SEARCH

Perhaps nothing signals that your little girl is growing up like the start of her period. Since so many of my patients ask me how to discuss this topic with their daughters and what to expect, here are a few pointers:

Start the Discussion Early

Don't wait until your daughter actually starts her period (which, on average, occurs around age 12 or 13) to start talking about menstruation. I generally recommend that you begin broaching the subject as early as age 8. Yes, some girls start sexual development that young! 

Certain drugs cause sun sensitivity like rashes and an increased risk of sunburn. If you’re taking these medications, take extra precautions to protect yourself when outdoors. These drugs, known as photosensitizing drugs, increase the risk of developing a rash in response to sunlight. There are two different types of photosensitive drug reactions: phototoxic and photoallergic. 

Some say your eyes are the window to your soul. But eyes can show you issues with your overall health. 

An eye doctor can detect a host of health conditions during an exam just by noting changes in tissues, nerves and blood vessels. As a result, the importance of annual vision exams can’t be emphasized enough.

What Can Your Eyes Tell You About These Health Conditions?

You may be surprised to know that your eyes have the chance to reveal these health conditions:

We know that ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun has a damaging effect on our skin. But many are less aware of the connection between UV rays and the potential damage to your eyes. In fact, many don’t think about eye protection in the winter like they do in the summer months. But it’s important to protect your eyes year-round.

UV Light Damages Eyesight

There are two types of UV rays – UVA and UVB. Exposure to UV light can cause or aggravate certain eye diseases, which affect vision and overall eye health. 

Some conditions to be aware of include:

It'll take just 60 seconds of your time to watch our Health Watch video to learn about preventing UV light damage to your eyes. 

Infectious conjunctivitis is common among children. With school back in session, it may be helpful knowing the symptoms of conjunctivitis, how to treat them and how long your child will be contagious. 

Did you know that women are more likely than men to have glaucoma? They also are more likely to become visually impaired or blind due to glaucoma. And, statistics show that women are 24 percent less likely to be treated for the disease, which could be due to the fact that it often presents no symptoms until vision loss begins.

You want to make the best choices you can for your family, so you choose foods you think are healthy. These products are usually labeled "all natural," "naturally sweetened," or "gluten free." These choices are a good thing — right? 

Unfortunately, those big, bold claims on the front of the packaging don't tell the whole story. 

Sugar from a natural source (e.g., honey, agave, maple syrup) has the same effect on our bodies as white cane sugar or high-fructose corn syrup. These sweeteners can:

Have you ever been injured from playing tennis and wondered how you can avoid being injured in the future? Tennis can be both a low- and high- impact sport, which means that injuries may still occur. Check out the five most common injuries that affect tennis players.