Has sex become a chore you no longer feel like doing? Or worse, is it painful? For many women, these feelings are all too common. As you get older — particularly after menopause — you may face an increasing number of barriers to sex, including dryness and constriction of the vagina or medical conditions such as diabetes and extra weight. For more tips and information on how to restore enjoyment in your intimate relationships during menopause and beyond, download our Free Sexual Health in…

One of the interesting things to note is how many times you are given a piece of information but do not pay attention long enough to be able to recall it later. You are in good company because this is what happens more often than anyone of us would like to admit. This complaint is not limited to older adults any longer. Maybe you need to sharpen some of these skills and notice what happens to your short term memory. Take Notice of Your Mind Many years ago, I read a novel where a man was…

Thinking About Going to See a Doctor? Going to a doctor’s appointment can be very intimidating and sometimes a bit scary, especially if you’re seeing a new doctor. Many patients, both male and female, are afraid to visit a doctor, delay making an appointment because of fear, forget what they want to ask once they are in the exam room and leave the visit with more questions than they came with. Below are tips to help you make the most of your doctor’s appointment starting with scheduling the…

Most of you probably like the familiarity and satisfaction of your current brain game fitness routine. People will often share with me the types of activities they have done for decades or on a regular basis every day. One of the best things you can do is to keep your mind open to new possibilities. When it is suggested that they consider branching out into something else, I often hear some reluctance. Create a New Brain Enhancement Activity It is likely that my fascination with word games…

Memory difficulty is a typical symptom of menopause, but some might fear that it’s an early sign of Alzheimer’s. Many describe a sudden inability to recall simple facts as “brain fog.” If this sounds familiar, don’t worry. You’re not likely losing it or developing dementia. Dipping levels of estrogen — whether from menopause or having a baby — affect brain function. Facts to ease your mind about memory ‘blips’ People with Alzheimer’s aren’t aware enough of their condition to recognize it…

Why are women vulnerable to stress? If you’re “dashing through the snow” this holiday season, chances are you’re experiencing stress — especially if you’re a woman. Women are vulnerable to stress due to: Socialization - Women are taught to nurture others and spend less time caring for themselves. They often feel guilty saying “no.” Too many hats - About 70 percent of married women with children under 18 work also outside the home. Struggling to meet the “male standard” at work and the…

What is Endometriosis? Endometriosis can’t be cured, but the pain and fertility problems it causes can be relieved. Of the more than 5.5 million American women with endometriosis, 30 to 40 percent have difficulty conceiving. In endometriosis, small islands of tissue similar to the inner lining of the uterus (endometrium) implant themselves on other organs or on the lining of the pelvic cavity. During menstruation, they bleed and cause painful inflammation. The results can be severe menstrual…

Osteoporosis Description An estimated 10 million Americans have osteoporosis. Another 34 million have low bone mass. If left untreated, osteoporosis can be both debilitating and painful. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to prevent osteoporosis from ever occurring. Or, if you already have the disease, early detection and proper medical care can help you slow or even reverse its progress and prevent fractures. Osteoporosis is a disease that weakens bones, making them more susceptible…

Bladder leakage is one of many health-related issues Dr. Holly L. Thacker of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Specialized Women's Health addresses in this interview. Dr. Thacker explains that there is non-surgical therapy available to help remedy the problem, and that there is an unexpected, but not unwelcome side effect of the newly FDA approved pelvic stimulation devices now available to strengthen the pelvic floor or relax an overactive bladder. Dr. Thacker is the author of Cleveland Clinic…

One of the newest advances in fertility treatment — retrieving and freezing eggs — allows women to preserve their ability to start a family later in life. “More and more women are asking about this option,” says Holly L. Thacker, MD, Director of Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Specialized Women’s Health. “Women are dedicated to their careers, yet they want to have families too. It’s important to realize that peak fertility is around age 24 — not age 34 or age 44.” Freezing eggs not only helps…

