may experience.

Heart disease and stroke is something no one ever wants to experience. Unfortunately though, heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women. The good news is there are lifestyle choices that can help reduce your risks, even if it runs in your family. The best way to combat the debilitating effects of a possible heart attack or stroke is to partner with your physician and take precautions based on your current state of health. Make an appointment today to take heart and beat the odds you may be facing. In the meantime, read on to learn more about heart disease and stroke from our local medical experts.

Too often, the stigma that still surrounds mental health has caused people to struggle in silence. We at Pink want to help put an end to that stigma by shining a light on Stress, Depression, Anxiety, and Panic. These are all real health issues, not character flaws or weaknesses. The strongest thing we can do is seek help. Here is advice from experts for dealing with these serious issues.

Memory problems can be scary! Many of us have experienced a “senior moment”,
but for one in ten older Americans, memory issues are much more serious than that.
Dementia is more prevalent in women, so we thought it was time to ask local wellness experts
to help us understand what could happen to us or someone we love.

When is the last time you thanked your kidneys? Those two, small bean-shaped organs in your lower back are incessant workhorses for your health. Here’s what these superstars are doing while you go about your day: They are regulating your body’s fluid levels, filtering waste and toxins from your blood, releasing hormones that regulate your blood pressure and direct production of red blood cells. If that is not enough, they also activate vitamin D to maintain healthy bones and keep blood minerals, such as sodium, phosphorus, and potassium, in balance. We all experience malfunctions occasionally, and unfortunately, one in three Americans is at risk for developing kidney disease. Read on to get more in touch with your kidneys and urinary tract. Here’s what we asked our local health experts:

Blood is like the “UPS driver” of our bodies. It courses through our veins leaving “packages” filled with life-sustaining items, such as oxygen, nutrients, carbon dioxide, hormones and much more, at every organ. Blood is the delivery system of life, and that’s why blood tests are exactly what your doctor orders. This delivery system has tracking and can tell your physician everything it is delivering and how much. This information often provides a map of what’s good, what’s bad, what needs working on and where to explore next. With this important information being the key to your treasured health, we thought you would be interested in knowing more about blood tests and what they can tell you about the status of your health. As such, we asked the experts at Hilton Head Regional Healthcare to give us the details:

What is routine blood testing and how often should I get it?
A routine blood test is an important way you and your physician can keep track of your overall health and well-being. A typical routine blood test, called the Complete Blood Count, or CBC, counts red and white blood cells and measures hemoglobin levels. This test requires getting blood taken at your doctor’s office or at a lab. Usually, a phlebotomist, nurse, or doctor will draw your blood from a vein in your arm as you sit in a chair with your feet on the ground. Often, you’re done in less than five minutes.

We all have questions about the care down there that sometimes just feels a little awkward—or maybe a lot—to talk about, even with your doctor. For some women, it’s just difficult to casually hold a conversation when words such as vagina, sex, labia and the like have to freely flow. Read on to see what our local medical experts had to say on subjects important to women’s health. Be sure to tell your doctor everything with no fear or hesitation. Your health is what’s most important, and besides, they tell us they have heard it all!

We all have questions about the care down there that sometimes just feels a little awkward—or maybe a lot—to talk about, even with your doctor. For some women, it’s just difficult to casually hold a conversation when words such as vagina, sex, labia and the like have to freely flow. Read on to see what our local medical experts had to say on subjects important to women’s health. Be sure to tell your doctor everything with no fear or hesitation. Your health is what’s most important, and besides, they tell us they have heard it all!

We’ve all heard that being overweight is unhealthy, and weight loss can help prevent illness and disease, but how? We asked local medical experts to weigh in on the advantages of losing weight. Looking good on the beach is just a fringe benefit!

