ON THIS EPISODE OF CYCLE OF HEALTH, WOMEN'S HEALTH.

WE TALK TO A WOMAN WHO OPENS UP ABOUT THE STRUGGLES SHE FACED DURING THE PANDEMIC AND HOW HER REDISCOVERED LOVE FOR HORSES HAS HELPED HER MANAGE.

THEN JOIN US FOR A CONVERSATION WITH FOUR FEMALE DOCTORS TO DISCUSS THE IMPACT COVID HAS HAD AND WAYS WOMEN CAN RECLAIM THEIR OWN HEALTH.

WE HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US FOR THE CONVERSATION, COMING UP ON CYCLE OF HEALTH.

♪ ♪ HELLO AND WELCOME TO CYCLE OF HEALTH, I'M DR. RICH O'NEILL.

TONIGHT'S TOPIC, WOMEN'S HEALTH.

OVER THE LAST YEAR AND HALF, WOMEN HAVE BEEN PUTTING THEMSELVES ON THE BACKBURNER.

THEY'RE TIRED, STRESSED, BURNT OUT, AND OFTEN TIMES THEIR OWN HEALTH TAKES A BACK SEAT.

TONIGHT, WE WANT TO EXPLORE THE IMPACT COVID HAS HAD ON WOMEN'S HEALTH THROUGH THE EYES OF THE DOCTORS THAT SEE THESE WOMEN EACH AND EVERY DAY.

I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER GROUP TO DISCUSS THIS TOPIC THAN THE FOUR GUESTS WE HAVE HERE TODAY THEY ARE: DR. NELLY KAZZAZ, A CARDIOLOGIST AT ST. JOSEPH'S HEALTH DR. MONIQUE WINNETT, A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST AT ST. JOE'S DR. KEILA MUNIZ, A UROGYNECOLOGIST AT ST. JOE'S AND HEATHER SHIMER-BERO, THE CLINICAL DIRECTOR OF WOMEN AND INFANTS AT ST. JOE'S HEALTH.

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.

BEFORE WE GET INTO OUR CONVERSATION, I WANT TO FIRST INTRODUCE YOU TO BETSY BEDIGAN.

BETSY OPENED UP TO US ABOUT THE STRUGGLES SHE FACED DURING THE PANDEMIC AND HOW REDISCOVERING HER LOVE FOR HORSES HAS HELPED MAKE HER FEEL WHOLE.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK.

>> WHAT DO YOU WANT?

YEAH, YOU JUST WANT TO PLAY, DON'T YOU?

OKAY.

YOU GOT TO LET ME DO THE OTHER SIDE.

NOW WOULD I LIKE YOU TO MOVE OVER ON THE MAT.

GOODBYE GOOD BOY.

THANK YOU.

>> MY NAME IS BETSY BEDIGAN AND I'M RETIRED FROM ST. JOSEPH'S HEALTH.

FIVE MONTHS BEFORE COVID HIT, I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM MY DAUGHTER WHO IS IN HER EARLY 40S, SHARING WITH ME THAT SHE WAS NOT FEELING WELL AND HAD NOT BEEN FEELING WELL FOR SEVERAL DAYS.

WE GOT HER TO THE HOSPITAL.

BY THE TIME I RETURNED TO SYRACUSE, WE LEARNED THAT SHE HAD HAD A SUDDEN ONSET OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS M.S., BUT A VERY RARE FORM OF IT AND WITHIN LESS THAN 10 DAYS, SHE WAS IN THE ICU, PARALYZED FROM THE NECK DOWN AND FIGHTING FOR EVERY BREATH THAT SHE COULD TAKE.

IT WAS A LONG HAUL BACK.

I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT TODAY SHE IS UP AND WALKING AND TALKING AND TAKING CARE OF HER FAMILY.

BUT BEING WITH HER FOR 16 WEEKS IN THE HOSPITAL, 17 WEEKS IN THE HOSPITAL, THAT WAS QUITE A DRAIN.

AND THEN COVID IT.

AFTER COVID, AS IT WAS PROGRESSING, MYSELF, I FOUND THAT I WAS JUST-- I COULDN'T FIND THE ENERGY IN ME ANYMORE TO GO FORWARD.

IT WAS AN ACCUMULATION OF CARLEY AND THEN YEARS OF JUST WORKING HARD.

BUT THE CUMULATIVE IMPACT WAS THAT RETIREMENT WAS THE BEST CHOICE FOR ME.

>> I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF STRESS ON WOMEN RIGHT NOW.

I THINK THE PANDEMIC HAS TAKEN A TOLL.

UNFORTUNATELY, IT STILL TENDS TO BE OFTEN THAT THE ROLE OF CAREGIVER FOR CHILDREN AND ALSO ELD ELDERCARE FALLS TO THE WOMEN IN FAMILIES.

