Women

Have you ever wished that you were just a little bit taller?  Do you have an ideal height that you’re looking for when sizing up potential partners?  You’re definitely not alone there.  We recently surveyed over 1,000 people with a series of height-centric questions and were able to confirm some long-held beliefs about height, among them being the idea that many men and women would prefer to be a different height.  Our study not only found that 60 percent of men and 49 percent of women wished to be taller, but it also found the respondents’ ideal height to be noticeably taller than the national averages.  The average ideal height for women in our survey turned out to be 5’6” (2 inches more that the mean average height for American women), while the average ideal height for male participants was 6’0” (up from the mean average height of 5’9” for American men).  With so much of our ability to meet new partners tied up in our own self-confidence, how are we supposed to enjoy a healthy love life when so many of us are consumed with changing one of the few aspects of our body image that we can’t even control?

About 1% of women experience menopause before the age of 40. But for most women, the average age is 51.

Birth control pills debuted in 1960, revolutionizing women’s health and providing them with a new option to take control of their sexual health. For many, this medical breakthrough shattered years of stigma and opened up conversations about vaginal health. However, even today, not all women are comfortable freely discussing their vaginal health, even with their doctors. But vaginal health is a very important part of overall health. Therefore, if anything seems “off,” such as a strong odor or an unusual vaginal discharge, or if there is a need to change contraception method, it is imperative to talk to a health expert. In the meantime, below are some of the most commonly asked questions that may help open up the discussion and ensure long-term vaginal health.

About 6,000 women in the United States enter menopause every day. That’s over two million a year.

If you’re one of these women, you know how much menopause can disrupt your life. From night sweats and poor sleep to hot flashes during the day, you’re exhausted and irritable. Who wouldn’t be?

Blame it on the hormones. Moody, achy, sleep concerns, your menstrual cycle is off, can’t stop eating chocolate, teary and weepy, weight fluctuations, or perhaps you just can’t concentrate.

These can all be symptoms of hormone imbalance. These symptoms can be anywhere from mild to severe and can cause not only discomfort in our lives but they can be symptoms of something much larger, indications of health problems and side effects of our bodies changing.

Have you noticed a change in your body such as increased stress, weight gain, or issues sleeping? If so, you may be experiencing symptoms of hormonal imbalance in women.

Middle-aged women the world over know the many discomforts that can arise during menopause. Due to plummeting hormone levels, everything from hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness to depression and other serious health concerns can show up, making life miserable and hard to manage.

Whether you’re a full-time mom or balancing both work and family responsibilities, you probably know what it’s like to feel burned out by a never-ending to-do list. At one time or another, most women grapple with the stress of trying to be everything to everyone. Probably due in part to their multifaceted roles in our fast-paced, modern world, women are twice as likely as men to experience depression. But it’s more than just that—a woman’s biology also increases her vulnerability to depression. Specifically, the profound hormonal fluctuations that occur during the menstrual cycle, during and after childbirth, and leading up to menopause can trigger depressive symptoms for many women.

Most women are familiar with one of the major symptoms of menopause, hot flashes, in which normal body temperature rises and an intense feeling of heat suddenly flushes over the body. Hot flashes are usually accompanied by a red, flushed face and heavy sweating. Hot flashes at night are common, and can include night sweats. However, many women are not aware that there are varied types of hot flashes, and that they may even last beyond menopause!

If you’ve been feeling blue lately, you may want to think twice before refilling your birth control prescription. New research published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry suggests that all types of hormonal contraception come with an increased risk of depression.