women’s health – Page 2

05/21/201905/21/2019

Can I Lose Sensation in My Clitoris and Vagina?

Janis Roszler LMFT, RD, LD/N, CDE, FAND shares answers to our sexual health and intimacy questions on May’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast. LISTEN NOW.

One listener, Meghan from Alberta, Canada, who is living with type 1 diabetes, wants to know if her neuropathy can cause her to lose sensation in her clitoris and vagina. If so, what can she do?

Janis Roszler’s response: It is possible for neuropathy to cause a loss of sensation in numerous areas of your body, but diabetes-related female sexual issues tend to be more likely when psychological issues are present. Unlike men with diabetes who may develop erection problems when they have neuropathy and heart complications, women’s sexual problems seem to be more linked to depression and other emotional challenges.

If you have lost some feeling in your clitoris and vaginal area, treat any depression that you may have. Explore ways to reduce the stress in your life and intimate relationship. Maintaining your blood sugar level in a healthy range can help you feel less stressed and more energized – work with your healthcare team to achieve that. Also, when engaging in sexual activities, don’t hesitate to use a lubricant that is made for vaginal use. It can help you enjoy greater sexual pleasure with less discomfort.

Sex is an important part of life and relationships. But diabetes can affect a woman’s sex life. Some women with diabetes have less interest in sex because of depression or changes in blood glucose levels that can leave them feeling tired or irritable. Or perhaps intercourse is painful because of vaginal dryness. Problems with having sex aren’t a normal part of getting older and don’t happen to all women who have diabetes.

If you find that you don’t enjoy sex anymore, it’s normal to feel upset. Find someone on your health care team to talk with. Learn about medicines or counseling that can help.

Janis Roszler, LMFT, RD, LD/N, CDE, FAND PhD is a candidate in Clinical Sexology, 2008-2009 Diabetes Educator of the Year (AADE) , Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Janis is the author and co-author of: Approaches to Behavior – Changing the dynamic between patients and professionals in diabetes care and education (ADA,2015); Diabetes On Your OWN Terms (Marlowe & Company, 2007); Sex and Diabetes (ADA, 2007); The Secrets Of Living And Loving WITH Diabetes (Surrey Books, 2004).

Janis Roszler’s Sex & Diabetes is the first book ever to deal exclusively with sexual problems as they relate to diabetes— and the only book to discuss issues that relate to both men and women. It also shows you how sexual problems can be prevented or delayed and discusses treatments options that currently exist. Sex & Diabetes highlights the value of communication between sexual partners and the importance of having an open relationship with healthcare professionals.

In The Secrets of Living and Loving with Diabetes three experts deliver advice on issues such as handling nagging friends and relatives, injecting insulin discreetly while dining out, bringing up the subject of blood sugar highs and lows before turning out the bedroom lights, and avoiding diabetes urgencies becoming emergencies. Also included are practical tools like exercises, quizzes, questions, checklists, and coping strategies.

We’re talking about secret, hush hush topics in diabetes wellness such as intimacy issues, fears and food issues on Diabetes Late Nite with musical inspiration from H.E.R. courtesy of SONY Music.

H.E.R. chooses to keep her identity a secret but that’s proving harder to do after winning Best New Artist and Best R&B Song Grammy Awards this past year. Mr. Divabetic’s guests include Janis Roszler LMFT, RD, LD/N, CDE, FAND, Cheryl Farley “Food as Medicine” Nutritionist, Dr. Dugan Maddux and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach.

Throughout the podcast we will be playing music from H.E.R.’s I Used To Know Her: The Prelude album courtesy of SONY Music.

Diabetes Late Nite is a fast-paced, full-filled hour of diabetes education and wellness advice that encourages listeners to “laugh a little, learn a lot’.

05/16/201905/16/2019

Lubes with Glycerin Are A Big ‘No No’ for Women with Diabetes

We spoke to Janis Roszler LMFT, RD, LD/N, CDE, FAND on May’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast about ‘sex and intimacy issues’ for men and women with diabetes. LISTEN NOW

During the conversation we discussed that it’s common for women with diabetes to experience vaginal dryness. For this reason, lubricants can be a lifesaver in the bedroom. But if you pick the wrong one, it can be seriously harmful to your diabetes health.

