Women's Health

Parenting for Self-Esteem

Virtually every child, teen, and even adult I see in my clinical practice, suffers from a self-esteem problem in some way, shape, or form. And essentially all parents seeking information or counseling about their child's emotional development want to know how to build their child's self-esteem. Whether intuitively or from exposure to psychological research findings, we all seem to recognize the importance of self-esteem to a person's emotional well-being and mental health.

Exercise: Staying With the Program is the Challenge

You've heard it a thousand times: "exercise to lose weight, live longer and feel your best." But how do you find a program you can stick with? The good news is that just 15 to 30 minutes of moderate to brisk exercise even walking at least three times a week can make a difference in your life. Many medical studies show that exercise lowers your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and osteoporosis a bone-thinning disease. Regular exercise also may lower your risk of colon cancer and reduce some of the effects of aging.

Stay Active When You Have Degenerative Arthritis

Arthritis -- a chronic inflammation of the joints -- affects more than 37 million Americans and comes in more than 100 varieties. The most common type of arthritis is degenerative arthritis (also called osteoarthritis). It has no cure and tends to get worse over time. However, arthritis sufferers can do many things to stay active.

Risk Factors for Coronary Artery Disease

Scientists and physicians have been able to identify direct and indirect risk factors for the development of cholesterol-based narrowings in the blood vessels that feed the heart muscle, more commonly known as coronary artery disease (CAD). The development of this disease can lead to heart attack, death or chronic disability, and remains the number one killer in the USA today. These risk factors are commonly used by doctors to gauge a patient's risk of developing CAD and following their progress during therapy.

General Health Care: Organizational Profiles

Physicians Who Care

Urine Provides Information About Urologic and General Health

Amber colored urine carries the body's waste products and water through the urinary system to outside the body. As blood passes through the kidneys, water, urea, salts and minerals are removed and become urine. The urinary system consists of two kidneys, two ureters, one bladder and one urethra. More urine is excreted when liquids and foods that contain more water such as meats and fruits are consumed. Diuretics, such as water pills and other medications, cause your kidneys to remove extra water from the blood. Coffee, tea and alcohol can cause your kidneys to make more urine.

Breast Health: Answers About Breast Cancer Risk, Prevention, & Diagnosis

Eighty percent of breast lumps are discovered by women themselves and not by their healthcare providers. Lumps are the most common breast change discovered either with breast self-examination or with mammography. Fewer than one-third of women regularly practice breast self-examination. The fear of finding something abnormal is the biggest reason many women resist establishing a routine for examining their breasts every month. But, three out of four breast lumps found are benign and do not increase a woman's chance of developing cancer later in life.

Pregnancy: Make It Fit

For modern moms-to-be, preparing for the birth of a child involves physical training in addition to childbirth education classes and decorating the nursery. Comments by women who continued to exercise throughout their pregnancies support the theory that staying fit eases labor and delivery. According to Amy, a pilot for a major airline, exercise made a big difference. She says, "In contrast to my first pregnancy where I did almost no exercise, this time I gained less weight and remained more agile and active in every phase of my life." Betsy, an attorney and amateur tennis player, agrees.

Colorado State & National Mental Health Information Resources

COLORADO RESOURCES: Mental Health Association of Colorado 6795 E. Tennessee Avenue, Suite 425 Denver, CO 80224 Phone: (303) 377-3040 FAX: (303) 377-4920 The Colorado Psychological Association 1660 S. Albion Street, Suite 712 Denver, CO 80222 (303) 692-9303, administrative offices (303) 759-6124, referral line Colorado Chapter of The National Association of Social Workers (N.A.S.W.) 6000 E. Evans, Suite 1-121 Denver, Colorado 80222 USA (303) 753-8890 Colorado Psychiatric Society 4596 E. Iliff Avenue, Suite B Denver, CO 80222 (303) 759-6045

Master the Art of Relaxation

The techniques you use (or don't use) to unwind can have a tremendous impact on your mental health. Here are a few tips on learning to unwind: Relax by trying something new and different. If you think you'll enjoy an activity -- whether it's needlepoint or mountain biking -- don't be afraid to try something just because it's new. Take a night course at a community college. Learn to dance. Swim, jog, play golf. Be a gourmet cook. Shoot some hoops. Go for walks. Try yoga. Learn to play the piano. Take a bubble bath.

