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While the COVID-19 pandemic is a medical crisis unprecedented in recent history, the stress, anxiety, and overall strain on our collective mental health is a pandemic unto itself. Millions of Americans have lost their jobs or are living in fear of losing their income. Key Takeaways Binge drinking has been shown to increase as lockdown times increase.Those with and without a previous depression diagnosis are affected.Support systems and alternative coping mechanisms during this time are vital....

Bulimia is an eating disorder marked by a consistent pattern of binge eating and purging through the form of vomiting, overexercising, fasting, and laxative abuse. Symptoms of bulimia are often somatic-based and result from the bodily trauma resulting from constant binging and purging. The most common symptoms include sore throat, sensitive teeth, worn tooth enamel, intestinal irritation, and severe dehydration. Bulimia Diagnosis To receive an official diagnosis of bulimia, the episodes of binging and purging must occur weekly for at least three months....

Whether you are pregnant or trying to conceive, you probably already recognize the importance of filling your plate with lean proteins, whole grains, healthy fats, and colorful fruits and vegetables. While eating nutritious foods is the ideal way to get the essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients you need during pregnancy, a prenatal vitamin can help you cover any nutritional gaps in your diet. “I liken a prenatal vitamin to a ‘safety net,’” says Dara Godfrey, RD a registered dietitian with Reproductive Medicine Associates of New York who specializes in prenatal nutrition....

Picture this: you just found out you’re pregnant. You might be nauseous, exhausted, and trying to wrap your head around the fact that a tiny little human is about to enter your life and change it forever. Needless to say, you may not be ready to announce the news to the world, but as the weeks go by, it could feel like it’s getting harder and harder to hide it....

Meditation is a powerful stress reliever and a habit that can lead to resilience to stress and increased inner peace. While this may not come as a surprise, if you’re like most people, you’re aware that meditation can be helpful but you have trouble making it a daily habit—life gets in the way! This is okay to an extent; practicing meditation once can be helpful. However, to gain the full benefit of meditation in terms of creating resilience and a lasting sense of peace, it should be practiced regularly....

Flavored water products contain ingredients to make them taste more exciting than plain water. That added flavor may be natural or artificial, and it may include other ingredients like sweeteners, vitamins, and even food coloring. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates bottled drinking water, including flavored water. Many people drink flavored water beverages as a healthier alternative to soft drinks and other highly sweetened beverages. But many parents wonder if flavored waters are good for kids....

When you first found out that you were having twins, many thoughts and questions crossed your mind. How did this happen? How will we tell them apart? Will they be born early? And at some point, it is likely that your concerns turned to finances. Do we have to buy two of everything? Will we need a bigger car? A bigger house? What is this going to cost? It is a normal concern for families in these times....

The maternal mortality rate in the United States increased almost 20% from 2019 to 2020, according to a new report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In addition to the surge in deaths overall, the report notes significant differences when it comes to race, with higher maternal mortality rates among Black women. The report provides a look at the numbers behind the increase in maternal deaths and may serve as a catalyst to focus on health and safety precautions during pregnancy....

Pregnancy can be both a joyous and a stressful time. According to a study published in Canadian Family Physician, people who were pregnant during the COVID-19 pandemic experienced moderate to high levels of distress and depressive symptoms. Key Takeaways Almost 69% of survey respondents who were pregnant during the pandemic reported moderate to high levels of distress.Plus, 20% of them reported symptoms of depression.Parents’ concerns included the cancellation of in-person prenatal classes and the risk of contracting COVID-19 while pregnant....

You have a new baby on the way, so you head to the baby section of your local store. Along the wall, there are a variety of little beds and cradles that look like they would be perfect for those early months when you have your infant sleeping in your bedroom with you. Key Takeaways The Safe Sleep for Babies Act bans the sale of crib bumpers and incline sleepers.Both crib bumpers and incline sleepers are considered unsafe for sleep, but many parents assume they are safe because they are sold in stores....

