8 Ways To Make Women’s Wellness Education Work For You

While educational resources for your healthcare and wellness needs may be full of options, don’t let that overwhelm how you navigate this space.  Your need for reliable wellness education is important when understanding symptoms, diagnoses, treatment options, peer support, and of course trusted providers.  So how can you find what serves you and your health needs? 

Here’s how to make women’s wellness education work for you:

Identify Your Wellness Goals

Setting clear wellness goals is the first step. Consider creating a wellness plan that outlines both personal objectives and goals of your wellness journey.  Even if you don't know what you need along every step of this journey you can be guided by your desired result.

Do The Resources Support Your Journey

After or while defining your journey, decide if resources align with where you’d like to be at the end of your journey.  Does the resource provide objectives?  How is the resource engagement? Are there reviews available?  Are the resources free or do they require a financial investment?

Utilize Reliable Resources

Quality education begins with trusted women’s health resources. Look for women’s health information from reputable health organizations, educational institutions, and certified health professionals. Avoid relying solely on social media or unverified online sources. Consider asking your healthcare for educational references.

Consider How This Information Supports Your Preventive Health

Of course, your wellness is not compartmentalized and will require various “layers” :) of you and your investment in healing.  Be mindful of women’s preventive health guidelines, recommended health screenings, and lifestyle practices that aid in your care goals. 

Stay Updated

Medical research and health recommendations evolve. Stay updated with the latest in women’s health by subscribing to newsletters, attending conferences and webinars, and following reputable health news sources.

Access to Support Networks

Building a support network of family, friends, and health professionals can enhance your wellness journey. Join women's health forums, local wellness groups, or online communities to share experiences and gain support.

Consider Investing In Coaching

Consider enrolling in personalized wellness programs that cater to individual health needs. Working with a knowledgeable coach is like having a navigation system for your wellness education and journey.  These programs often provide up to date tailored advice on nutrition, fitness, and mental health, ensuring a holistic approach to wellness.

Be Vocal About Your Health Education Needs

Ask for handouts or virtual resources before leaving a visit with your clinician.  Diagnosed with a new condition? Speak with your care team about trusted references regarding your condition(s) that deliver information in a patient-friendly manner. Plan to discuss information you have come across with your healthcare provider during a scheduled visit or consider sending a secure message through your patient portal in between visits.  Allow your healthcare professional to assist you in interpreting the information and how it may impact your health journey.

By prioritizing your well-being and staying educated, you can lead a healthier, more fulfilling life.

Women’s Health & Wellness Tips

When Should Women Be Done With Pap Smears? 

Typically, cervical cancer screening is completed once a woman turns 65 years old. Cervical cancer is caused by high-risk HPV infections.  HPV is a virus that can be screened for during cervical cancer screening. The risk or HPV transmission is higher in women younger than 30.  

Since risk decreases with age, current cervical cancer screening guidelines do not find it beneficial to routinely test women over 65. Exceptions to this rule exist in high-risk women, recurrent abnormal pap screening history, new vaginal symptoms after 65, or reasons discussed for your individual history with your healthcare provider. 

If you are postmenopausal and unsure what your gynecologic needs are at this stage in your life, please reach out to your women’s health team and schedule a wellness visit to determine your current and future screening needs. 

Soul-Full ‘Scripts

TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THE DAY 

Staying present in the day and not being consumed with the day before or potential unfavorable circumstances to come the day after is a complete win. With the number and level of distraction there is in the world around us, it can sometimes be a luxury to be still in the moment, hour, or even the day.   

For many of us, the day is split between our personal time, careers, family, friends, and community. So, if being still seems overwhelming in the fractions of time throughout the day, consider the best time for you to start a practice of stillness or presence in whatever activity you are doing for ~ 5 min. Commit to this time for 1 week and increase it by 5 min increments each week until you can comfortably be present for most or all of your activities throughout the day. 

Even if scrolling through social media at some point throughout the day. Is your attention there?  Are you processing what you are seeing or engaging with?  While being present in this way you may scroll less as you become cognizant of the time investment you are making on each platform and what return [or loss] your prolonged engagement has.

If required to do activities less interesting, but necessary, notice how your dedicated presence can move the activity along.  While fully engaged, is there something you now notice is enjoyable about the activity?  Is there anything about the activity that activates gratitude? Dedicating your presence for what has to be done may make the difference of how you successfully show up and complete the required task.

Consider your attention as currency in a world that has so many ways to bargain, expect, or demand it from you. Protect how you spend your presence in a hyperactive world to celebrate and interact with the immediate connections around you.

Let’s Get Clinical: Ask Dr. Johnson a question

Here I answer real questions that I have been asked by patients, family members, and strangers (once they find out I am a doctor). I try to answer these questions in a relatable and educational way as I believe if one person has this question so do many others :) 

I have been told that I have nerve pain and I do not like the side effects of what has been prescribed. Should I just expect to live in this kind of discomfort?

Absolutely not. 

Neuropathic pain can be challenging to experience and to treat. Since this pain affects the nerve creating not just pain, but a burning, tingling, and numbness sensation this is not easily treated with typical pain meds.  If going the pharmacologic treatment route, there are FDA-approved medications that successfully treat this pain in some.  As with any medication, there are side effects with this FDA-approved treatment. Notably sedation and weight gain.  Neither of these sound like a desirable exchange for pain control for many individuals. 

In addition to symptom control from neuropathic pain, the evaluation for treatment should consider function. If the function is compromised by sedation of the treatment, then this is not an optimal plan.  If sleep is interrupted secondary to uncontrolled neuropathic symptoms, a trial of treatment with sedation side effects at bedtime may be a better plan.

Pharmacologic treatment is not the only option of course. There are complementary practices to consider and procedural treatment options when deemed appropriate.

If seeking additional options or opinions about neuropathic pain treatment, consider a clinic that offers multiple approaches to pain control.  Aether Medicine is a clinic that specializes in cellular medicine, pain medicine, longevity medicine, in addition to physical medicine and rehabilitation.

Click here to see how Aether Medicine transforming lives with their approach to treatment. Acute & Chronic Pain « Aether Medicine.

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