There has been a LOT going around on the internet recently about women eating their own placentas (AKA placentophagia) after giving birth, and I’ve gotten a lot of questions whether you are to eat it raw? Cook it? Do I eat the whole thing? Some of you are reading this vomiting in your mouth, and the others are thinking, “I am all about this.” I want to let people know all sides of the issue so you can make your own informed decision about what you want to do with your health…and your placentas.

What is a placenta?

The placenta is the organ that covers the inside of the uterus, it is about a pound, a dark red/maroon color,  and connects to the fetus to allow the mothers blood to pass into the fetus allowing gas exchange (“breathing”), food and nutrients, and eliminate waste (through the blood flow in the placenta).  It connects to the baby through the umbilical cord, which is where all of the blood exchange occurs from mother to placenta.  After birth (usually 15-30 minutes after delivery), the placenta has pulled apart from the uterine wall and is “delivered” or expelled from the uterus (just like the baby was right before). Once the placentas is delivered, there are all sorts of cultural differences with what is to be done with it: In western culture we tend to incinerate the placentas, other cultures have funerals for placentas, many different cultures bury the placentas in various places, and others eat them….

Why would I eat a placenta?

The research to back up all of the claims related to eating placentas is currently being researched by the NIH (National Institute of Health) as well as other independent studies are going on, but there are some claims that are heavily backed by the women who have tried it.  The placentas are heavily laden with the vitamins and hormones that support the fetus during pregnancy, and it remains a source of those vitamins and hormones right after birth: Oxytocin, Vitamin B6, CRH (Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone).  In China, Italy, and Vietnam it is pretty customary for people to eat part of the raw placenta directly after birth.  The oxytocin present is thought to prevent the post birth hemorrhage risk, the vitamin B6 levels can prevent post partum depression, and the CRH, which is a hormone created by the hypothalamus to decrease stress and is found in high levels in the placenta during the third trimester, is thought to also help decrease the risk of post partum depression.  It is assumed that because your CRH levels are so high during the third trimester and it takes a while for the hypothalamus to start re-secreting post birth, it can be one reason for post partum depression, and taking an oral supplementation, in the form of your own placenta, might help to stave off those blues. Traditional Chinese Medicine has been using placentas for treatment for hundreds of years, with a few small poorly done studies showing decreased rates of post partum depression and increased milk production when women eat placenta.  Clearly much more research needs to be done for humans.

What are the negatives?

There are truly no known negatives at this point per say, as it is lacking so much research.  I just fear that women will start eating their placentas because some random celebrities are doing it, and their may be some health risks associated with it, depending on your childs birth and any trauma that may have occurred to the placenta.  And while some of these celebu-moms claim that the placenta pills that they make (out of food processing their placentas along with fresh herbs) and they take multiple pills a day, there have also been accounts that the placenta pills make post partum moms feel miserable and extremely jittery and out of control.  It could be all of the concentrate hormones and the absorption post partum through the stomach with the other herbs that makes a big difference. But, many women who start these pills end up stopping taking them.  There are no other known negatives, other than the fact that its pretty gross to eat your own flesh (a bit cannibalistic, no?) but again, much research needs to be done in this area to truly know the positives and negatives.

It has been well researched that non human mammals eat their placentas all the time, and it helps ease after pains of birth, restore lost nutrients (including iron), and it ignites the parental instincts in animals.  We, as humans, don’t really need that; we give birth with HCPs surrounding us, we know how to care for our offspring, and we have numerous medical treatments to help with iron stores, etc. Plus we don’t know if there are actually benefits to eating a part of our own flesh; most people would prefer not to eat things that come out of them, if they don’t need to right? This is one thing that I will really urge you to think hard and long about before trying and really talk to your HCP about the benefits that you are looking for, for both you and your new offspring, before diving headfirst into this practice.

Yours in Good Health

B

We all know that the sun can be super harmful to our skin, UVA and UVB rays can cause damage to your skin and lead to skin cancer, but did you also know that the sun can also do some major damage to your eyes? Unfiltered sunlight to the eyes can create long lasting effects on your eyes and cause irreversible damage….makes you think twice about shelling out some extra cash on sunglasses; they aren’t just cute accessories, they are preventative medicine!