Take a Mentally Healthy Vacation

Mental Health Association of Colorado would like to offer the following tips to make your vacation mentally healthy. Where you go on vacation, what you choose to do and how long you stay tell a lot about the kind of person you are -- and the kind of person you'll be when you return. Before you make any plans, here is some advice about taking vacations: Shorter vacations taken more frequently are better than long ones. Don't look to vacations as a solution to your problems; you'll only end up taking them with you and feeling worse.

Good Preventive Medicine: How to Avoid Burning Out

A substantial percentage of professional working people will experience burnout at some point in their lives. Don't let it happen to you! Take action before you place yourself at risk. Set priorities in your own life Identity your core values, and develop your schedule accordingly, making time for people and activities most important and meaningful to you. Share your feelings with others

Beware of Professional Burnout

Consider this article a beep on your emotional beeper...an existential wake-up call of critical importance. You or your co-workers may be suffering from Professional Burnout and not realize it. Or maybe you just want to prevent burning out. A wise decision. Professional Burnout -- hereafter referred to as "PBO" -- is a serious problem. Not only can it cause executives and their families great unhappiness and emotional pain, but it can also impair their judgment and put their businesses and careers at risk.

How to Choose (and Get Maximum Mileage From) Your Primary Care Doctor

"When was the last time you had a check-up?" These words can be the last thing most guys want to hear. More often than not, we end up in a doctor's office only because we were forced to, by a cold that wouldn't quit, a stomach pain that became unbearable, or a sore knee that threatened our ski getaway. For some of us, a check-up happens only by ultimatum from one's employer. In fact, it's possible your car gets better care than you do.

Condom Breakage & AIDS - Low Odds, High Risk

The incidence of condom breakage during vaginal intercourse has been estimated at around 1 percent, reports an article in the New England Journal of Medicine. Those are low odds of a disaster, especially when you consider the alternative: no condom and unprotected sex. Still, if your partner happens to be infected with AIDS and the condom breaks, you could die. In the overwhelming majority of cases, however, condom failures occur because they're not used correctly, not because of defects in manufacturing.

There Are Juices, Sports Drinks, and More. But Don't Forget Simple Water

No doubt about it: water is the single most important nutrient. None of the vital functions of our bodies - from regulating our temperature to creating new cells - could occur without it. Water lubricates joints, regulates temperature, and provides the body with minerals and essential fluids. Doctors recommend that we drink at least six to eight glasses of water a day. You need more if you're physically active, or if it s excessively hot.

Treating Depression: Patients were not Healing With the First Medicine That I Tried had A Good Chance of Success The Second Time

(AP) - The largest study ever done on treating depression has found that patients were not healing with the first medicine that I tried had a good chance of success the second time. A third of those who added or changed medication were healing from illness mill which is in first place in the American mental health problems, researchers said.

Teen Pregnancy: Young Women's Health - Ages 12-24

Pregnancy: Help Keep Teenage Pregnancy Rates Down by Making Responsible Choices With over one million American teenage girls becoming pregnant every year, the United States holds the title for having the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in the industrialized world. To gain a clearer picture of this statistic, that breaks down to one out of five sexually active girls becoming pregnant. However, while those numbers are a bit overwhelming, pregnancy rates have been on the decline in the past few years. Helping Young Women Decide

FACT SHEET - Women and Depression

Facts on Women and Depression Women are twice as likely as men to suffer from clinical depression. More than 11 million American women are afflicted with clinical depression each year. Clinical depression is most prevalent in women during childbearing years but can occur at any age. Symptoms of Depression: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says symptoms of depression include the following: Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood;

Vast Majority Of Middle - Aged Americans At Risk For Hypertension

Middle-aged Americans face a 90 percent chance of developing high blood pressure at some time during the rest of their lives, according to a new study supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). However, the study also had some good news for Americans: the risk of developing severe degrees of high blood pressure has decreased in the past 25 years, due partly to improved treatment.