In an about-face move, the organizers of the Tokyo Olympics will allow nursing mothers who are competing to bring their babies with them to the summer games. This change to their COVID-19 restrictions’ policy is heralded as a step in the right direction. Key Takeaways Mothers competing in the Tokyo Olympics can now bring their breastfeeding babies.This reverses an initial ruling that prohibited the infants due to COVID-19 restrictions.The move is a promising action towards validating the importance of breastfeeding, but change is still needed....

An open, honest conversation about sexual health in the doctor’s office can be a crucial part of sex education, but many adolescents are missing out on those chats during routine medical appointments. A recent study, published in Pediatrics, found that less than half of young people reported discussions about puberty, sexually transmitted infections, HIV, and birth control at their most recent visit with their primary health care provider (PCP). Key Takeaways...

As a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nurse, I love letting multiples sleep together when under my care. The practice of letting babies sleep together in the same crib or incubator is called cobedding and can be done with twins, triplets, or other multiples. While there are benefits to letting multiples sleep together in the NICU, there may also be drawbacks to cobedding. Possible Benefits Although nurses, parents and case studies agree that there are benefits to letting multiples sleep together in the NICU, there aren’t enough large, well-designed scientific studies to prove any of the possible benefits for certain....

Asian identity encompasses many things. If you are part of a South Asian community, you may have experienced not “being seen” as Asian. Exclusion of South Asian people can show up in many ways including research or feeling left out of AAPI discussions like the #StopAsianHate movement. Key Takeaways The AAPI umbrella term includes at least 50 distinct ethnic groups that speak over 100 languages. South Asian communities may feel excluded from Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) discussions....

The decision to change doctors or midwives is never easy, particularly during pregnancy. Sometimes, a switch needs to happen due to practical necessity, such as a move or a change in health insurance. Other times, you may simply realize that you aren’t happy with your prenatal care and want to find someone who can provide you with the care that you need and deserve during pregnancy. Reasons to Find a New OB-GYN During Pregnancy There are many reasons why you might decide to switch doctors during pregnancy....

Recovery is an essential part of any well-rounded fitness routine. And while there are many ways to help your body recover from a workout, wearing recovery shoes—shoes that are designed to encourage post-workout recovery—is one great option. “Recovery shoes are typically worn after athletic activity as a way to encourage recovery, relax fatigued muscles, and support the foot and ankle,” Dan Geller, DPM, foot and ankle surgeon, says. The best recovery shoes have a few things in common....

Whether you need fuel on a long hike or are craving a chewy snack to power through an afternoon at the office, a granola bar is a convenient, delicious way to pack in some whole grain goodness. The best granola bars are made with wholesome ingredients that contain at least 3 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein, and less than 10 grams of sugars. Looking for USDA organic and non-GMO certifications is a great way to ensure the granola bar you’re buying is made with high-quality ingredients....

Peanut butter is a nutrient dense, delicious, and satisfying food to incorporate into your diet. There is no regulatory definition of “natural” when it comes to food labeling, however, the FDA considers the term natural to mean that nothing artificial or synthetic has been added to the food. In general, “natural” is used as a marketing term, and it does not inherently mean healthy. For example, some natural peanut butters can contain high amounts of added sugars and oils....

Writing letters might seem like an out-of-date way to communicate when we have easy access to relatives and friends through text, email, FaceTime, and Zoom. Yet, snail mail is a powerful way to connect with others, which came to the forefront during the COVID-19 pandemic. In research published in May 2020 by the United States Postal Service (USPS), 65% of people agreed that receiving mail lifted their spirits. About 67% said they have sent or would send mail to family and friends....

Whether you identify as same/similar gender-attracted and/or are transgender, if you want to have a baby or raise children, you have many options—possibly more options that you’ve imagined. Granted, having babies as a same- or similar-gender couple or transgender individual can be complicated. There are logistical issues, legal hurdles, and financial obstacles that cisgender heterosexual couples rarely consider or ever need to deal with. Fertility in LGBT Families Just like heterosexual couples, some LGBT people will face infertility on top of “situational” infertility....