Marla Ahlgrimm: Domestic Violence Against Women Impacts Overall Health

Domestic violence against women is an epidemic that can’t be ignored. Aside from the emotional scars that are left, it can leave behind a host of physical and emotional health issues that must be treated in order for a woman to regain control of her life. Marla Ahlgrimm explains in the following brief question and answer session.

Q: How widespread the problem is domestic violence?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Approximately 27% of all women in the United States have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. Often, this is at the hands of a spouse or partner and may include verbal abuse.

Q: What are some physical issues that can result due to physical and sexual abuse and assault?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Women who are physically or sexually abused can suffer with a host of health conditions. This includes chronic migraines, gastrointestinal disturbances, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, circulatory problems, and asthma. Bladder and kidney infections along with irritable bowel syndrome and joint disease are also common.

Q&A with Marla Ahlgrimm | Colon Cancer

Marla Ahlgrimm answers questions about colon cancer, a disease that is on the rise in people born within the last 30 years.

Q: Is colon cancer fatal?

Marla Ahlgrimm: While all cancers can be deadly, colon cancer is very often preventable. However, many of its symptoms mimic that of irritable bowel syndrome. Sadly, the symptoms of each are embarrassing and many women forgo medical testing.

Q: What are some of the signs and symptoms of colon cancer?

Marla Ahlgrimm: One of the first signs of colon cancer includes blood in the stool. Although small amounts of bright red blood likely indicate a hemorrhoid or small fissure in the soft tissue surrounding the anus, dark maroon or black-colored streaks in either hard or soft stool indicates bleeding deep inside the colon.

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.