HER

Keep your nutrition on track by swapping for smarter ingredients.Holiday meals are on the horizon. Don’t toss nutrition out the window or put your meal plan on hold for two months. You can navigate these holiday events smartly while still enjoying the indulgences of the season. Parties & Events Drink plenty of water before you go.  Have some hummus and veggies or a light meal at home so you don’t show up starving. Get a little healthy fat in you before you go so your body is satisfied.  Bring a dish to the potluck that fills your nutrition needs. Don’t go straight to the bar and stay hydrated as you drink. Wine and beer have fewer calories than fancy cocktails. Lay off the creamy, battered and fried foods.  Stick to grilled or fresh foods. Eats for Your Own Gathering Shrimp cocktail Guacamole Hummus Salsa Crudité platter Chicken kebabs with peanut sauce Roasted squash Fresh fruit Dark chocolate Controlled portion sizes Food Substitutes Sugar: Use honey, dates, fruit puree, dried fruit, carrot or beet puree. Stuffing: Cut the bread in half and use whole grain bakery bread. Substitute wild rice or potatoes for the bread if you’re going gluten-free. Add fruit or vegetables. Use herbs to increase flavor. Bake it in egg and soup stock Butter: Save it for bread and not for cooking. Use other oils for cooking. Nut butters and yogurt are great for spreads. Dessert: Cored, baked apples with nuts, dried fruit and spices are compact and convenient. Use quality ice cream, yogurt or sorbet in small portions if your guests demand a cold treat. Listen as Chef Abbie Gellman joins Dr. Pamela Peeke to share how to handle your holiday eating with food swaps. Sponsor: Smarty Pants Vitamins

Learn how you can help end female genital mutilation.You’re probably aware of female genital mutilation (FGM) in other countries.  But, it’s also a problem in the United States. It’s gone unreported and unsuspected. FGM is a hideous, horrendous practice. The End FGM Today movement works to criminalize the act in every state. Currently, it’s only illegal in 24 states in America. It’s been a Federal crime since 1996 but is still practiced underground. Surprisingly, mothers are taking their young daughters across state lines for this brutal procedure. It eliminates sexual desire for life. Law enforcement and the public can help end FGM. Here’s how: Open up your eyes and ears for evidence of the practice. Pediatricians, physicians and emergency room personnel are in a good position to advocate and protect little girls. Call the child welfare hotline, the local police department or the FBI hotline if you suspect FGM. Religious practices are no excuse for brutalizing children. Encourage state legislators to criminalize FGM in every state. Use social media hashtag #EndFGMToday to bring awareness to this horrific practice. Listen as advocate Liz Yore joins Dr. Pamela Peeke to share how to end female genital mutilation. Resource: End FGM Today Sponsor: Smarty Pants Vitamins

Why do women avoid sex as they grow older?Sex drive can decrease as women age. Stress and life changes don’t really put one in the mood. It seems that challenges become more frequent as the years pass. Some women have less sex because they lack partners. Others have partners who lack interest or are physically unable. Bladder leaks and frequent urination urges also become a factor in diminished sexual activity. Discomfort from hormonal changes is a significant reason for less intercourse. Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) is a collection of symptoms experienced by some women in perimenopause or menopause. The GSM moniker makes it easier to communicate with physicians about these specific issues. A combination of symptoms that comprise GSM include vaginal dryness, pain, irritation, lack of lubrication during intercourse and bladder control issues. Multiple symptoms from this list that are related to menopause fall under the GSM diagnosis. Your physician can work with you to address GSM and other reasons sex is on the back burner. Sexuality is important for intimacy. You’re never too old to get frisky. Listen as Dr. Kristin Bendikson joins Dr. Pamela Peeke to share what might reduce an aging woman’s sexual activity. Sponsor: Smarty Pants Vitamins

Physical therapy can help you return to daily function after breast cancer surgery.How do you get back to using your body after undergoing breast cancer surgery? Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation have considerable effects on the body. Physical therapy can reduce pain, symptoms and help recover function. Speak to your provider about physical side effects you may expect from treatment. In conjunction with your medical treatment, physical therapy can help you regain function and strength to return to daily life. Physical therapy starts with a good, thorough physical examination to see where function needs to be restored. The patient is given a treatment plan to rehabilitate any affected areas and strength needed for life activities. Difficulty manipulating a toothbrush or pulling on pants are simple life tasks that may require a care plan. Your physical therapist will work with you to resume this function. Every patient is different, as is every surgeon’s protocol. Physical therapy may not begin until risk of infection is significantly reduced. Speak with a physical therapist early in the process so you know what to expect after your cancer treatment. Listen as Dr. John Gallucci joins Dr. Pamela Peeke to share how physical therapy can help women recover from breast cancer surgery. Sponsor: Smarty Pants Vitamins

