Things you may not know about women’s health
There are several factors that affect women’s health.
Women have to face challenges and changes throughout their lives, and that includes their bodies. Just like everyone else, their habits have a big role to play for them to live a long and quality life. Healthcare should be one of their priorities, and it covers both proper nutrition and exercise.
The varying changes women have to go through lead to different health concerns depending on their age group. Time and again, we have seen women take care of other people first before their own. However, when they put wellness on top of their needs, they put themselves in a better position of nurturing others.
Cognitive Health and Wellness Institute lists down the things you should know about women’s health. We’ll cover some facts and other unique features that women should know about their bodies.
Women’s health facts
What are some women’s health facts that are crucial in their fitness and wellness? These are some of the considerations and conditions that are unique to females:
1. Unique risk factors
This is not to say that women are absolutely different from men, but they are unique as far as health risks are concerned.
For instance, women are more likely to have diabetes, arthritis, hypertension, eye diseases, pain sensitivity, irritable bowel syndrome, and even mood disorders than men. These are just some of the conditions that may be true for most women. Reproductive issues are also common to females than the opposite sex.
In America, heart attack is the top killer of women (since 1984). Reports also say that 55,000 more women suffer from stroke than men. Studies suggest that women’s estrogen has something to do with the case of stroke. On top of these, almost 80% of Americans who have osteoporosis are female. These researches show the unique risk factors of women when it comes to health issues.
2. Alcohol has more effect on women
Do women get drunk faster than men?
Women process alcohol differently than men, and this is why they get intoxicated faster. There are also physiological explanations as to why they feel the effect of alcohol more.
One of the reasons why women easily get intoxicated with alcohol is because they have less water in the body. They only have 52%, as compared to 61% for men. This shows that the latter can dilute alcohol faster.
Another reason is that women have a higher body fat percentage than men. Alcohol doesn’t dissolve well in fat, which is why it becomes concentrated in a woman’s body.
3. Special healthcare needs
Women have special healthcare needs and it is necessary to give them attention for preventive care and screenings. Among these are screening services for gynaecology, bone density, pap smear, breast cancer, immunizations, cancer, and many more.
Like children, the health of women differs from men. Many times, research focuses more on men as subjects while sidelining women. Women’s respective circumstances including environmental, clinical, social, legal, and biological are diverse. These affect their health too, which have a domino effect on others too.
4. Societal factors
External factors such as body image issues among women sometimes influence risk factors causing more health concerns than men. The lack of women doctors and leaders who can bridge knowledge gaps in providing excellent clinical care concerning women may lessen discrimination.
In some cases, gender bias in healthcare affects how doctors treat women’s illnesses. Some symptoms aren’t easily recognizable for women as compared to their male counterparts. For example, having a fast heartbeat or feeling unusually tired aren’t immediately considered as signs of a possible heart attack. These are often dismissed as women being emotional or “weak” compared to men’s response to physical activities.
Stress and smoking can be more detrimental to women even if both genders are known to succumb to them. Interestingly, cardiac problems, which are more common in men, is one of the leading causes of death for women as mentioned above. Socialized differences, therefore, play a role in the prevalence of certain risks for women.
5. Certain cancers, especially for women, can be treated if caught early
When women turn 21, it is highly advisable to screen for cervical cancer. This is the reason why doctors encourage women to receive mammograms and take PAP smear examinations as early as possible. Both breast and cervical cancer are common cancers causing death among women.
Early prevention is better than cure.
Desiderius Erasmus, Dutch philosopher
Moreover, women who reach 50 should also start having colonoscopy to screen for colon cancer. Early detection of any benign polyps can greatly improve women’s health, for instance. These polyps can be removed more easily at this age and reduce their likelihood of becoming cancerous.
6. Vaginal conditions
Did you know that bacterial vaginosis (BV) can lead to STD and HIV? Any woman, sexually active or not, may get this vaginal condition commonly between ages 15-44. However, BV can be prevented and may go away even without further treatment. Still, women should get checked especially when they suspect any imbalance of bacteria in the vagina.