Women with diabetes should avoid lubricants containing glycerin, a sugar alcohol. Too much of this sugar alcohol can lead to bacterial growth and yeast infections and UTIs.

Something to keep in mind is that many organic lubes or other glycerin free lubes use sweeteners other than sugar, such as aspartame. While this is great for those who cannot have sugar, others should keep this in mind as some people have negative reactions to aspartame. Knowing your own body and its reactions to various chemicals, and even natural sweeteners, can help you to make better decisions about the type or brand of lube you want to use.

One of the safest bets for women with diabetes is a high quality silicone lubricant. No studies have shown people having reactions to pure silicone lubricant, and many higher end versions, just as Pjur Bodyglide and Gun Oil only have four or five ingredients, most of them different types of silicone or silicone blends.

Liquid Silk and Play are two brands of water-based lubricant that do not contain glycerin.

Romantic relationships play an important role in our everyday lives. When diabetes enters the picture, it can complicate and strain even the most loving and open relationships. If you have diabetes, you may be looking for guidance on this sensitive subject – Janis Roszler and Donna Rice MBA, BSN, RN, CDE’s book, Sex and Diabetes is here to give help and advice where you need it. Don’t let diabetes hinder the romance; Sex and Diabetes can help you discover how to rekindle the intimacy with your partner.

We’re talking about ‘hush hush’ topics in diabetes wellness such as intimacy issues, fears and food phobias on Diabetes Late Nite with musical inspiration from H.E.R. courtesy of SONY Music.

H.E.R. chooses to keep her true identity a secret but that’s proving harder to do after winning Best New Artist and Best R&B Song Grammy Awards this past year.

Guests include Janis Roszler LMFT, RD, LD/N, CDE, FAND, Cheryl Farley “Food as Medicine” Nutritionist, Dr. Dugan Maddux and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach. Throughout the podcast we will be playing music from H.E.R.’s “I Used To Know Her: The Prelude” album courtesy of SONY Music.

Diabetes Late Nite is a fast-paced, full-filled hour of diabetes education and wellness advice that encourages listeners to “laugh a little, learn a lot’.

03/16/201903/18/2019

Why 2 Young Women Died of Heart Trouble

18-year-old Félicité Tomlinson reportedly passed away from a heart attack/cardiac arrest. A person in the apartment called for an ambulance, but paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene after failing to revive her. She was the sister of One Direction singer Louis Tomlinson, the oldest of seven siblings.

Her shocking death comes days after former Miss Teenager Universe Lotte van der Zee passed away at 20 after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest the day before her birthday.

Why would young women who seemed healthy die that way so suddenly?

According to HollywoodLife, Dr. Reed Wilson, a Beverly Hills GP and cardiologist stated, “a heart attack is caused by a blocked artery to the heart. The part of the heart that is supplied by the blood vessel dies and no longer pumps. If the area is small enough the individual can do very well. If it is a large area and there is no longer enough heart to pump, the patient can die. The most common deadly problem following a heart attack are abnormal heart beats that result in deadly arrhythmias and ultimately cardiac arrest where the heart stops.”

Since there were reportedly no warning signs, one can’t help wondering if a defect that went undetected?

Dr. Wilson states “some young adults can be born with abnormalities of the coronary arteries that can lead to sudden death. The heart has two arteries, a right and a left (the left immediately splits into two). But some individuals have just one that supplies the whole heart, while others have arteries that travel in strange directions to get to the heart. Both of these can lead to heart attacks.

EDITOR’S NOTE: A heart attack is when blood flow to the heart is blocked, and sudden cardiac arrest is when the heart malfunctions and suddenly stops beating unexpectedly. A heart attack is a “circulation” problem and sudden cardiac arrest is an “electrical” problem.

On March’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast we spoke to Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE about the findings from a recent study the more young women are having heart attacks.

The study states that the proportion of heart attack–related hospitalization rates for women ages 35 to 54 increased from 21% to 31% over the last two decades.

Scientists can’t say for sure what’s causing an increase in heart disease among young women, but they do have some ideas. Last month’s study found that not only had hospitalization rates for heart attacks increased among young people since 1995, but that hypertension and diabetes rates had increased as well. The young women in the study were also more likely to be black than the young men, suggesting that heart disease is hitting young black women especially hard.