Living with pain is no fun. In fact, pain can take all the fun away, especially if you enjoy being active. It’s somewhat of a Catch-22, though. It seems the more active set are the ones who get sports injuries. Makes sense, afterall, doesn’t it take sports to get a sports injury? Not necessarily. Sometimes, just a simple walk to the mailbox, moving a planter in the garden, or a quick clean up of the garage can end in injury. The good news is pain does not have to be forever with many injuries, over use, or degeneration. There are new, modern and effective ways to stop the snap, crackle, pop in the knees, reduce the burn of bursitis and rejuvenate the rip of the rotator cuff. We asked our local orthopeadic experts to tell us all about sports injuries, joint replacements and knee problems. Here is what they had to say:

If you feel the urge to hide your smile, now is your time to say cheese! Cosmetic dentistry has never been so accessible, or advanced. Whether a little whitening will brighten your world, or you need to wear braces as an adult, a beautiful, brilliant smile, worthy of that big screen money shot, it easy to attain. And no longer do you have to have a mouth full of metal—or head gear, for Heaven’s sake! Want whiter teeth? You can check it off your to do list in about 90 minutes. There are many new and advanced procedures your cosmetic dentist offers that can help you look younger, healthier,and happier! Find your options and watch that frown turn upside down. Now that’s something to smile about.

Everyone wants life to be fun, full and heart-y, which is easy when you’re healthy. But it’s hard to follow your heart when it’s sick. Heart disease is still the No.1 killer for both men and women in the US. However, with a little TLC, many risks associated with heart disease, heart attacks and strokes can be drastically reduced. The heart is our lifeline, without it we cease to be. It’s not difficult to take care of, so why not begin marching to your heart’s beat, and take the easy steps to be heart healthy? A healthy heart gives a heart-y life!

January can get you down with more than the blues. It’s the month down South when the cold really kicks in, and brings with it common winter illnesses such as cold, flu and respiratory infections. Ugh! These winter woes can make you feel terrible. That’s why it’s important to know as much as you can about how to avoid and rapidly cure these sneezing, coughing, stuffy, achy, miserable ailments. 

Toxins: The most common procedure performed in the world of plastic surgery today would be toxins such as Botox or Dysport. These actually paralyze muscles, such as the muscles that cause frown lines, crow’s feet, forehead furrows and even bunny lines on the nose. It’s even used to raise the brow and the corners of the mouth. They specifically and temporarily interrupt the nerve supply to the injected muscles.

Fillers: Next would be “fillers,” which are products used to re-volumize areas on the face that have lost volume with aging or weight loss, such as cheeks and hollows under the eyes and even chin and jaw line. Juvederm and Restylane are examples. These can be very effective at turning back the clock non-surgically. A comparison is a deflated beach ball. Inflate it, and it no longer sags.

If something is named heartburn, reflux or GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), it can’t be good. While usually not life-threatening, acid reflux, and all it’s monikers, definitely can threaten your quality of life. GERD has no respect for decadence on the dinner table, and no one wants to enjoy a delicious filet minion paired with a big, full-bodied glass of cabernet only to have to follow it up with plop, plop fizz, fizz as dessert. So what is GERD and how can you manage it? Read on to comfortably digest what our local medical experts have to say about this uncomfortable condition.

There is no doubt almost everyone in the world has had a brush with stress this year. For many, daily living routines have become overwhelming, sparking a growing trend of sadness, anxiety and depression. In our modern-day world, where we flit here and there, overload our to-do lists, argue over every little thing and rarely relax without some type of electronic device, the rat-race now sets the pace many follow. That combined with Covid-19, elections, violence and social distancing—it’s no wonder feelings of panic and hopelessness are at an all-time high. However, there is help. We asked our local health professionals to weigh-in on anxiety and depression to help us understand what it is, how it affects us and what we can do about it.

Really? Do I still need the sex talk?

Of course you do! Sex isn’t a one-and-done when it comes to talking and learning about your sexual needs, desires and health. Our bodies change as the decades go by, which impacts your sexual health with new issues always arising. To achieve your best sexual health—and keep your intimacy in shape—be sure to talk to your doctor regularly about any concerns, strange sensations, or noticeable changes you may be experiencing. Don’t be afraid to ask any question, even if you find it embarrassing. Remember, sex is a science that your doctor has studied for years. One last thing: Tell all! You have to be 100 percent honest and detailed with your physician if you want the best solution. Rest assured, doctors really have heard it all!