7. Depression and anxiety
Depression and anxiety can happen to anyone. Regardless of gender, age, or race, people can get hit by them even without realizing it right away. Unfortunately, women are led to believe that hormonal changes cause depression.
Again, depression and anxiety can happen to anyone. Personal life circumstances, environmental factors, inherited traits, among others do not discriminate against any gender.
For women, however, there are other factors that men can’t relate to contributing to these conditions. Some of which are in this list:
- Premenstrual problems
- Identity issues and sexuality development during puberty
- Pregnancy
- Postpartum depression
- Menopause
8. Life circumstances and culture
Throughout history, men are often given higher importance and preference in different parts of the world. Hence, many women are generally less rich, less educated, and have lower self-esteem and self-confidence. Although this has changed over the years, misogyny still somehow affects women’s health.
To this day, there are some women with feelings of negativity due to life and cultural stressors. Other women are still overworked more than men, even juggling roles professionally and domestically as a mother, single parent, or being the eldest daughter.
There are also traumatic instances women have to endure due to emotional, physical, and/or sexual abuse (more common in women than in men). Many of these often lead to eating disorders, anxiety attacks, and drug or alcohol misuse as they grow older.
9. Maternal health
Generally speaking, childbirth and pregnancy are unique to women. Despite many advances in medicine and technology, however, many women still suffer from complications. The physical, hormonal, and biological changes in a woman’s body are all crucial to the development of the child until the mother gives birth. In fact, even after childbirth, the mother plays a huge role in the baby’s growth and overall health.
Hence, proper nutrition and physical activities are important for both the mother and child for many stages in both their lives. Additionally, certain psychological and behavioral changes manifest in women before, during, and after pregnancy affecting women’s health.
10. Retirement years for women
Getting older can be more challenging for women than in men. In this article, research showed women have lesser pensions and benefits compared to men. Their security and economic independence decreases as they age.
The ripple effect of this disadvantage stems from women’s inability to get higher income from an early age that can support their standard of living. Hence, even as women generally live longer than men, their retirement years aren’t as financially abundant as men, which limits their access to healthcare.
We’ve come a long way but there’s more to learn
We have to admit that women still face a lot of health concerns that many medical professionals care to talk about. The World Health Organization (WHO) even lists a compilation of the top issues concerning women’s health that needs to be addressed.
Let us not forget to include mental health in this narrative. As WHO describes above, there are “physical symptoms that cannot be explained medically.” Discussions and developments on mental health are just as part of women’s health that the global healthcare system can improve on. In understanding and getting better at treating female patients around the world, we can all apply this knowledge to help provide the younger generation of girls with a good quality of life.
References:
https://www.mana.md/womens-health-and-fitness/
https://tespovitamins.com/10-things-know-womens-health/
https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/features/8facts-womens-health/index.html
https://drexel.edu/now/archive/2012/March/Top-5-Womens-Health/
https://www.drugs.com/slideshow/womens-health-facts-1212
Top 10 Health Podcasts
Busy? Health podcasts are a great way to catch up on new fitness trends, workout routines, meals, and everything in between.
Are you just getting started in your health and wellness journey? Or reviving your meal plans after a hiatus? Or maybe still religiously at it? Health podcasts can be your perfect partner to fitness and good nutrition.
In this article, Cognitive Health and Wellness Institute lists down the top health podcasts (and maybe more?) from your favorite streaming platforms. This could be a long one so let’s get started!
Best Spotify and Apple Podcasts on Health
When the covid-19 pandemic hit, self-care became one of the most talked about trends. But, it’s not just a fad that goes away. One of the best things you can never go wrong investing in is your health. As they say, health is wealth.
Hence, even if you’re stuck at home or preoccupied with a lot of things on your plate, keep moving and stay fit. You can tune in to a podcast episode or two whether you are cooking breakfast, answering emails, walking the dog, or running errands.
Although merely listening to podcasts doesn’t necessarily wean off those calories, you can get inspiration and guidance from experts so you can live a full, satisfied, and healthy life.