Another interesting finding was that, compared to the young men in the study, the young women were less likely to have previously been treated for conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or stroke. This suggests that women are being under-treated this link opens in a new tab for heart disease risk factors, wrote Viola Vaccarino, MD, PhD, an epidemiologist at Emory University, in a commentary published along with the study. Prevention guidelines may also underestimate risk among this age group, she added.

It’s also interesting to note that the estrogen in birth control pills and in hormone patches, implants, vaginal rings and injections can cause an increase in blood clotting, which could result in a heart attack. However, that risk is still very small for most women, especially for those under 35 who do not have other risk factors for heart disease, such as smoking or obesity.

Divabetic will presenting the first-ever Diabetes & Heart Health Escape Room Experience: Clued Inn on Diabetes Alert Day, Tuesday, March 26, 2019 in New York City. Currently we have over 150 pre-registered for Clued Inn but there’s still room for you and your friends to participate! Register now at CluedInn.org.

02/23/201902/23/2019

Carson Daly’s Mother’s Heart Attack Linked to Diabetes

Recently TODAY Show’s co-host Carson Daly shared memories of his mother, who died of a heart attack in September 2017, to help raise awareness about the connection between Type 1 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Nearly two-thirds of people with diabetes have high blood pressure, and, according to the American Diabetes Association, people with diabetes are two to four times more likely to die of heart disease or have a stroke than people who don’t have the condition.

The connection between diabetes and heart disease starts with high blood sugar levels according to the Everyday Health website. Over time, the high glucose in the bloodstream can damage the arteries, causing them to become stiff and hard. Fatty material that builds up on the inside of these blood vessels, a condition known as atherosclerosis. This can eventually block blood flow to the heart or brain, leading to heart attack or stroke. Your risk of heart disease with diabetes is further elevated if you also have a family history of cardiovascular disease or stroke.

LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 25: Carson Daly and his mother Pattie Daly Caruso arrive at the 66th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on August 25, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)

“I never would have guessed that my mom was going to die of a heart attack,” writes Carson Daly. “She had some health issues — nothing in the heart. No symptoms. Never saw it coming. So I find myself this month being hyperaware about women and their health, as it pertains to the heart. Heart disease is the most common cause of death in American women. And I have been directly impacted by that.”

If you believe you are at a higher risk for heart disease, don’t despair. Learning more about the link between heart disease and diabetes can help you take steps to help protect your heart and manage your diabetes.

Start by working with your doctor to keep your blood glucose level within the target range. You can check on your efforts by having A1C tests at least twice a year; these reveal your average blood sugar level for the past three months. A normal A1C level should be below 5.7.

Join us for Clued Inn: Diabetes & Heart Health Escape Rooms! Complete either the 60 second Diabetes Risk Test or the Heart IQ Quiz and register for free for the first-ever Diabetes & Heart Health Escape Room Experience scheduled for National Diabetes Alert Day, Tuesday, March 26, 2019, 5- 10PM in New York City. Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim. Space Limited. BOOK NOW

10/21/2017

High Voltage’s Secret to ‘Loving Yourself’

‘Love yourself, love your health’ is a catchy saying but putting into daily practice takes time and effort especially for those of us who don’t even like our hair (!)

How do you actually love yourself and your diabetes health?

My good friend and mentor, Kathie Dolgin aka ‘High Voltage’ is a walking billboard for self-compassion. She’s a health and wellness pioneer, best-selling author and TV personality, who has helped thousands of people get their energy up and their weight down. She has been featured on the TODAY Show, Good Morning America, CBS Morning Show, CNN, Extra, Entertainment Tonight, E! Network & More.

High Voltage believes in the power of Affirmations. Affirmations are statements said aloud with confidence about a perceived truth which have helped thousands of people make significant changes in their lives.

An affirmation can work because it has the ability to program your mind into believing the stated concept.uses affirmations.

High Voltage’s daily affirmations start with “I’m Happy, I’m Healthy” and then she adds a phrase like “I am the best and I deserve the best” or “I am fit, fabulous and fierce!”

Trust me, it works! I worked with her for several years on her Energy Up! Program in New York and I witness first-hand the power of affirmations in your daily life. Starting your day by saying aloud “I’m Happy, I’m Healthy and I choose to be FABULOUS” is like a double shot of attitude.

How do you practice self-compassion? That’s what we’re talking about on November’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast.