Celebrate who you are and realize a look that works for you as you embrace a life change.How many magazine covers have you seen when celebrities divorce? The woman always seems to have a new look to match her new relationship status.  Life changes can inspire a makeover or fashion overhaul. How do you engineer this new look? First, look at how you want to be perceived in your new life. This applies to relationships, jobs and relocations. You may choose to express the real you. Reflect on your personal branding before making any drastic changes. Second, take small steps to change your look. Go at your own pace. What resonates with you and is comfortable for you? Gradual changes are more sustainable than a rapid revamp. Finally, make sure the changes you make increase your confidence. Don’t change your wardrobe to something that makes you embarrassed. Emphasize your positive physical traits. No more self loathing. Small Steps to Change Find the colors that work best for you. Determine what you really like about yourself that you want to feature. Look through your wardrobe and ditch what you no longer wear. Goodbye to the fat clothes and so long to your jeans from 20 years ago. Listen as Lori Ann Robinson joins Dr. Pamela Peeke to share how your look can enhance your major life changes. Sponsor: Smarty Pants Vitamins

Women are not immune to pornography and sex addiction.Men’s sex addiction and pornography issues dominate headlines. Women aren’t exempt from the same sorts of issues. Women’s sex addiction problems tend to be related to hook-up apps, anonymous and casual sex, pornography, serial relationships, and exploitative relationships. Signs of Addiction Health issues Relationship consequences Financial repercussions as a result of the behavior Difficulty at work Continuing the behavior despite adverse consequences Compulsion Increased risky behavior over time Difficulty stopping the activity when making an effort Women tend to have a more emotional component to sex addiction. It isn’t uncommon for these women to have a history of trauma. They often must heal old wounds from abuse before learning how to have healthy relationships. Sex Addiction vs. Infidelity Sex addiction has a higher quantity of behaviors. It’s devastating for a partner to learn about. The partner’s world is shattered because addicts are good at lying. It takes a lot of work for couples to heal from it. Infidelity differs from sex addiction in that it is typically about one specific relationship. Couples who find the greatest success recovering from sex addiction embrace treatment and work hard to remedy the trouble areas. Listen as Dr. Stefanie Carnes joins Dr. Pamela Peeke to share how pornography and sex addiction affect women. Sponsor: Smarty Pants Vitamins

What happens when a woman has a miscarriage?Up to half of women will have a miscarriage. Surprisingly, it’s not something that’s discussed. Thanks to our sponsor - Molecule. Save $75 NOW! Use code 'her'. Click here to order. While it’s not her fault, the guilt and shame prevent a woman from talking about it. Five Stages of Grief Shock and denial. She gets her period, an ultrasound shows no heartbeat, or she’s told the pregnancy can’t continue. There’s a sense that the news is unreal. It’s not something she could anticipate. She may have some pregnancy symptoms like nausea. How could this be possible when she was pregnant this morning? Anger. She doesn’t understand why it’s happening to her. It’s not fair because she did everything she could to have a healthy pregnancy. Partners and friends aren’t going through the same physical experience and they don't have the same timeline for grieving. Bargaining. She thinks that if she does certain things, the next pregnancy will work out. She looks at what may have gone wrong and what she can do better next time. She may decide to eliminate all toxins, take different prenatal vitamins or get more sleep. The changes she makes won’t necessarily prevent another miscarriage, but she wants to make sense of things and take action. She feels out of control, so she wants to try to control some aspect of the situation. How can she fix it so it works out in the future? Depression. She’s aware the loss is real and she can’t do anything to change it. Reality sets in that she can’t control the situation. Each woman has her own time table for this stage. She may need to call in an expert if it impacts day-to-day survival. Acceptance. She realizes she can live with the experience and move forward. She may slip back to sadness upon realizing she hasn’t thought about the miscarriage for a few days. The miscarriage stops defining daily existence.  The grief isn’t just about the pregnancy itself. A due date sets the imagination of future life in motion. Losing a baby also means losing the future as imagined with that child. These stages aren’t linear. It’s okay to move back and forth through these stages. Take the time necessary to recover. Listen as Dr. Carly Snyder joins Dr. Pamela Peeke to share what happens when a woman loses a baby. Resources: www.postpartum.net Sponsor: Visit molekule.com and use discount code “her” to to save $75 on your order! Smarty Pants Vitamins