Here are the first top health podcasts you can stream right now:
1. Optimal Health Daily
It’s difficult to scour the internet for fitness and health podcasts, right? The episodes are curated and posted with author permission in this podcast on the latest health topics. This is supplementary to the Optimal Living Daily podcast more focused on personal development and mindfulness.
This is your audioblog and blogcast for everything health and fitness. If you want to know more about intermittent fasting, vaccinations, weight loss, and health care, this one’s for you.
2. TED Health
Who doesn’t know about TEDTalks? TED is a global community from every culture and discipline providing a platform for big ideas in short time frames. TEDTalks Health, on the other hand, specifically focuses on health-related topics from TED events and conferences.
In these health podcasts, TED speakers answer questions you never knew you had. You can hear phenomenal ideas you won’t hear elsewhere centered on how you can live a healthy, balanced, and quality life. Some of the recent episodes talk about how humanity doubled life expectancy in a century, and the future of psychedelic medicines and healthcare.
3. Food Psych Podcast
Christy Harrison, MPH, RD, CDN hosts this podcast to talk about people’s relationships with food, body size and image, eating disorder, exercise, etc. It’s a good listen because it challenges diet culture in various forms, which includes restrictive behaviors.
Food Psych offers a safe space and support to its audience to avoid triggers and stigma on weight acceptance, for example. You can learn self-compassion and self-care from this registered dietitian and nutritionist along with her guests and their stories.
There’s one episode on intuitive eating and how it manages chronic illnesses so you can break free from the wellness diet. If you have friends and family who are always conscious about their bodies, invite them to tune in, too. Together, you can binge-listen to appreciate body liberation as you slowly transition to a healthier lifestyle.
4. Party In My Plants
If you’re looking for more upbeat and hilarious health podcasts with episodes on moving and eating thoughtfully, Talia Pollock is your friend. She’s a writer and storyteller known for her wit and warmth in the show packed with topics on science, psychology, pop culture, health, and more.
Talia believes that you can both drink green juice and enjoy drinking cocktails! She adds that being healthy should also equate being happy so you don’t have to feel bad or sad on your journey to being fit.
Stress is the ultimate destroyer of health. So, if you aren’t happy and only forcing yourself to be and eat healthy, then that doesn’t cut it. In the episodes, you can find inspiration on how to feel, look, and live your best self with actionable advice. She even shares recipes that you can do at home to try tasty, plant-based dishes.
5. Ultimate Health Podcast
Dr. Jesse Chappus and Marni Wasserman team up in this health podcast to teach and inspire listeners to reach your full potential. There’s some psychology and exploration of the mind and human existence in relation to health and wellness, too.
You can find in-depth conversations on lifestyle, nutrition, anxiety, chronic health conditions, and how to live a full and meaningful life. The topics are so diverse that even actor Matthew McConaughey guested and talked about affirmations, appreciating the moment, fatigue, and chasing your better self.
6. The Food Heaven Podcast
Best buds Wendy and Jess guest different experts from the health and nutrition industry to deep-dive on topics such as food culture and body acceptance. If you need guidance from registered dietitians themselves, this duo can make your podcast hang-out fun. Not to mention the insightful tips for sustainable, healthy living you can take home with you.
Here are a few episode titles, if you aren’t convinced yet:
- How to navigate people who constantly use triggering diet talk
- The science of why diets don’t work
- How to find the best workout for your body
- Why self-care is not the answer for burnout
- The racial origins of fat phobia
- The ups and downs of intuitive eating
7. That’s So Maven
Here’s one of the health podcasts you can rely on a weekly basis, especially if you’re feeling alone with your fitness struggles. Because, see, you don’t have to do this alone. You can be intentional with your new lifestyle even as you face challenges along the way.
Davida Kugelmass’s interviews movers and shakers, a.k.a “mavens,” in health and wellness to do three (3) things: inspire, entertain, and comfort you. Some of the episodes you can start with are the following: 1) facing your fears and turning obstacles into growth, 2) learning to love your body as it changes, and 3) letting go of food rules and recovering from binge-eating.