Tune in to November’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast on World Diabetes Day on Tuesday, November 14, 2017, 6 – 7:30 PM, EST.

Enjoy an exclusive first listen of “Whitney Houston – I Wish You Love: More From ‘The Bodyguard’” ahead of the album’s release date courtesy of SONY Music. This 25th anniversary of “The Bodyguard” soundtrack album features the hit song, “I’m Every Woman” echoing the recent statistics that 1 in 10 women are now living with diabetes.

Throughout the podcast we will be talking to experts about ways to safeguard you and your family from experiencing diabetes health-related complications such as stroke, blindness and amputation.

Guests include Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE, Constance Brown Riggs MSEd, RD, CDE, CDN, Poet Lorraine Brooks, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach featuring Patricia Addie Gentle RN, CDE and Mama Rose Marie.

High Voltage is the founder and executive director of the national nonprofit organization, Energy Up!, whose mission is to prevent childhood obesity. Energy Up! is the only health and wellness childhood obesity program built on the Energy Up! Addiction model with a published medical study. Numerous New York City private and public schools, the township of Huntington, Long Island and the Gerald J. Freidman Diabetes Institute at Beth Israel Medical Center have experienced High Voltage’s unique health and wellness programming.

Learn more about High Voltage @ www.energyup.org

It’s time to get Sugar Savvy – read about solutions for dropping those stubborn pounds, energizing your body, and feeling great about yourself. Health and wellness guru Kathie “High Voltage” Dolgin will help you retrain your brain to say no to sugar and its harmful effects, and get you on the path to “Fit, Fabulous and Fierce.”

Our most successful Sugar Savvy Sister lost over 18 pounds in 6 weeks! *

05/27/2017

Why Plan B May Not Be Effective for Plus Size Women

If you weigh more than 176 pounds and find yourself in a situation where your birth control fails, then chances are the morning-after pill might not work for you according to a 2013 study conducted by the CDC.

According to the National Institutes of Health, nearly one-third of adults in the United States are obese. This proportion is certainly higher among people with diabetes; insulin resistance, a hallmark of Type 2 diabetes, and obesity are both elements of the metabolic syndrome. (Other traits are high blood pressure and abnormal blood lipid levels.)

“The average woman in America spends five years trying to get pregnant and 30 years trying not to,” explained Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood in an interview with The New York Times.

Although Plan B manufacturers insist that there are no weight limits, researchers have suggested that women weighing more than 176 pounds should consider taking two of the recommended doses to help ensure effectiveness. With the current cost of Plan B running at close to $50, that would mean women who lie outside the weight range could count on spending more that $100 on emergency contraception.

Additionally, a 2011 study in the journal Contraceptive, recommends that women who have a body mass index (BMI) of more than 25 should not rely on levonorgestrel or a “normal” dose of Plan B, as an effective emergency contraceptive.

Searching for an alternative?

An IUD is a small, plastic device shaped like a T. The ParaGard (Copper T 380A) is the only non-hormonal IUD available in the US. This IUD has copper (which acts as a spermicide) coiled around it. The IUD irritates the lining of the uterus, which makes it harder for implantation. It also serves as an irritant, so white blood cells migrate to the inflamed uterus and can help to destroy sperm. The IUD is inserted into the uterus by a doctor and has 2 filament strings which hang down into the vagina. A woman can feel the strings to make sure the IUD is still in place. ParaGard can be left in place for up to 10 years.

Another effective option for plus size women is the barrier birth control method. Because they have do not have any hormones, barrier methods also have fewer side effects. is a device that physically blocks sperm from entering the opening of the uterus. Though these contraceptives can be very reliable — they can become less effective if you do not use them the correct way. Because of this, you may be more likely to experience birth control failure (maybe due to not being inserted correctly, at the right time, etc).

Making sure that these methods work as effectively as possible is even more important given the fact that plus size women are at greater risk of pregnancy-related complications. You can increase the effectiveness of these birth control methods by using a double barrier method (such as a condom and spermicide or a diaphragm and a condom — but do NOT use male and female condoms or two condoms).