What does a woman expect after a man steps out on her?He cheated. What next? Men like to fix things and be useful. When they make a mistake, they don’t always realize the impact of the error. Sex with a stripper in Vegas may not be a big deal to him, but you go ballistic. Flowers and candy aren’t going to address the hurt and betrayal resulting from that incident. A woman who is deeply attached experiences pain more intensely and longer than a cheater may anticipate. He doesn’t understand why he isn’t being forgiven, because he doesn’t get the pain he caused. Infidelity is viewed differently by men and women. Men can parse trust but women can’t. Her view is that it’s all connected. Betrayal is huge for women. A lot of men don’t think logically about things they could do instead of stepping out. If things aren’t going right in the relationship, there are other options. Talk about it. Get a divorce. Take up a hobby that doesn’t betray trust. He needs to earn back your trust. There are reasons to stay together. Working through the betrayal is the challenge. Mistakes can be healed. Growth as a couple is possible. Listen as Rob Weiss, LCSW, joins Dr. Pamela Peeke to discuss how to begin addressing the hurt caused by infidelity. Sponsor: Smarty Pants Vitamins

Arm yourself for modern dating with these dating safety tips.Dating is very different today than it was ten years ago. Many women are meeting people online and don’t really know the person they’re meeting for a date. The only thing you know is that the person on the other end has access to a computer. Best Practices for Online Dating Set up a separate email account for your dating profile. Don’t reveal any of your personal information. Have an online dialogue to look for red flags. Don’t allow him to send you a gift, because you don’t want to reveal your home address. Develop a series of questions (where he grew up, his line of work, first car, etc.) and look for deviations. Google search his name. Does it come up on other dating sites? Any lie is an indication there is a problem. How he treats other people is a good indication of how he will treat you. You can make a better assessment in person than you can online. Meeting Dates in Bars Always consider the bartender is working in concert with someone else. Watch them closely. Turn down drinks that you haven’t seen prepared. Make sure someone else knows as much about your date as you do.  Take a clandestine photo of your date. Share it and your meeting place with your best friend. Do not let your drink out of your sight. If you lose sight of it, dump it. Date Rape: Current Drugs Available Alcohol: decreases inhibitions, readily available, changes perceptions, neurotoxin, diminishes your ability to fight back. Rohypnol: manufactured in Mexico in pill form, 10x more powerful than Valium, can incapacitate you when mixed with alcohol. Ketamine: legal only for veterinary use, can be injected or put in a drink. Gamma-Hydroxybutyric Acid (GHB): prominent in Southern states, was legal in health food stores, mega-doses induce heavy sleep, respiratory suppressant. Anything in the medicine cabinet that’s a suppressant or depressant given in large doses. Revenge Porn Safety If you’re underage, just don’t request or send compromising photos. Just don’t send nude photos. An ex-lover will be the one who shares it to shame you. Use a flashlight in a darkened hotel room to look for hidden cameras before getting frisky. Live your best life. Learn the red flags and stay aware. Vigilance will help protect you from predators. Listen as Steve Kardian joins Dr. Pamela Peeke to share important tips on safety in the modern dating world. Sponsor: Smarty Pants Vitamins

How can you push your partner toward accomplishment while still being loving and safe?Can you fix the one you love? Can you push your partner to reach for the stars? It’s not easy to make a partner feel loved, safe and sexy while inspiring him or her to dig deep and strive to reach important goals. Do you want to have a relatively comfortable life that feels loved and safe? Or, do you want to feel hungry and like there’s more you can accomplish? It’s hard to do both and it’s hard to help your spouse do both. Your marriage doesn’t require that you cultivate ambition and nurture your spouse. There’s no requirement to expect your spouse to be and do everything. You can coax your lover to be more ambitious with support. Reminders of potential are important if you want your partner to strive harder. Be sure you are trying to change your partner to be who he or she has the potential to be, not because of something you want. Maybe your relationship is best served by an outside party coaching your spouse toward accomplishments. Pushing for fierceness may be best outside the relationship. There are steps you can take to bring back passion and rediscover excitement with each other. Try to find more time and attention for each other no matter what. Engage in new and exciting activities together to bring adventure into your relationship. Laugh together. Listen as Dr. Eli Finkel joins Dr. Pamela Peeke to share how to address having love and ambition in your relationship. Sponsor: Smarty Pants Vitamins