Health and Wellness Podcasts 2021
See, the list goes on because if you want to be more specific, there are health podcasts focused on nutrition and fitness, too. Cognitive Health and Wellness Institute adds extra podcast choices you can save and download on your device.
Nutrition Podcasts
8. Dr. Ruscio Radio
For updated information on health, functional medicine, and nutrition, Dr. Ruscio is that geek doctor at your service. He can make very scientific details and concepts easy to understand for his listeners. If you want evidence on nutritional facts and a legit medical professional to bust myths on fitness fads, check this out.
Listen in for practice advice on how to get into a diet, taking the right medication when needed, understanding the science of sleep, etc. He also answers questions about training your body to exercise, fasting for your brain health, and managing moods and stress.
9. The Doctor’s Kitchen
If you want a show totally about food, lifestyle, and nutritional medicine, Dr. Rupy Aujla invites guests exploring these topics. Do you want to know what diet and lifestyle best fits you so you can achieve your healthiest self? Dr. Rupy’s got you!
This podcast also invites its audience to join the online community at its website. Here are some of its notable episodes:
- Why South Asians are at worse risk
- Wellness for entrepreneurs (3-part series)
- Why we make bad food choices
- The nutrition science series (3-part series)
- Why community kitchens are essential
Bonus:
The Nutrition Diva
For quick and dirty tips for eating well and feeling fabulous, here’s a bonus podcast to help you upgrade your eating habits. Monica Reinagel is the author of a book with the same title (Nutrition Diva’s Secrets for a Healthy Diet).
If you find yourself stress-eating, overeating, or not enjoying your meals at all, this might be for you. You can learn cool stuff such as the cholesterol-fiber paradox, rules for snacking, glucose monitoring, and whether or not fitness trackers work. It’s totally up to you if you follow the recommendations or not but Monica does give sound advice and simple tips on how to live a healthy life.
Best Fitness Podcasts for Men and Women
10. Ben Greenfield Fitness
Ben Greenfield, ultimate bio-hacker, is a New York Times bestselling author and fitness guru. He loves experimenting and learning about new things and talks about them in this podcast. Whatever health and wellness topics you can think of, he’s probably thought about and has done it. You can get free exercise, weight loss, and even triathlon advice from the man himself.
His impressive guest list includes other bloggers, podcasters, health experts, and filmmakers such as Donnie Yance, Sal Di Stefano, Darren Doane, Jay Shetty, etc. One of his most popular episodes was when he talked to Dr. Matthew Cook in BioReset Medical in California and discussed vaccinations at length.
Bonus:
Oprah’s Super Soul Conversations
As another bonus, here’s another show that men and women alike enjoy. Oprah’s format is one of the few health podcasts that not only covers spirituality but also packed with health and wellness expert advice. The episodes are Oprah’s personally curated list of interviews with best-selling authors, spiritual luminaries, and thought leaders to guide you through awakening.
If you want to get connected with your “super soul,” dig deeper within you as you listen to Oprah’s podcast. Expect to light up and discover your true self from hearing the interviews that are good for your health – mental, physical, and spiritual.
Other podcasts worth checking out
There are way too many podcasts out there and it’s really difficult to choose just the top 10. So, Cognitive Health and Wellness Institute adds these other podcasts you can listen to for whenever you need that extra push, knowledge boost, and motivation about health.
- Science Vs
- Rich Roll Podcast
- The Trend Reporter
- Hurdle
- The Wellness Mama Podcast
- Vibe Tribe
- Tara Brach*
- The Dumbbells
- Ali on the Run
- Modern Love
- Mental Illness Happy Hour
- The Human Upgrade (previously Bulletproof Radio)
- 10% Happier with Dan Harris*
- All About Fitness
- Where Should We Begin? (Esther Perel)
- Making Space with Hoda Kotb
*both also mentioned in another article on mindfulness podcasts here in Cognitive Health and Wellness Institute
Surely, you can find more online! It feels good to get this connection with other humans who face hardships and the same challenges as you do when it comes to fitness and health, right? Even if it’s through a phone or your laptop, health podcasts can give you that sense of community that you need to feel human.
