Marla Ahlgrimm Offers Health Tips for Summer

Summer is coming and that means lots of time outdoors, plenty of sunshine, and warm weather. All of these lend well to personal health and well-being but there are a few precautions to take to ensure you don’t get too much of a good thing. Here, Marla Ahlgrimm makes a few simple suggestions for summer safety.

Focus on hydration

According to Marla Ahlgrimm, heat can make you sweat and sweat can lead to dehydration. In the summer, especially if you’re going to be outdoors, drink plenty of water. Strive for at least one extra 8-ounce serving each day, more when temperatures tip the scale at 90° or higher. Dehydration can make you feel – and look – tired and disheveled. Severe dehydration can lead to muscle cramps and contribute to heatstroke.

Healthy Aging | Marla Ahlgrimm

According to Marla Ahlgrimm, healthy aging involves so much more than simply eating right and working out. Here, the retired pharmacist and women’s health industry entrepreneur offers advice on how to age with grace.

Watch your diet. Diet is certainly the most important part of a healthy daily routine, says Marla Ahlgrimm. Eating a diet full of whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, lays the foundation for your other healthy activities.

Take your medicine. Hopefully, you’re not required to take any daily medications. However, if your doctor has found it necessary to prescribe medicine, take it. Marla Ahlgrimm explains that doctors do not wantonly write prescriptions; if you do not understand why you have been given a certain medication, ask lots of questions. Do not stop taking any medication without approval from your healthcare provider.

Marla Ahlgrimm: For Your Heart

Most women mistakenly believe that heart disease only affects men. This is a common misconception and one that can lead to a premature death, says Marla Ahlgrimm. According to the retired at women’s health expert, heart disease is one of the leading causes of death for the fairer sex. Here, Ahlgrimm shares a few tips on how to keep your heart healthy.

Eat right

Marla Ahlgrimm says eating a healthy diet is a no-brainer for overall health. But, specifically where the heart is concerned, she recommends choosing foods that are low in sodium and trans fat. While sugar is typically associated with diabetes and obesity, it can also take a toll on the heart so it’s wise to reduce your intake of sugar in all of its forms, including corn syrup, glucose, fructose and sucrose.

Marla Ahlgrimm | Menopause Symptoms No One Talks About

Most women expect hot flashes, night sweats, and moodiness during menopause. But, according to women’s hormone expert Marla Ahlgrimm, menopause can cause a number of symptoms that most women would not associate with waning hormones.

Marla Ahlgrimm reports that a few of these are:

• Body odor. Changing hormone don’t only affect the reproductive system but the skin and perspiration glands as well, leaving a woman scrambling to find a new deodorant that works with her newfound – and unfortunately unpleasant – odor.
• Breast tenderness. Many women associate breast tenderness with pregnancy and the menstrual cycle. Menopausal women also experience breast discomfort.

Marla Ahlgrimm | Oral Health and Menopause

Women over the age of 45 are heading straight toward menopause. And, surprisingly, Marla Ahlgrimm explains, a few of these changes show up in one of the least expected places, the mouth.

According to Marla Ahlgrimm, women undergoing menopause experience hormone fluctuations that can lead to unfavorable symptoms involving the mouth. These include:

• Burning mouth syndrome. Marla Ahlgrimm explains this is a condition that causes intense pain and affects the lips, tongue, and areas where dentures are supported.
• Dry mouth (xerostomia). Waning estrogen levels result in not only vaginal dryness but can make the mouth feel parched as well.
• Bleeding gums. Due to hormone fluctuations, a woman going through menopause may experience dry, pale gums that tend to bleed without provocation.

Marla Ahlgrimm Answers Questions About Diabetes

Diabetes is caused by overly-abundant glucose, which is commonly known as blood sugar. According to Marla Ahlgrimm, it happens when the body fails to produce or properly utilize insulin.

Q: What are the types of diabetes?

Marla Ahlgrimm: There are three primary types of diabetes: type I, type II, and gestational. Both men and women are at-risk of type I and type II. Gestational diabetes, which only happens when a woman is pregnant, is exclusive to the fairer sex.

Q: How do I know if I am at risk?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Each type of diabetes has unique risk factors. For type I, these include age, history, and viral infections. Type II diabetes is often triggered by obesity and menopause. Minorities and those with high blood pressure tend to carry higher risks of type II diabetes. Gestational diabetes is triggered by hormones caused by placental development. While these risk factors increase a person’s chance of developing the disease, researchers have yet to pinpoint an exact cause of type I and type II diabetes.

Marla Ahlgrimm | Sleep May Affect Fertility

We all know that sleep is vital to our overall good health. However, it’s possible that your insomnia may also have something to do with your ability to conceive. Marla Ahlgrimm reports that the link between sleep disturbance and female infertility needs many more years of research to form a conclusive connection. There is evidence to suggest getting a solid eight hours each night may increase your chances of conception.

Marla Ahlgrimm points out that insomnia is linked to a myriad of health conditions. Chronic sleeplessness can result in hypertension, depression, and cardiovascular disease. In women specifically, insomnia may coincide with hormone disturbances, such as PMS. It is believed that long-term, fragmented and disturbed sleep patterns may also induce problems with implantation and, in the case of pregnancy, neonatal health.

Marla Ahlgrimm notes that many studies of reproductive capacity and sleep disturbances have been performed on women whose professional obligations mean routinely interrupted sleep. Doctors and nurses in particular are known to work long hours with little rest.