Unique health topics for women’s specific needs

by Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP,
and Dixie Mills, MD

For years women’s health was viewed in the context of research done mostly on men. Our mothers and grandmothers knew then, as we know now, that women are different from men — and even though we share many of the same organs, we do not share the same physiology.

We’re entering an exciting new age in medicine. Not only is more and more research being done for the benefit of women’s health, but many women are asking more questions and looking for their own answers. From our perspective, women deserve honest information about their unique health needs. And our goal at Women to Women is to provide it to them.

In our experience, the functional medical approach — which marries the best of conventional medicine with alternative medicine — offers us an unprecedented opportunity to influence our own health and longevity. This dynamic model takes the whole person into consideration, working in concert with the body’s natural restorative powers to effect healing. We’re thrilled that conventional practitioners are waking up to alternative healing methods, but we’ve been applying the functional medicine model to our practice for years, and have seen first-hand how well it works for women of all ages and backgrounds.

The articles that follow provide in-depth information on many of the unique health challenges and opportunities women today face. From concerns about dry eyes or hair loss to how to prepare for surgery or build midlife financial well-being, Women to Women provides practical, commonsense steps you can take today to create better health in your life on every level. You will also find an overview of the alternative and complementary modalities we use, and how you can make them work for you. As you explore, keep in mind that good health encompasses the whole person — mind, body and spirit.

Our most popular resources on women’s health

To access an article, just choose from the list of excerpts below. To find more articles, use the search function below. Don’t see a topic that’s important to you? Let us know.

• Women’s alternative health care
  More and more women are interested in integrating alternative forms of healing into their lives, but they aren’t sure where to start. Here’s a guide to help you understand what your choices are, and how these alternative therapies work with the body’s innate healing mechanisms to restore and maintain health.
• Prioritizing your health when money is tight
  Women to Women’s tips about preventive care tell you how to stay healthy on a budget.
• The truth about modern healthcare — it’s in your capable hands
  Women need to be informed of their options when it comes to making healthcare decisions. Women to Women offers advice on how to participate in your health care.
• Seven women’s health myths — fact or fiction?
  Looking and feeling good is not about following the hype and fear put forth by conventional medicine and the media, but about understanding your unique body and what it needs to achieve balance and health naturally. Learn why these common women’s health myths are not just misguided, but can actually harm your health, and why the truth about women’s health begins with you.
• Specific methods of alternative medicine
  Here’s a simple guide to aid women in their initial efforts to explore alternative and complementary methods of healing. Provides an overview of different systems of medicine, body-based therapeutic techniques, and mind-body connection techniques.
• How to make life changes — becoming the person you want to be
  Women often must make significant lifestyle changes to become healthy. Women to Women discusses the steps for successful, lasting changes.
• How to prepare for surgery
  Learn the steps you can take to prepare yourself positively for surgery, to decrease pain, anxiety, and time spent in hospital and improve your overall outcome. Includes seven important questions to ask before you undergo the knife, from a renowned breast surgeon.
• What to expect on the day of surgery
  Wondering what goes on just before surgery in the operative suite? From pre-op meds and anesthesia to presurgery protocol to protect patient safety, here’s what you can expect on the big day.
• Holistic skin care
  Inflammation is the key factor in aging skin — wrinkles and all. But you don’t have to spend a fortune on anti-aging skin care products — and you don’t have to give in to aging skin. Once you understand the intimate connection between quelling inflammation and truly caring for your skin, you can achieve youthful, healthy skin naturally.
• Tinnitus and menopause — What’s that noise in my head?
  Hearing changes such as tinnitus can affect women’s hearing in menopause. Women to Women suggests natural solutions for tinnitus.
• Anatomy of the skin
  This article explores the layers of the skin, their complex functions, and how they interconnect to form the living, breathing organ we call our skin. When you understand how our skin forms from the inside out, you’ll understand why its appearance reveals the state of our inner health.
• Hair loss in women
  Losing hair can be so devastating for women, and many don’t know that our hair is an indication of our overall health. Hair loss is a common problem during periods of major change in a woman’s life, and the underlying causes can vary. Find out what may be leading to your hair loss, learn about the human hair growth cycle, and gain insight into the natural solutions you have available.
• I have hair where? — coping with unwanted hair growth
  Many women find the occasional stray hairs on the face, arms, or breast — and for some, it’s more than “occasional”! Learn more about what these hairs are and how to deal with them — and how to know when they’re a signal to investigate your health further.
• Menstrual migraines and other hormonal headaches
  Many women react to hormonal fluctuations with headaches that occur in a cyclical fashion. Learn how you can make these hormonal headaches become less intense, less frequent or even disappear using natural solutions. Includes information on using bioidentical hormones to abort hormonal headaches.
• Natural relief from chronic headaches
  Information on the different kinds of headaches that can so greatly impact women’s health, including tension, cluster, and migraine headaches; natural headache remedies; and natural prevention measures. Try Women to Women’s approach with these ten ways to eliminate headaches naturally.
• Seeing clearly about dry eyes
  Our eyes are telling indicators of what’s going on inside the body, but many women are told dry eye is an isolated condition and simply are given drops to relieve their symptoms. Instead of just masking the symptoms of dry eyes with drops, learn how to resolve your dry eyes from the inside.
• Women’s unique health needs
  It’s hard to believe that as recently as 20 years ago, very little medical research was done that focused on the unique health needs of women. Since passage in 1990 of the NIH guidelines requiring inclusion of women in clinical research, we’ve learned more and more about the remarkable differences between men and women, and it’s radically changing the way we approach our health and healing.
• Taking charge of your money — and your life
  Where do your beliefs about money originate, and are they fully serving you? If so, you are a fortunate woman. If you have your doubts or fears about money, there’s no better time than the present to educate yourself about money matters — because the link between your physical and financial health is one you cannot afford to ignore!
• Managing the finances of your illness
  Women to Women offers tips for reducing healthcare costs when you’re ill.
• Giving yourself the gift of health
  Many women forget to fill their own cup as they strive to meet the untold needs of all the world around them. And it’s our own daily calling to improve the health of the world, woman by woman. We know that every truly healthy woman builds a healthier and more peaceful world. So what better gift can you give the world than your own radiant health?
• Mother’s Day
  This is a women’s website, and every one of us has a mother, whether she is here with us on Earth today or not. Here’s our tribute to the unique, yet altogether universal experience every woman shares of being a mother, a daughter, or both, and why the mothering spirit matters so greatly to our health.

Last Modified: 02/16/2010
Principal Author: Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP, and Dixie Mills, MD