Dry January or Not
We missed you! With only one week away, We’re excited to get back to this community and continue our journey. Here’s a fun fact: the number one New Year’s Resolution for 2022 was to live healthier. So we are cheering that you made that come true by reading Eve Was Framed!
Imagine what this year will bring.
We’ve got big plans for 2023 and will be sharing updates along the way. In the meantime, here’s your first edition for the year.
- Maggie Ruvoldt & Stephanie Majercik
The Tasting Menu
Dry January (and Not)
Cervical Cancer Screenings - What’s What
Get to Know Your Thyroid
Dry January (and Not)
Did you know that Dry January is a decade old? It was started in the UK by Alcohol Change. And spread from there.
We decided to combine two of our favorite topics - alcohol-free options and hydration into our own idea - Dry and Not Dry January.
People report so many benefits from Dry January:
Weight loss
Saving $$$
Brighter skin
So here’s some tips to make the most of it.
Check out the work of our friend Jennifer Rose, gray area drinking coach
Try our favorite AF products from Nougthy (and they're a B Corp!)
Partner up with a friend or a few of them
Take the opportunity to…Up your hydration routine!
We’re encouraging you to take Dry January to the next level by making hydration a priority in your health. A few years ago Maggie gave up diet soda and started drinking more water each day. It’s made a huge difference in her life. Here are some tips to try this month for increased water intake.
Fancy up your water (like they do at the spa) with citrus, cucumber and herbs such as mint and basil.
Track it with goals before or after each meal. Before a meal can help with hunger.
Get it from food. There are many water-rich foods that have other health benefits too. (watch the sodium in soups and broths)
Drink herbal tea. Decaffeinated unsweetened green and herbal teas are great for hydration.
Cervical Cancer Screenings - What’s What
More than 14,000 women in the US are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, despite being one of the few cancers that is preventable with the HPV vaccine.
As with any type of cancer prevention, early detection is necessary - so what tests or screenings are available and when do you need to get them?
There are two types of cervical cancer screenings available: a pap test (or pap smear) and an HPV test. Both pap tests and HPV tests are conducted on cells collected from around the cervix.
For either test to be conducted, your doctor will open your vagina with a speculum (the tool we all know and hate). Using a small brush, your doctor will collect cells and mucus from around your cervix for testing. Now here’s where the tests differ:
Cells collected for a pap test will be examined to check whether or not your cells look normal (abnormal cells could indicate cancer)
Cells collected for an HPV test will be tested to see if HPV is present
For a quick refresher, HPV is a virus that is known to cause cervical and other cancers. Having HPV makes you a higher risk for developing cervical cancer, but it does not mean that you have cancer. Basically, getting just an HPV test really tells you nothing regarding whether or not you have signs of cancer in your cervix.
Cool, cool, cool, cool - so what tests do I need to get?
It’s recommended that women get regular Pap tests done starting at age 21. While they used to be an annual exam, as long as results are normal, they only need to be done every 3-5 years. Women between the ages of 21-29, should only be getting regular pap tests - there’s no need to get an HPV test. This is because HPV is common among young adults and clears on its own.
If you’re between the ages of 30 and 65, you should be getting regular Pap and HPV tests. Both tests can be done at the same time (called co-testing), which means your cells will both be examined for cellular changes and tested to see if HPV is present – the combination of tests lessens the likelihood that a cancer diagnosis will be missed. After 30, the risk of new HPV infection is much lower (7-10%), so a woman over 30, with HPV present indicates a more persistent infection and a higher risk for cervical cancer.
Get to Know Your Thyroid
At the front of your neck is a little butterfly-shaped gland that is very important for your size. Meet your thyroid.
As part of your endocrine system, it is critical to your metabolism and secretes hormones that impact functions like:
Heart rate
Digestion
Fertility
Brain development
Bone maintenance
Women are more likely to have thyroid disease. As many as one in eight of us and more than half are not aware they have an issue. Because of its role in fertility at all stages in our lives from puberty to post-menopause, a healthy thyroid plays a large part in women’s health.
Here are 5 facts you should know:
Some symptoms of hyperthyroidism can look like early menopause or perimenopause
An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) can have consequences for your heart.
Dark chocolate is one of many foods that contribute to a healthy diet for your thyroid. A reason to eat dark chocolate. Thanks!
There are yoga poses to try for thyroid health. Our favorite is fish pose also known as mtsyasana. Here’s how do it from Everyday Yoga
The thyroid takes direction from your hypothalamus and pituitary gland to keep its main hormones in balance.
It is amazing that a 2-inch gland releases hormones that affect just about every tissue and system in your body!
Medical Term of the Week
Precancerous cervical lesion (aka intraepithelial lesion)
Hearing the word “precancerous” is frightening. It feels like a strange middle state between normal and cancer. Precancerous means that abnormal cells are present. They haven’t become invasive and they may not develop into cancer. In fact, it is more common that they won’t.
If your screening shows the presence of precancerous cervical lesions, don’t panic but do take it seriously. There will be follow-up tests and there are treatments.