What damage can sun do to your eyes?

–Cataracts: Cataracts are when the lens of the eye becomes cloudy, making for vision blurry and very distorted.  It can make reading, watching TV, etc very hard and really limit your abilities to do anything that requires keen eyesight.  They can eventually lead to blindness and cataracts are currently the leading cause of blindness.  Continued exposure to UV rays from the sun can cause the lens of the eye to thicken over time, and increase your risk of getting cataracts; the lens will thicken, then become cloudy and cause the blurry vision.

–Macular Degeneration: Macular degeneration is an abnormal growth of blood vessels in the eye, and opaque deposits on the retina (the light sensitive portion of the back of the eye), and an increase of pigment in the retina, leading to decreased vision.  It is common with aging, but many studies have shown that over exposure in your teens, 20’s, 30’s to unfiltered sunlight can significantly increase your risk, and there is truly no cure/treatment for macular degeneration.

–Photokeratitis (AKA Snowblindness): an actual form of blindness, that can be temporary and cause extreme pain and total blindness due to the cornea getting burned.  It is called snow blindness because it can happen easiest when there is sun reflecting off of snow, it can be super bright, and burn the cornea, and you cannot see for a short period of time.  Obviously the longer the exposure, the longer the blindness.  Your eyes start to burn a few hours after exposure and it can feel like sand is in your eyes; the only known treatment is keeping out of sunlight and the use of pain medications.  Prevention is key!

What can I do for prevention?

A hat and sunglasses go a LONG way to help and decrease your risk of getting sun damage to your eyes.  Multiple studies have shown that protection of the eyes in sunlight (with a hat or sunglasses), even with large amounts of exposure, your eyes are at a much lesser risk of getting any of these long term eye issues. Of course, as an HCP, I will always suggest limiting sun exposure to decrease your risk of skin cancer, but if you are wearing your SPF, and doing everything right, you should be able to spend time in the sun…..just make sure to protect your eyes.  Don’t stare at a glaring white page of a book for hours without sunglasses, and same with being on the ocean, the suns reflection can cause some major problems, and wear goggles when you go skiing!  Make sure to check that the sunglasses/goggles you buy say that they have UVA/UVB protection, and you should be all set!

So not only do sunglasses protect your eyes and prevent those wrinkles from squinting, they totally can make your outfit pop too! Now, if only we could get Prada covered by our health insurance, I would be one happy girl….

Yours in Good Health

B

I have so many friends that have been trying to get pregnant, for what seems like a long time, and it is a really emotional, embarrassing, and frustrating. You don’t know if you should talk about it, not talk about it….and how to do you fend off those nosey people asking when you are going to start a family?  Believe me: been there, done that.  It is always in the back of your mind, no matter what else is going on, and it is a constant stress.  After talking to one of my good friends a few weeks ago, I realized that she was trying to get pregnant without luck. When we were talking she was saying how she didn’t understand why she was never ovulating (after peeing on tons of those sticks) but nothing was wrong with her, per labs tests, etc. And what did she realize?  She was miscalculating when she was supposed to be ovulating. This is a common misconception (no pun intended) among women, and there are some tricks of the trade to know when you are ovulating.  Having sex (unprotected…I hope goes without saying) when you ovulate drastically increases the chances of making a baby!  Plus, it is important to keep in mind that healthy couples in their 20’s and 30’s only have a 20% chance of getting pregnant each month….with those odds, it makes those “oops” pregnancies seem like such bad luck.

What is ovulation?

Basically, ovulation is when a mature egg is released from your ovary, into the fallopian tubes (helps carry the egg to the uterus) and is ready and available to be fertilized.  The lining of the uterus thickens to help to prepare for the egg to be fertilized so that it can embed in the lining once the egg is fertilized, that is where it will thrive and grow and turn into a little baby!  If fertilization does not occur, then that thickened uterine wall sheds along with the egg and that is when you have menstruation.  Now, figuring out the perfect timing of all of this is the trick! A mature egg lives usually 12-24 hours after leaving the ovary and it is only that timeframe that it can be fertilized, but sperm can live three to six days inside of the uterus (so that gives us a fighting chance!!).  When you think about it in those terms, it seems really hard to get pregnant, yet some people breed non-stop….which I know is frustrating for those of you who are having a difficult time with this.

