Did you know that one in four Americans living with HIV are women?  It's true.  HIV/AIDS is affecting more and more women, specifically African American women.  It's actually become the leading cause of death in African American women between the ages of 25-34. Women and HIV/AIDS...

The convergence of H1N1 and the upcoming movie, 2012, has brought out the eternal debate--how will life on earth end as we know it? Will it be a virus or massive flu that spreads through the population, leaving behind only a small subsection of those with immunity (because aren't there always some people with immunity--usually highly attractive people with great make-up or biceps--when these things play out in the movies)?

I hear people bemoaning the high cost of "going green." And while organic food does cost more than its chemical-laden counterpart, I'm here to tell you that it's easier to spend more for healthy food when you save money in other ways. We can skip many of the green cleaners, deodorizers, and personal care products, most of which are fairly expensive. Why? Because baking soda is our friend. What's so great about baking soda?

November is Epilepsy Awareness Month.  I hope this post will provide information and facts about epilepsy, while also showcasing women blogging about life with seizures. Here are some epilepsy facts from CURE Epilepsy...

Anti-depressants have been in the news a lot recently.  There are new questions about anti-depressant use and the risk of suicide.  Questions about why anti-depressant use seems to be on the rise.  Questions about the risks of using anti-depressants during pregnancy.  And questions about the safety of using anti-depressants in adolescence.  Unfortunately, there are more questions than answers.

Ever since the HPV prevention drug Gardasil hit the market in 2006, I've been very suspicious. The marketing campaign says that it is the "only vaccine for cervical cancer," but what Gardasil actually protects against are some strains of HPV, a sexually transmitted disease that may cause cervical cancer. This is very misleading, not to mention that it is possible to prevent HPV infections through safe sex practices. What also got my dander was how quickly it got pushed on the public.

Last week I was reading a lot about the latest research linking Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) to the XMRV Retrovirus.  Some of the articles even implied that people suffering with CFS (like myself) should be excited at the possibility that this news could lead to better diagnosis and treatment of CFS.  But, it's not exactly good news for CFS patients, especially for patients hoping for a cure.  Here's why...

Every year, Planned Parenthood offers services to more than five million men, women, and adolescents. In that year, they offer nearly one million Pap tests and more than 850,000 breast exams, provide provides more than 3.3 million tests and treatments for sexually transmitted infections, and estimate that their services prevent as many as 621,000 unintended pregnancies. Many locations offer prenatal and postpartum care. In addition, they offer safe, affordable abortions.

This was a hard post to write, and I walk a fine line of trying not to offend while needing perhaps to offend in order to make my point. Hopefully you will understand that my point is not to forgo what is already being done, but instead to add. To not be satisfied on this plateau, but to step up to the next one.

October is National Chiropractic Month, and the American Chiropractic Association is encouraging families to consider trying chiropractic care as a treatment for several types of headaches. How do you feel about chiropractic health care?  Is it something you would consider for yourself and family?  Did you realize that seeing a chiropractor could be helpful for people who suffer with migraines and other types of headaches?

Three years ago, I saw a story on the news while I was at the gym. An investigative feature on the breast cancer awareness contributions that various corporations pledged during Breast Cancer Awareness Month found that most of these promotions led to increased sales and windfall profits that dwarfed the piddling donations that the extra sales generated. Until that moment, I was gung-ho about buying products marked with pink ribbons.

Where do you stand on healthcare reform?  It's a hot-button political issue that has strong opinions on both sides.  And with October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it seems appropriate to address how healthcare reform could affect the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. The question is...Will it help or hurt? From The American Cancer Society...