LISTEN NOW: Mr. Divabetic Show on Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) on this one hour of wellness with a wow podcast. PMDD is a severe, sometimes disabling extension of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) that start about 7 to 10 days before a woman gets her monthly period. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists estimates that at least 85 percent of menstruating women have at least one PMS symptom as part of their monthly cycle. PMS is much more common than PMDD. Biologic, psychological, environmental, and social factors all seem to play a part in PMDD. It is important to note that PMDD is not the fault of the woman suffering from it or the result of a “weak” or unstable personality. It is also not something that is “all in the woman’s head.”

Rather, PMDD is a medical illness that impacts only 3% to 8% of women. Fortunately, it can be treated by a health care professional with behavioral and pharmaceutical options.

Podcast Guests: Dr. Andrea Chisholm OBGYN, Peak 10 Skin founder Connie Elder, We Are Diabetes founder, Asha Brown, and Laura L. who are both living with type 1 diabetes.

12/23/2016

What Every ‘Divabetic’ Should Know About Menopause

According to a recent article published in the New York Daily News women in perimenopause and menopause don’t realize they have diabetes. The symptoms of diabetes can be confused with symptoms of menopause including frequent urination, night sweats, anxiety, mood swings, foggy thinking, dry itchy skin, and vaginal infections.

In general, women with diabetes lose more years of life than men do. And while the death rate for women with diabetes has risen dramatically since the 1970s, it hasn’t risen for men with the disease. It’s estimated that girls born in the year 2000 have more than a 1 in 3 chance of getting diabetes in their lifetime.

Overweight women at any age with any one of the following risk factors should also be checked for diabetes: inactive, have a first-degree relative with diabetes, have polycystic ovaries, delivered a baby over 9 pounds, have high blood pressure above 140/90 or take blood pressure medication, have low good cholesterol. Be sure to measure your blood sugar regularly.

Divabetic (divabetic.org) is a national diabetes organization dedicated to women.

LISTEN NOW: On the Mr. Divabetic Show: That State Of Women’s Health we’re talking about the state of women’s equality and diabetes and sexual health post-election. While the outcome of the Presidential election means different things to different people, it is no secret that many of the words, values, and behaviors Americans have heard and seen during this election have deeply affected many people, including women.

Did you know that women are more likely than men to suffer from mental illnesses such as anxiety and PTSD? Also, the numbers show us that women have not historically enjoyed the same power and privilege as men. For some women, the result may be a subtle but constant sense of vulnerability and vigilance.

From reproductive rights to Medicare coverage, there could be a lot of policy changes impacting US women over the next four years. Additionally, many women may feel threatened from hearing about a powerful leader’s many sexual assault accusations and the rising incidents of hate crimes post-election.

Guests include: Dr. Andrea Chisholm OBGYN, Peak 10 Skincare founder and Domestic Violence Advocate Connie Elder, Poet Lorraine Brooks, We Are Diabetes organization founder, Asha Brown, Mary Ann Hodorowicz RD, CDE and the President of Women in Government Relations, Kathryn Schubert.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from Leona Lewis’ “Christmas, with Love” album courtesy of SONY Music.

12/07/2016

Is the IUD The Best Form of Birth Control for Women with Diabetes?

On the upcoming Women’s Health podcast, Mr. Divabetic will discuss birth control options for women with diabetes with his guest, Dr. Andrea Chisholm MD, FACOG OB-GYN.

According to a new study the two most effective hormonal birth control methods for women with diabetes are intrauterine devices (IUDs) and contraceptive implants.

Both forms of birth control are linked with the lowest risk of blood clots in these higher-risk women.

Hormonal contraceptives boost women’s risk for clots, which can lead to heart attack and strokes. That’s a particular problem for women with diabetes, who are at increased risk for blood clots to begin with.

While many contraceptives use a combination of two hormones, estrogen and progestin, the World Health Organization advises that women at increased risk of a blockage caused by a blood clot – known as a thromboembolism – use contraceptives containing only progestin reports FOX News.

Dr. Natalie Whaley, an obstetrician/gynecologist and family planning provider at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York, said that women with diabetes need to time their pregnancies for a number of reasons, including the fact that having good control of their blood sugar will reduce the risk of miscarriage and fetal anomalies

TUNE IN: Upcoming Special “State of Women’s Health” podcast on Tuesday, December 20, 2016, 6 PM, EST. Guests include Dr. Andrea Chisholm MD, FACOG, OB-GYN, Poet Lorraine Brooks and PEAK 10 Skincare Founder, Connie Elder. Music by Leona Lewis courtesy of SONY Music.