How do I know if I am ovulating?

1. Ovulation usually occurs in the middle of your cycle, Ideally, you would be like a calendar on a 28 day cycle, so day 13-15 would be our fertile period.  Fun trick?  Most women aren’t so clock work about their menstrual cycles and the average cycle is 23 to 35 days.  So one good way to start here is to figure out your cycle: mark on a calendar when you get your period, when it ends, and do this for a couple of months, so that you can kind of have a better idea of how long your cycle is: then have sex a LOT during the middle of that timeframe, and hope for the best!  Plus there are cool online trackers like this Ovulation Calendar.

2. Pay attention to mittleschmerz (German for middle pain).  Many women have a light pain/twinge in their ovaries when their egg is released, like a quick cramp. Now a bunch of you are thinking “doesn’t happen to me” but pay attention next month, and I bet you feel it.  And that is the exact moment that ovulation occurs…kind of cool if you have time to think about it.

3. Take a basal body temperature. There are specific basal body temp thermometers that you can use to check your temp FIRST thing in the morning, the second you wake up, before you sit up, pee, do ANYTHING.  You check your temperature and it will let you know when you are ovulating.  The first half of your cycle, yoga re driven by estrogen, so you have a lower body temp, then after ovulation, progesterone takes over and your body temp increases (because if you get pregnant, it helps to keep the fertilize egg in that lining of the uterus wall and thrive).  So, the day that your body temp is the LOWEST, then abruptly spikes up, you are ovulating! This is a tough one to get correct, and it is so super sensitive, but people who are Type A and very routine oriented seem to do well with this.

4. Increased cervical mucous.  MMMMM, a yummy thought, I know.  But as your body gets ready to get pregnant, your cervix loosens up, gets ready to help that sperm swim on up into the uterus and start making some babies, so the normal discharge that you might have, becomes more sticky, clear (instead of cloudy) and more the consistency of an egg white.  This helps to point the sperm in the right direction and get them to the right place.  You can sometimes notice this change in discharge in your underwear or it may come out of you when you are using the bathroom.  I know, I am full of fun stuff this morning…sorry!

5. Ovulation prediction kits (OPK) are your friend!  You might feel like you are going to lose it if you pee on another stick, but these kits are really accurate, and while expensive (they range from $6-$30) and annoying (when you don’t ever see a fertile period) they can help you to know when you are ovulating without worrying about the calendars, temps, looking for changes in discharge!  They are quick and easy, and done with the first pee of the day.  You can use on every day of your cycle to find out the length of your cycle (from when your period begins to the start of your next period) to find out the length and help you to know when you ovulate.

IF you have none of these changes, and an OPK never gives you a fertile period, don’t wait, go see your HCP and get referred to an infertility specialist.  Some states cover all infertility treatments by insurance and some don’t. So it can be frustrating and expensive, but know that there are others out there facing what you face and we are all in the battle for babies together.  Plus, if things don’t work out for you, there are always other options. If you are worried there is something wrong with you or your partner, go get checked out, there is no harm, and you might be able to take medications that are cheap that might help increase your chances of pregnancy.

The good and bad news is that there are SO many people having trouble getting pregnant right now: we live in a stressful society where people work WAY more than 40 hours a week, don’t have time to do everything to make their bodies and their own needs their priorities. So, please let’s make a deal that we will not bug other people about when they are going to have babies and start making a family, as it is such a sensitive and personal issue, and let’s also make time to care for ourselves and nurture our bodies during a stressful time when we need to care for us, and make things as stress-free as possible.

Yours in Good Health

B

I have have known people in my life that suffer form serious depression, and some that have come to a very distressing and upsetting end, not because no one cared, not because people didn’t say the right things, but just because everyone has a breaking point, and you never know what it is. May is mental health awareness and suicide prevention month, so this is coming a little bit early, but the world has been filled with a lot of sadness and a lot of great stuff too, but people have been focusing on the sad and negative.  Life can be tough, and dealing every day with depression can be so unbearable, on top of every day stress, and you never know who is battling to live every. single. day.