Use technology to your advantage. You wouldn’t want to stay glued to your couch all the time and not at least consume health-related content to motivate you to keep moving. Get in shape! Listen to these health podcasts and then start removing those headphones and actually stay active while you can.
References:
https://blog.thatcleanlife.com/top-health-wellness-podcasts/
https://www.prevention.com/life/g25458803/best-health-podcasts/
https://www.healthline.com/health/best-health-podcast
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/31/arts/podcasts-exercise-diet.html
https://www.podcast.co/inspire/best-health-fitness-podcasts-of-2021
Top Ten Exercise Gurus
Do you need exercise gurus?
When you plan to get in shape or continue to work out, your determination is essential.
You can’t exercise today and expect to lose some of your unwanted fats tomorrow.
It’s a grind that requires perseverance to bear results, and when you’re finally decided to commit to a program, sticking to it, whether you see outcomes or not, would be the test of it all.
But let’s face it – it’s easier said than done, most especially that everybody can’t go to the gym anymore like they used to. However, there’s no excuse to skip an exercise this time because there’s an alternative to working out – using the internet.
Good thing, there are exercise gurus on the web who can help you reach your goal.
All you need is access to YouTube, and you’re good to go!
Fitness trainers to reach your body goals
It was in the 1980s when exercise gurus became popular. Celebrities started the trend of shooting straight-to-video workout programs that you could watch and mimic at home. The famous names to ever do this were Kathy Smith and Jane Fonda.
In modern times, influencers have taken the spot of traditional celebrities as exercise gurus. Just go to YouTube alone, and you’ll see a long list of fitness enthusiasts who have a massive following.
Who are our top ten exercise gurus? The Cognitive Health and Wellness Institute has listed them down:
Joe Wicks
The name Joe Wicks is inevitable when it comes to lifestyle and fitness online. His four million followers are a testament to this. Known as the “The Body Coach,” this guru generously provides a 15-minute meal and workout plan to guide his followers toward a slimmer and healthier lifestyle.
Wicks published the book Lean in 15, and with it, he received a significant number of praises and acclaims for his innovative approach to healthy fitness routines and recipes. He has become a personal trainer for many years, so the vast following he has created online shouldn’t be surprising.
Kayla Itsines
Talk about one of the most well-known fitness experts in the world, and you’d see Kayla Itsines on the list. She has over thirteen million Instagram followers that made her an instant online celebrity in fitness. If you’re looking for motivation, check her Instagram feed, and you’d find inspiring stories to get you moving.
This Australian-based personal trainer has empowered millions of women to improve their bodies and fitness. She used her knowledge and passion in crafting myriads of fitness ebooks, including tilted Bikini Body Guides, workout applications, and meal plans.
Simeon Panda
Forbes voted for this next man in this list as one of the world’s top ten influencers, and his body and physique would make you understand why. He has helped hundreds and thousands of men and women all over the globe who want to stay fit and healthy.
Simeon has also created best-selling training ebooks to help his followers get into shape. This fitness addict started blogging in 2013, which allowed him to gain millions of followers on social media.
Luke Worthington
Luke’s mantra is “move better, think better, eat better, feel better.” He’s an all-around nutritionist, sports massage therapist, and personal trainer.
He turned actors into athletes for notable film and TV productions like Star Wars and Killing Eve. He is also the head trainer of the ITV series “Harry’s Heroes” and has trained World Champions from 5 different sports.
Luke is one of London’s best trainers according to the Evening Standard and a highly qualified sports scientist. He believes that understanding bio- and neuromechanics, psychology and emotional wellbeing is critical in optimizing our physical potential and capabilities.
Tally Rye
London-based Tally is a fitness instructor, personal trainer and author of the book, “Train Happy “ She specializes in intuitive movement and non-diet exercise plans for people to nurture positive relationships with their bodies.
