While vaccines are gradually rolling out across the nation, scientists are continuing to research the body’s immune response in an effort to give all of us the best possible information and support. And it appears that our very own cells, when properly boosted, may hold the key to fighting and ultimately killing COVID-19. Many other prominent health and science news outlets, including CNN Health, The Scientist, and Medical News Today, made similar declarations. After analyzing the latest research, the team at Bloomberg Technology said T Cells “are what ultimately subdue and blunt the pandemic virus.”
At this very moment, millions of American women are in a secret battle with their own bodies. These women are dealing with self-consciousness and shame and staying silent about a debilitating issue that they’re facing every single day. This is a medical issue that unfortunately carries a heavy psychological weight in our current culture. These women may be afraid to put on a swimsuit, afraid to be intimate with their partners, afraid to sweat in the gym or even be afraid to get a pedicure. I’m talking about a condition that is rarely (if ever) discussed in public and mainstream circles, yet it will affect a majority of women across the U.S. – vaginal odor caused by vaginal imbalance.
When we envision a person who is suffering from substance use disorder (SUD)—defined by having a history of past misuse, experiencing increasing mental health symptoms, or having a family history of addiction—we often picture someone waking up and instantly grabbing their first drink. However, in my experience working with those battling SUD for nearly a decade, I've learned that everyone's relationship with alcohol looks different and having a few too many drinks at night can be just as dangerous.
On March 19th, our state's governor ordered all personal care services to close their doors until further notice. As the owner of a hair salon and extension bar, I feared the thought of closing our doors and losing income but felt it was the right and responsible decision to assist our community in stopping the spread of COVID-19. Never in all my thoughts did I think we would remain closed for three months.
About six years ago, some colleagues and I published research that indicated that increased time on the social media platform, Facebook, was linked to depressive symptoms among young people. The studies, which served as the basis for the article, were, of course, not conducted during a major global pandemic. So even during the best of times when the economy is booming and people feel relatively safe, they tended to suffer from mental health consequences as a result of spending too much time on social media.
Michelle was a three-sport athlete in high school. While there was a part of her that enjoyed the camaraderie with her teammates, the sense of accomplishment she felt when setting new records — there was another part of her that participated in the hopes of shrinking her body. Michelle, who is now studying to be a therapist, didn't know about eating disorders when she was younger. She reflects, "I had this idea that I wanted to become a professional swimmer so that I would be able to exercise even more. I would get many compliments on my body during swim season, even though that was when I hated my body the most."The comments Michelle received on her weight and body when she was restricting and compensating fueled her eating disorder.
Menopause is a time in a woman's life when they are faced with new challenges brought about by their changing bodies and health. There is often a decline in what you can do which leads to changes in the all-around lifestyle of any woman. You could also be experiencing physical symptoms that are at times difficult to manage and deal with as these are something new and never been experienced before. One of the most prevailing body changes that you experience in menopause is vaginal dryness and other problems in your intimate area. In order to understand these changes and subsequently employ solutions to address them, you would need to get to know your intimate area better.
I had never worked in such a difficult environment; it was challenging to see a disease destroy patient's bodies and not have legitimate ways of treating them. As a nurse, I so deeply desire to help people and see them to recovery, something that has hardly been happening in the face of COVID-19.
I've been talking about trauma and loss for a long time, so I want to talk about complaining. We are experiencing a loss of freedom, lack of connection and increased fear of economic fallout during this pandemic. We are not used to this kind of prevalent, lengthy. and collective grief in the air.
I've been in extended isolation before with nine months of temperatures hovering around minus 35 degrees, blizzards, and months of inescapable darkness. The lack of privacy, the mundane nature of the days, and the interpersonal pressure of living with 17 other people was extraordinary.
When I had my oldest daughter, Grace, I felt like I was as prepared as possible to become a mom. My husband and I had been happily married for five years, I had a ton of experience taking care of children, we were financially secure, and I was at the end of my training to become a pediatrician.
The first pic you see of me here is from November 2018, roughly 3 weeks after having brain surgery. It all started one morning in January of 2018. I flew from LA to San Jose en route to Santa Cruz for several meetings I had set for the day. I was driving on Highway 17 heading to Santa Cruz from the San Jose Airport. I was on the freeway for all of 20 minutes, and out of nowhere a car comes out from a residential area to the right of me, attempting to make a left turn onto the freeway where there was a concrete median divider — making it impossible to turn left. The car stops literally in the middle of the highway — in my lane! I was going over 60 mph. Beginning to slam on breaks, I attempted to jump in the right lane but there were cars coming, so I couldn't make it. At that moment I clenched hard because I knew I was gonna have to hit this car!
After more than two years, two doctors, countless negative pregnancy tests, one miscarriage, and one failed IUI treatment cycle, we are still waiting. Our plans have not become our reality. Now, our plans are indefinitely on hold because of a pandemic. A pandemic?! Now that's a curveball that not even a seasoned infertility warrior could have seen coming, especially one that was two weeks away from starting IVF.
Being an entrepreneur comes with a load of stress. It is exciting to be starting something of your own and be free from having a boss or the demands of a corporation. But let's face it; you are suddenly playing every role in the company: marketing, managing, public relations, book-keeping, etc., and that is a lot to juggle. Keeping your stress levels in check is critical, and to do that you need to focus on three main things: diet, exercise and relaxation.