Depression is a very serious problem, that can cause an array of health issues, but be easily overlooked by sufferers and by people close to them.  Sometimes it is just a feeling of not being “right” or feeling “off” or being really sad or listless, and it can effect different age groups in different ways. And there are numerous different types of depression: postpartum (after giving birth), chronic, Seasonal Affective Disorder SAD (related to less light in the winter), major depression, transient depression (related to one major traumatic issue), etc. And it may be hard to diagnose or notice an issue.  I think depression should be better screened for by HCP’s in general, but I look towards patients and their family members to mention if you see any of these signs or symptoms because if you don’t tell us what is really going on, it is very difficult for HCPs to pick up these symptoms during an appointment or quick visit:

Adults:

-Feelings of sadness or unhappiness
-Irritability or frustration, even over small matters
-Loss of interest or pleasure in normal activities
-Reduced sex drive
-Insomnia or excessive sleeping
-Changes in appetite — depression can cause decreased appetite and weight loss, but in some people it causes increased cravings for food and weight gain
-Agitation or restlessness — for example, pacing, hand-wringing, or new aggression
-Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements
-Indecisiveness, distractibility and decreased concentration
-Fatigue, tiredness and loss of energy — even small tasks may seem to require a lot of effort
-Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or blaming yourself when things aren’t going right
-Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things
-Frequent thoughts of death, dying or suicide
-Crying spells for no apparent reason
-Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches that aren’t related to allergies, etc. that don’t respond to OTC medications (i.e. ibuprofen, acetaminophen)

Young Children: can show signs of hopelessness, sadness, worry.

Teens: Can be irritable, anxious, angry, and avoid social interactions. Also, changes in sleep patterns….are they up all night for no reason?  Sleeping excessively?   We also need to be aware that during the teenage years is when other mental disorders can start to become prominent.

Elderly: fatigue, loss of appetite, loss of interest in sex, feel bored and helpless or worthless, and avoiding social interactions.  With the elderly, there are usually other health issues involved, so people can tend to link in the symptoms of depression with their other disease processes, so it is important to be aware of the signs.  For example, cardiac disease can also cause depression, so is the issue new onset?  Did something major just happen like the loss of a loved one?

For some people the signs are really severe and very obvious, but for other people, they are very subtle and occur over a period of time making them much harder to notice, especially with those close enough to the person suffering.  People are really good at hiding things, and the longer you live with (or around someone) it’s easier to make excuses for behavior, exhaustion, and you might not even notice the behavior because you are so used to it.  I also think that it is the first instinct to get very defensive when other people make comments to you or your loved ones about various behaviors, but once you get over the initial defensiveness, soak it in, and try to see things from a different perspective.  Obviously if someone is just being mean, then let it slide, but if a close friend/family member tries to give you some insight, take it….when you are ready. 


Awareness of the signs is the first step to getting help, so please take notice in your own life and of your loved ones and do a mini checklist to see if  you or they have any of these symptoms.  If you or your loved ones do, try to talk to them, open up the discussion, and if they are not willing to, then please call your HCP and make an appointment to talk about it, OR if you want to talk to someone immediately, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.  I also encourage you to talk to anyone…a friend, family member, clergy member about your feelings, about what you think may be going on. Talk to anyone you feel comfortable with because the first step to getting help is to realize that there is a problem.  Also, sometimes you keep things inside and you realize that other people are going through what you are going through, and talking to someone with similar problems and issues may help you, or help you to get professional assistance that you need.


Please remember that the person you may see crying while walking down the street might be on the edge, or the “crazy” person you see that is pissed off in line at the Post Office, or the person that you know really well acting totally different than you remember them to be, may be suffering from depression or another mental illness. I used to not think about that, and think people are totally off their rockers, until things have happened to me and my family; there are some days you do what you can to get through the day, but you have to remember that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
If you/your friends/loved ones have thoughts of suicide or homicide please seek help immediatelyand call 911 or go to the nearest Emergency Department for help.