She’s a content creator with a growing following in YouTube, Spotify and Apple podcasts, Facebook, and Instagram @tallyrye. She emphasizes having healthy habits, ditching the diet culture, a positive lifestyle, and enjoying all things in moderation.
Tally also shares recipes on her website and happy workout routines that you can try wherever you are.
Rich Froning
Rich Froning, the “fittest man in history,” is an 8-time CrossFit Games Champion. He has a tattoo with the Bible verse, Galatians 6:14, on his left side (from armpit to his hip).
True to his Twitter bio @richfroning, Rich believes that we are all created for a purpose greater than ourselves, which led to the creation of the site Mayhem Mission. Here, he gives, reaches out, and impacts the world with his advocacies of promoting good health and fitness all around.
He also has virtual CrossFit games, workouts and various media resources (videos, articles, etc.) available online. Rich does not stick to any diet plan or count his calories but makes sure he works out multiple times a day.
Jen Selter
New York-based Jen Selter is a global fitness instructor and influencer with over 12 million followers on Instagram (@jenselter). She inspires and motivates her followers strictly with a “no-negativity” policy.
She popularized her signature “Seltering” poses that fitness enthusiasts of all shapes and sizes can follow. Cosmopolitan, Women’s Health, Vanity Fair, among others also had Jen as their featured guest a number of times.
Jen’s pinned tweet is a constant reminder to everyone: “You’re always going to be ‘to something to someone. Just be yourself.” If you want to learn exercise and recipes you can relate to, Jen may be a good fit for you.
Natalie Jill
Natalie’s mission is to help midlife women kill “false assumed truths” a.k.a F.A.T. In all of her social media, you can find the ongoing motto that “you’re not too old, and it’s not too late!” Indeed, she embodies this truth as a fit and successful woman in her forties!
She developed a 7-day Jump Start program and wrote a book about the same. It talks about working out with your own body and not doing dangerous diets or unhealthy calorie restrictions.
Natalie is the model for “ageing in reverse,” who helps people worldwide understand functional fitness. Interestingly, when asked about her vocation, she says she “kills F.A.T. for a living.” We couldn’t agree more!
Tony Horton
Dubbed as “the most influential man in health and fitness,” Tony started his career working out of his garage. He trained a 20th Century Fox executive in the 90s, charging only $20 per lesson at the time.
Tony’s clientele list grew from there, which included Annie Lennox, Usher, Billy Idol, Bruce Springsteen, etc. He then created P90x, a best-selling commercial home exercise regimen now wildly popular around the globe.
A world-class motivational speaker and author, Tony guested in many TV programs talking about healthy living, nutrition, and exercise. He is a fitness and lifestyle expert, and he also ventured into business with Ultimate Salon Professionals.
Rebecca-Louise
Rebecca, a NASM-certified workout trainer, is the founder of the BTES Fitness app. She wrote the best-selling book “It Takes Grit” and hosts the podcast inspired by the book.
Rebecca’s guests are the likes of Olympic champion Katie Hoff and entrepreneurs Chris and Lori Harder in the podcast. Here, she helps her 250,000 listeners to overcome excuses in fitness and accomplish long-term changes in nutrition.
Rebecca is an exercise guru and influencer who has been featured in Cosmopolitan, Entrepreneur, and Vogue. She is also the face of Le Coq Sportif and ambassador for Nike, Disney, GoPro, among others.
Famous fitness icons who inspire
Do you need inspiration for a healthier lifestyle? These widely-known fitness and exercise gurus have various ideas and tips you can learn from for sure.
These names have shown astonishing campaigns promoting wellness, proper nutrition and overall wellbeing in their respective networks and communities.
Check these exercise influencers out! Who knows? This could be the start of a brand new healthier you!
Did you find your favourite exercise gurus from the list, or do you know others from whom you’re currently getting inspiration?
References:
https://blog.kicksta.co/top-60-instagram-fitness-gurus-to-draw-inspiration-from/
https://www.amraandelma.com/100-top-fitness-influencers-in-2020/
https://greatist.com/health/most-influential-health-fitness-people-2016#4