Mindfulness week 1: Introductions and breathing
In the last few years I have repeatedly come across the practice of Mindfulness. Many friends say it has helped them lead a happier life, schools are training teachers as there is evidence it can...
What age is it OK to give teenagers alcohol?
The data from official sources reports that girls are drinking alcohol earlier and they binge drink more than boys. When I googled ‘girls drinking alcohol’ it came up with numerous YouTube...
How long is your commute?
When you work in London, chances are that you have to travel for at least an hour to get to work. My commute door to door is 1.5 hours each way. I know this is a long time, but 45 minutes is on a...
Is work taking over your life?
I am writing this post as next week I am having my annual appraisal. The main comment I get from my boss is that I am doing too much. I am one of those people who brings work home because I like to...
Would you have preventive mastectomy?
Finding out you are at high risk of developing breast cancer leads to difficult question and decisions. One such question is whether to have preventive (prophylactic) mastectomy. Preventive mastectomy...
Menopause: Let’s talk about hormone replacement therapy
Menopause is a normal part of life and it marks the end of a woman’s fertile years. Menopause typically happens between late 40’s or mid 50’s with an average age of 51 years. From puberty to...
At what age is it OK for girls to wear make-up?
I was discussing this yesterday with some friends, who are both mothers of girls. We know girls as young as 10 years old who have started wearing nail varnish, lipstick and eye shadow. When they...
What do you think about women’s magazines?
Chances are that you either read one regularly or pick one up every now and then. Do they make you happy, entertain you, educate you, give you a chance to escape? Or are they sexist, presenting...
Do you carry anything to protect yourself?
Do you worry about walking down the street or travelling on your own? Do you take any precautions to protect yourself? Have you thought about what you would do if someone attacked you? I googled...
Do you ever get time alone?
We have talked previously about being lonely. But some of us probably never get quality time alone. Being lonely and sometimes getting time alone are not the same thing. We all have busy lives,...
FDA warns against using ovarian cancer screening tests
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that it does not recommend the use of any currently available ovarian cancer screening tests to detect the disease. The FDA cautions that such screening...
Deaths from ovarian cancer decline worldwide due to oral contraceptive use
This month a report was published in one of the leading cancer journals, Annals of Oncology, lead by Professor Carlo La Vecchia from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Milan, Italy reporting...
1 in 5 women suffer from hair loss – so why don’t we talk about it?
Yesterday’s episode of TV show Loose Women showed presenter Nadia Sawalha talk about her hair loss and how it has affected her self confidence (pictured). In the daytime chat show, she...
Are men happier than women?
I wrote this question as there was a study out last week that said girls are becoming less happy. The Children’s Society do an annual report, the Good Childhood Report, which is in its 11th...
What do you think about the term ‘a well groomed woman’
This summer I have heard the term ‘a well groomed woman’ used many times. What does this mean? It seems to mean a woman who has obviously spent time on her appearance but it concerns me...
Do you have the time/energy to eat a healthy diet?
We know we should eat a healthy diet, with our five-a-day, no processed food, low fat, low salt, etc. This week we posted about the importance of a healthy diet when pregnant. But finding the time...
HPV vaccine: cervical cancer rate halved after first decade
A review of the effects of the first ten years of administration of the HPV vaccine have been published this month. Cervical cancer is the most common cancer for women under 35. In the EU every...
Risks of Hormone Replacement Therapy for menopause still debated
HRT (also known as menopausal replacement therapy or MRT) uses estrogen and progesterone, the female hormones, to treat common symptoms of menopause and aging. Doctors generally prescribe these...
