Even when we’re feeling great and have no complaints, preventative care is how we maintain that wellness. Regular screening and checkups are critical throughout life, which is why healthcare reform works to remove obstacles like cost and access to this essential service…
Read MoreIn this interview, we delve into writer Sara Altschule's deeply personal journey as a previvor who initially discovered her BRCA gene mutation through a 23andMe test. Sara's story highlights the critical need for open conversations about genetic mutations, access to support, and the formidable challenges of navigating insurance coverage…
Read MoreIn our interview with Angela Arnold Ross, MS, LCGC, Genetic Counselor, we dive deep into the world of inherited gene mutations and their impact on cancer risk. With her extensive experience and expertise, Angela provides valuable insights into genetic testing and counseling, available treatment options, and essential resources for patients and their families…
Read MoreWhen you sit down to eat a meal, you may think you are only nourishing yourself. Guess again! Within your body, a vast microscopic ecosystem of bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses inhabit your gut. Collectively, these microorganisms and their genes make up your microbiome. With over 100 trillion microbes and a thousand different species, many of my clients are surprised to learn that their guts contain more bacterial genes than human genes. This means that you are a superorganism! In fact, your unique microbiome consists of millions of genes that encode proteins that influence many bodily functions, including digestion, immunity, hormone balance, vitamin production, and detoxification….
Read MoreIn the United States, 99 percent of women who have been sexually active report having used some form of contraception at some point in their lives. As a result, birth control is championed as a groundbreaking innovation that provides women with reproductive freedom to prevent pregnancy or manage period symptoms. But with the Supreme Court's recent decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade, the landscape for reproductive liberties has shifted….
Read MoreThe fact is, breasts are complicated organs, and it’s easy to feel lost in the myriad diagnoses, tests, and treatment options. 70% of women experience breast pain in their lives, especially from age 30-50, and that most of the time it is not an indication of cancer. It can however be extremely irritating and interfere with daily life…
Read MoreMy name is Sarah Zimmerman, PA-C and I am a freelance writer and Physician Assistant. I recently started working in a breast center, and The SEAM editors have kindly asked me to write a regular column on all things breast cancer… The fact is, breast cancer is very complicated, and it’s easy to feel lost in the myriad diagnoses, tests, and treatment options. So often, when we’re given a cancer diagnosis, all we hear are alarm bells going off in our heads, and the specific and foreign medical jargon is too much. I’m here to try to make it all clearer….
Read MoreWhat kind of outreach can we do to help people be more mindful of their sun exposure? We partnered with advocate Celine Mactaggart of Shine Safe, a non-profit and advocacy movement that is setting the sun on skin cancer to find out…
Read MoreContrary to what some of my clients might assume, I love going out to eat at restaurants! I love the atmosphere, the wide variety of foods on the menu, the memories made with loved ones, and the convenience of not having to cook at home. But as we all know, restaurant meals are often significantly less healthy than those prepared in your own kitchen. Restaurant foods typically have more salt, oil, saturated fat, sugar, and calories than homemade versions of the same foods. And it’s not only the nutrient content of restaurant food that’s a concern. Most restaurants serve genetically modified foods among other not-so-ideal factors…
Read MoreDid you know that eating non-organic produce can affect your menstrual cycle? Exposure to pesticides sprayed on produce can also negatively impact fertility, the gut microbiome, the central nervous system and so many other critical body systems and functions.
Read MoreAs the coronavirus pandemic begins to dwindle in some (but not all) parts of the United States, we may see a rise in yet another epidemic: sexually transmitted infections. In fact, sexually transmitted infections have been on the rise for several years now…
Read MoreMeet Nadya Okamoto, one of the busiest young entrepreneurs we know. As the founder of Period.org, co-founder of August, and author of Period Power: A Manifesto for the Menstrual Movement, she is working to demystify and destigmatize periods across socioeconomic divides…
Read MoreDo you ever feel tired, lightheaded, or anxious between meals? If so, your blood sugar might be the culprit! Let’s back it up and talk a little blood sugar 101…
Read MoreDid you know your beauty products contain unregulated ingredients that can irritate your skin? It’s true! The FDA minimally regulates the beauty industry in the United States. That means your beauty products could contain carcinogens, irritants, and endocrine disruptors
Read MoreI have been searching for vibrant health, inner peace, and self-love for all of my adult life. As a shorthand, let’s call this magical trifecta “wellness.” And I can tell you, firsthand, that this kind of wellness is not easy to achieve. It is certainly not something that ever came naturally to me. I do not say this to discourage anyone from seeking it out – in fact, I am here to tell you quite the opposite…
Read MoreAs take-home genetic testing services continue to take OFF, the need for genetic counselors like Johanna Schmidt is greater than ever. In this in-depth interview Amy Cohen Epstein sits down with Johanna to discuss this rapidly evolving landscape and why genetic counselors are crucial within it.
Read MoreThere is so much controversy in the world of wellness on what is actually “healthy” for you. Personally, I am a huge believer in bio-individuality, and that one person’s food can be another person’s poison, in other words, what might be extremely healing for you may not be as beneficial for your friend…..
Read MoreImagine if you could take one supplement that would: Help cleanse your liver, purify your blood, improve your digestion, reduce acid reflux, bloating, and gas, eliminate acne, lower high blood pressure, and prevent anemia. This miracle supplement exists, and it’s at your local grocery. Bitter greens have a distinct and somewhat sharp flavor that may take some getting used to, but the health benefits are worth it…
Read MoreThe Seam founder, Amy Cohen Epstein, sits down with breast cancer, Ali Bartman to talk about her unique experience, including risk, survival, and the importance of “knowing your normal”…
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