Yours in Good Health
B

I know that so many movies, TV shows, etc have scenes with people making out in pools, hot tubs, oceans, etc and innuendo is that they are leading to sex.  While that may look super romantic, really hot , whatever floats your boat, it can actually be pretty detrimental to both partners floating in that water….most often the ladies get the brunt of the issues, always the short end of the stick, ladies, but it makes us only that much stronger, right?  Why is it so bad?  And how to make it that much better for you 🙂

What’s the Deal?
To be clear, having sex in water isn’t bad, but what’s IN the water can be pretty creepy.  Hot tubs and pools people tend to think are pretty safe, and I always hear people say that they have chlorine in them and “chlorine kills everything”.  OK, so chlorine at the night level might kill a lot of stuff, but the levels of chlorine required to meet government standards doesn’t necessarily kill off all of the bacteria present.  Pools and hot tubs are full of different bacteria from peoples skin, babies (and adults too….) peeing in the pool, and you think you are the first person to get busy in that public pool/hot tub?  Sadly, no.  So all of that bacteria from all of these different sources is still hanging around in that water.  When you have sex, there is thrusting back and forth, allowing for skin tears to occur and openings in the skin to allow for bacteria to creep in.   Having sex in a hot tub, ocean, etc. can actually increase your risk of contracting an STI (sexually transmitted Infection), because the natural lubricant that bodies create, is whisked away in the water source.  so having all of this thrusting with no lubricant, can allow for larger tears.  Plus, this water source that may have bacteria present is pushed forcefully into the vagina, anus, penis etc.  And in the ocean/lakes/ponds, there are living microbes in the water, and they are getting pushed into you/your partner.  These factors increase the risk of a urinary tract infection (both for men AND women), bacterial vaginosis (for the ladies), and if there are any other STIs lurking in that water (from your partner or from others) because of the broken skin due to lack of lubrication, and the force of the water, there is a higher risk to contract the STI (for both).  Also,because of the lack of lubrication, men can get chaffing of the penis which can lead to a yeast infection (which, fellas, is not comfortable).  Plus, more people tend to skip using protection (i.e. condoms) when they have sex in water.  All in all, not a good idea.

Can I decrease my risk?
You can use condoms, and the best advice is to make sure that you are in a private pool or hot tub for those sorts of shenanigans to make sure that you are actually in a clean environment that you can control. You never know how much chlorine is in the public pool or hot tub, and I think that you private parts are worth a safe and clean environment, right??  So, I know the lure of the hot tub and some champagne, but get out before you get too loopy in a public arena and take it somewhere else that might be a little bit cleaner…then get a dirty as you want 😉

Yours in Good Health
B

I get a lot of questions from people asking me how often they should get checked for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).  This is a very person dependent question, but there are some standard times you should get checked, and you may be surprised to know that when you got for your annual physical with your Primary Care Physician (PCP) it isn’t standard to check for  STIs.  I know that a lot of people assume that it is done in the blood panel that your HCP draws, but unless you specifically ask for it, it isn’t done. So, when should you ask for STIs to be checked?  When should we go in just to have that checked out?

What Are STIs?
STIs are really any infection that is most often transmitted through sexual intercourse and are also known as Sexually Transmitted Diseases or STDs.  They are passed from an infected person to another person through any form (oral, anal, vaginal) intercourse.  And some are even transferable with the use of condoms (yikes!)  The most frequent STIs are (in no particular order):
-Bacterial Vaginosis (BV)
-Hepatitis B, C
-Chlamydia
-Gonorrhea
-Genital/Oral Herpes (HSV 1 and HSV 2)
-HIV/AIDS
-Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
-Pubic Lice (AKA crabs)
-Syphilis
-Trichomoniasis

How Do You Get Tested?
There are a few ways to get tested for STIs. Usually it is required to have a physical and or pelvic exam, so that your HCP can assess for warts, rashes, lesions, etc so we can view if you look to have been exposed, and also for women, we can assess your cervix and look for any changes in discharge color, or internal changes to the vaginal walls, and assess for pain with inspection due to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) which is STI related. During your pelvic exam, a swab (just like your annual pap smear) will be sent off (to test for HPV), and for men, a swab from inside the urethra (your pee hole) may be taken to test for HPV.  You will also be required to submit urine and blood samples.  That will cover you for the all genital STIs.

