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EVERYTHING
The Devilish Details of MAHA
What: The Atlantic looks at RFK Jr.’s “MAHA” movement, digging beneath the gauzy sayings to find–as always–the devil is in the details (or lack thereof).
Key line: “’Everyone can agree that ‘removing toxins from the environment,’ one of MAHA’s stated goals, is a good idea. But not everyone agrees on what a toxin is. Fluoride is one, from Kennedy’s perspective. MAHA rightly points out that America’s ‘poor diet’ must be addressed. But what counts as a good diet? To Kennedy, it might include raw milk, which poses serious health risks. Addressing ‘inadequate healthcare’ is crucial, of course—but to Kennedy, that could entail treating COVID with ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, alternative remedies that have been proven not to work.”
Source: The Atlantic
PREGNANCY + POSTPARTUM
The Risk of Extreme Heat and Preterm Labor
What: Researchers looked at nearly 200 studies and found that every degree of heat exposure was correlated with a 4% increase in the chance of going into preterm labor. The odds of preterm birth jumped 26% during a heatwave.
Key line: “’Our research provides compelling evidence that heat exposure poses severe health risks for pregnant women and their babies, yet these risks are frequently underestimated’, said Prof. Matthew Chersich, executive director at Wits Planetary Health Research.”
Source: University of the Witwatersrand
MENSTRUATION
Cutting Alcohol to Curb Period Pain?
What: An essay on one woman’s journey to finding out she had endometriosis – and realizing that alcohol was potentially aggravating it. She tries abstaining from alcohol during certain portions of her menstrual cycle and likes it. (Keep in mind – this is one woman’s experience, not scientific evidence.)
Key line: “Buoyed by three months of menstrual mapping sobriety, I have now entered a new phase which is – remarkably – near total teetotal. In the past month I have only had one alcoholic drink, of course, in my follicular phase. It’s not easy by any means, but the benefits to my hormonal, reproductive and mental health are phenomenal. I still have symptoms of endometriosis, but they are manageable.”
Source: Glamour
BIRTH CONTROL
Remembering What Donald Trump Said About Birth Control
What: ABC News has a concise but comprehensive round-up of all the ways Donald Trump said his administration would go after birth control access, only to then walk it back. Now that he’s taking over the White House, it could all become a reality.
Key line: “’Well, we’re looking at that and we’re going to have a policy on that very shortly,’ Trump responded with. ‘And I think it’s something you’ll find interesting and it’s another issue that’s very interesting.’ When asked to clarify if he was suggesting he was open to supporting some restrictions on contraceptives, ‘like the morning-after pill,’ Trump responded, ‘Things really do have a lot to do with the states — and some states are going to have different policy than others.’
Source: ABC News
MENOPAUSE
Menopausal Rage Hits a Boiling Point
What: The Washington Post has a style piece on how menopause (and perimenopause—a word we barely knew a short time ago!) has become a movement, chronicling the fall of hormone replacement therapy and the lack of medical school attention to menopause.
Key line: “Many women are enraged because they’re being told they have to grit their teeth and power through perimenopause, without the option to explore potentially beneficial hormone therapy. Or worse, they’re seeing doctors — the ones who didn’t get any menopause training in medical school — who downplay their symptoms and tell them it’s just the new normal.”
Source: Washington Post
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