Struggling to Keep Fit Through Menopause Keeping off those extra pounds is an ongoing battle for many women. And it only gets more challenging as we enter menopause. It’s just the way we’re made. Female hormones tend to promote fat formation. That means our bodies store fat more easily than men’s bodies. As we get older, our metabolism slows, enabling even more weight gain. And as we lose muscle mass (beginning at age 40), body fat often takes its place. As we age, we need to do more to…

Screening for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) is not just for the young. STIs don’t discriminate by age or race. Any sexually active person can get infected with a STI. During the past decade, we’ve seen an increase in STIs among those ages 50 and older. Some of the more common sexually transmitted infections include: Syphilis Chlamydia Gonorrhea Trichomonias Herpes HIV Hepatitis HPV (human papillomavirus – linked with certain cancers). Among those listed above, the…

Kathryn Kilpatrick offers suggestions for lifelong learning and successful aging. As a speech-language pathologist with over four decades of experience working with older adults, Kathryn Kilpatrick specializes in working with older adults and their families facing Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. In the last decade people of all ages seem to be complaining about their memory. Have you noticed that your memory is not what it used to be? Join the many people, both young and old,…

Description Whether you’re a busy executive with a 60-hour work week or a mom who is busy putting your family’s needs first, you can’t afford to neglect your health. CustomFit Physicals for Women provide a uniquely personalized healthcare service that offers a comprehensive set of evaluations and an individual plan of action based on your results—in just one day. Your CustomFit experience starts with a call to a women’s health expert who is a registered nurse. After discussing your…

Like pregnancy and delivery, menopause is a normal life event. Yet every day, I see smart women who are not being given the right information about the changes they are facing during midlife. Many of my patients nearing 50 regard the years leading up to menopause, called perimenopause, as living hell. But that does not have to be the case. The most important thing you can do when you are facing any life change is to arm yourself with the facts. In the case of menopause, you first have to…

Healthy Aging Life expectancy is increasing for Americans. The fastest-growing segment of the population is the 85-and-older age group. Despite advances in health care, however, many elderly people have chronic, incurable progressive diseases and need assistance with the activities of daily living. The greatest challenge facing us as we age is the prevention of physical disability and the extension of "active life expectancy." Fortunately, recent studies suggest that healthy ("successful")…

What are vital signs? Vital signs are used to measure the body’s basic functions. These measurements are taken to help assess the general physical health of a person, give clues to possible diseases, and show progress toward recovery. The normal ranges for a person’s vital signs vary with age, weight, gender, and overall health. There are four main vital signs: body temperatureblood pressurepulsebreathing rate Body Temperature The average body temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, but…

No Need to Fear Seeing Your Doctor Any person who experiences a fluttering or abnormal beating of the heart should be evaluated promptly, say Cleveland Clinic Heart & Vascular Institute specialists. Heart rhythm disturbances occur across a range of ages and result from problems with the electrical impulses traveling through the heart. Atrial fibrillation most common Bruce Lindsay, MD, Head of Cardiac Electrophysiology and Pacing notes that the most common heart rhythm irregularity in the…

Did you know that cancer of the womb and cervix used to be the number one cause of cancer deaths in women in the United States? That fact was true in 1930s and early 1940s. Today this disease has fallen to number seven. When you regularly get a test known as a PAP smear, you greatly reduce your risk of developing cervical cancer. What is Cervical cancer? Cervical cancer is a tumor or growth in the tissue of a woman's cervix. The cervix is the lowest part of the womb, or uterus, through which…

Are You Thinking "It Can't Hurt" to Take a Holiday From Healthy Foods? It's okay to indulge in rich foods and decadent desserts during the holidays, but keep the portions healthy - a little bit here, a little bit there. If you do overindulge, make sure you get in some extra exercise to burn off those extra calories. Taking small steps — using the stairs instead of the escalator, parking further away at the mall — adds up to big strides at the end of the day. Remember to eat healthy the rest…