How Often Should I Get Tested?
As I said earlier, it is a very personal thing, but there are some good basic rules.  I would tell you that at a MINIMUM, you should get tested for STIs annually with your annual physical starting from the time that you are sexually active (anal, oral, or vaginal), so make sure to ask your HCP to add those labs on to any others they might be ordering for you. If you have unprotected sex, get tested, and every 3 months after that for HIV until you come back negative for a full year with no other unprotected sexual encounters.  If you are in a monogamous relationship (living together, dating, married, civil union, whatever you have going on) get tested at a minimum of annually.  Call me a naysayer, but infidelity is on the rise, and to best protect yourself and ensure your safety, it is best to get tested…just for peace of mind, right? Don’t assume just because you have sex with women, or because you asked your partner and they said they were clean, that you are going to be “clean” after an unprotected encounter.  Just watch out for yourself, as not all STIs are curable; they are all treatable, but some will come snack (like Herpes, genital warts)

A good rule is to assume that everyone has been exposed to an STI, and seeing as you don’t want an STI, you will use all prevention possible, right?  And, think about who you are interaction with because condoms, while they decrease transmission rates, they do not prevent all transmission of STIs.  For example, herpes and genital warts are still transferable through condoms….so make sure that partner is totally worth the risk before hopping in the sack.  And, if there are any worries or concerns, talk to your HCP and be really honest and open; the HCP’s at the free STI clinics have heard it all and are super laid back and cool about everything; they will assuage your fears if you don’t need to be freaked out, and they will be honest with you about your risks.

I was told last weekend that people with negative attitudes tend to get sick more and die younger. I was in a social setting, and said that I didn’t think that was true.  When pushed further, I added that it was not a factually based statement and there was nothing in the research to suggest that was a true statement. They claimed that it was, so here we are!  Maybe there is some truth to it, I clearly don’t know everything, but that seemed like a far fetched statement to me.  Honestly, I always think of older curmudgeons that seem to live forever….right??

What does the literature say?
There are some small studies that say that pessimism can affect your life negatively and affect your health negatively but it won’t kill you.  Research has shown that people that have a positive outlook on life have less stress and effective stress management techniques are associated with health benefits.  But, that doesn’t mean that you can turn the same statement negative and make it true.  So, just because thinking positively can decrease your stress level doesn’t mean that thinking negatively increases your stress level…you just might not have all of the benefits of a manageable stress level when you think more negatively. When I refer to positive thinking, it really means that you react to unexpected or more negative issues; you look towards the best possible outcome, as opposed to the worst. The research is unclear in why people have health benefits with positive thinking, but some of the benefits are:
-Increased life span
-Lower rates of depression
-Lower levels of distress
-Higher resistance to the common cold
-Reduced death from cardiovascular disease
-Better coping skills during times of high stress

What else can a positive attitude do?
The studies have also shown that people who are more positive also tend to live healthier lifestyles; they work out, eat healthier, and don’t smoke/drink in excess, or use illicit drugs.  Basically, people who tend to be more positive, have a better outlook on life, and don’t get sucked into the negative or poor behaviors associated with depressive states. You think positively, you will act positively!

How can I be more positive?
Try to surround yourself with positive people, then it will be easier to actually change your outlook.  Filter things before you say them; if it wounds negative in your head, then it is probably negative, so try to take a positive spin on it, you will see a difference in how people react to you and how to react to things.  Finding the humor in situations will always make you feel better, even if you are just making a joke to yourself! And just check yourself to make sure that you are focusing on the positive things in your life; don’t internalize things and blame yourself when things go wrong.  Sometimes things don’t go your way, it’s part of life, right? If everything was always awesome, it would be called ‘super happy terrific time’ instead of life, but it’s how you react to those things that define who you are and how you live your life.

So if you feel good and healthy, you will act good and healthy, thus you will have the benefits of an overall healthier lifestyle (such as stronger immune system due to healthier diet, less cardiovascular disease risk, etc.)  Every choice you make in life has an effect on you, whether it is positive or negative, so make the positive choice, and you will have the benefits of it.  No, being negative won’t kill you off early, but it will make life a less pleasant experience and can lead to negative behaviors that can have some bad outcomes….plus who wants to live life thinking that every day is the worst day ever?  Not me!!  Things don’t always seem like they are going your way…but think positively and they just might!

Yours in Good Health
B