Guest post featuring Jacques L. Moritz, MD, Director of the Division of Gynecology at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s and Mount Sinai Roosevelt
Ovarian cancer is one of the deadliest gynecological cancers. It is difficult to diagnose because there are currently no self-tests or routine screenings. (more…)
As many as 400,000 fans are expected to descend on the New York metropolitan region for Super Bowl XLVIII, to be held February 2 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. A full lineup of high-profile, big-ticket parties and concerts is scheduled to begin in Manhattan during Super Bowl week. Bars, clubs, concert venues and restaurants all over the tri-state area will get in on the pre-Bowl excitement as well. While such a major event will give the New York metro area a chance show its best to the nation, the influx of people, excessive drinking and drug use that accompany the biggest sporting event of the year also will bring the opportunity for increased crime and violence (including sexual violence) to those living in, working in and visiting the area.
Cervical cancer screening is probably the most successful cancer-screening program ever developed. One hundred years ago, cancer of the cervix was the leading cause of cancer for women in this country. Now it is not even in the top 10. This is largely because of the Pap smear, which was introduced in the 1950s.
Cervical cancer lends itself to a screening test, as the cervix can be directly visualized with simple equipment and its cells can be directly sampled with a relatively painless and risk-free procedure. In addition, cervical cancer is caused by the human Papilloma virus (HPV), which causes changes in the cervical cells that can be detected almost a decade before the onset of cancer. (more…)
You’ve heard about it, everyone seems to be doing it, all the hot celebrities are endorsing it—but what exactly is a “cleanse”?
Technically, a cleanse is any dietary or lifestyle regimen that serves to remove toxins from the body and restore optimal health. Weight loss often is a desired side effect, but is not the primary goal. Cleansing, when done properly and not as an extreme crash diet, can be a healthy part of a routine that, many believe, will leave you feeling good, healthy and energized. Advocates also state that cleansing improves your immune system, fights cancer, treats depression and provides a spiritual experience. (more…)
Polycystic ovary syndrome, commonly known as PCOS, is one of the most common female endocrine disorders.
A syndrome is a group of signs and symptoms that occur together to characterize a particular condition. The definition of PCOS includes irregular periods, signs of excess androgenic hormones (masculine hormones) such as acne and excess hair growth, and an exclusion of other causes of an elevation of androgens. Although the name indicates the presence of cysts on the ovaries, not all women with PCOS have cysts (and not all women with ovarian cysts have PCOS). (more…)
At Mount Sinai Beth Israel, we place every healthy, full-term baby skin to skin (baby naked, not wrapped in a blanket) with his or her mother immediately after birth. The skin-to-skin contact warms the baby and stimulates the release of oxytocin and prolactin—the hormones responsible for milk production—in the mother.
The more skin-to-skin contact a mother has with her baby, the more stable (heart rate, breathing, body temperature, blood pressure) baby is, and the more breast milk mother makes. Babies who are held skin to skin cry very infrequently, and so do not lose body heat. Babies held skin to skin also have stable blood sugar levels, preventing the need for supplemental milk. (more…)