AND THERE IS A VERY LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THE HEALTHCARE WORK FORCE THAT IS DOMINATED BY WOMEN.

SO FOR A LOT OF THE FEMALE POPULATION, THEY HAVE BEEN FEELING THE TOLL BOTH AT HOME AND AT WORK OF THE PANDEMIC AND THE CHANGES LAST YEAR AND A HALF HAVE BROUGHT ABOUT.

>> WALK.

KEEP GOING.

THAT'S A BOY.

SHOULD WE GO OVER THIS WAY?

ONE OF THE THINGS I DID IN JANUARY BECAUSE I WAS SO EXCITED TO HAVE A SCHEDULE MY OWN THAT I CONTROLLED, I WENT CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING WITH MY GIRLFRIEND.

WE ARE OUT ON THE TRAIL.

AND I HAD FALLEN.

MY HARDEST RACING.

AND I'M PERSPIRING.

CAN'T CATCH MY BREATH.

EVERYTHING THAT SOME PEOPLE WOULD HAVE THOUGHT WAS THE HEART ATTACK, BUT FOR ME, I'M, YOU KNOW, INDOMINABLE.

I'M STRONG.

I'M NOT GOING TO-- NOTHING IS GOING TO HURT ME.

>> IT IS AN ABNORMAL AND IRRATTIC HEART RHYTHM IN THE LEFT UPPER PART OF THE HEART AND IT IS EXTREMELY COMMON.

THEY SAY IF WE LIVE LONG ENOUGH, WE ALL ARE AT RISK TO HAVE IT.

THE BEST WAY I CAN DESCRIBE IT.

THE HEART NORMALLY WILL BE THAT NORMAL RHYTHMIC BEAT.

THE UPPER PART OF THE HEART IN ATRIAL FIBRILLATION IS AFFECTING THE LOWER PART OF THE HEART TO FILL APPROPRIATELY WITH THE BLOOD COMING FROM THE AREA.

IT CAN BE SYMPTOMATIC LIKE IN BETSY.

>> IT WAS SCARY.

AND I HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, TOLD, NEXT TIME CALL 911.

CARLY'S ILLNESS AND COVID EXPOSED HOW MUCH EXHAUSTION THERE WAS AND HOW MUCH YOU WEREN'T TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF.

TAKING MOMENTS FOR SELF CARE IS CRUCIAL.

IT'S PROBABLY THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT I PREACH TO THE PATIENTS THAT I WORK WITH.

AND IF WE ARE NOT TAKING GOOD CARE OF OURSELVES, IF WE ARE NOT NURTURING OUR MOOD, OUR MIND, OUR RELATIONSHIPS, IT'S REALLY HARD FOR US TO FEEL GOOD ENOUGH TO FUNCTION IN OTHER CAPACITIES.

>> I STARTED RIDING AND LOVING HORSES WHEN I WAS FIVE YEARS OLD.

BUT, YOU KNOW, RAISING CHILDREN AND HAVING A CAREER WAS SOMETHING-- GOING OUT TO THE HORSE BARN WAS SOMETHING THERE WAS NOT A LOT OF TIME FOR.

HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND TALK TO THEM, TO CARE FOR THEM, TO JUST BE IN THE PEACE AND QUIET IN THE MOMENT, YOU KNOW, JUST TO HAVE THE REAL BIG SHIFT OF MIND THAT YOU NEED WHILE YOU ARE HERE, HAS REALLY HELPED GET BACK TO THAT, WHAT I SAID I WAS LOOKING FOR, WHICH IS THAT JOY IN THE DAY.

>> IF WE LEARNED ONE THING DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE LEARNED HOW STRONG WE ARE, HOW RESILIENT, AND HOW CAPABLE WE ARE TO ADAPT.

I KNOW IT'S NOT EASY TO RECREATE TO HAVE A BETTER LIFESTYLE, BUT WE ARE ALL SO STRONG AND SO CAPABLE OF SO MUCH.

>> FOR THEM TO SAY IT'S OKAY THAT I MAKE MYSELF A PRIORITY, EVEN IF IT'S JUST FOR AN HOUR OR TWO A WEEK, COMING TO A PLACE LIKE SUNSHINE HORSES, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE.

I DIDN'T LISTEN TO MY BODY.

AND SO MY EXPECTATIONS HAVE NOT ALL BEEN MET.

WORKING ON IT.

WORKING ON IT.

>> Dr. KAZZAZ, HAVE YOU NOTICED THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY WOMEN ARE TAKING CARE OF THEMSELVES SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

SO WOMEN HAVE ENDURED HIGHER LEVEL OF STRESSES INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE HOUSE SIPS THE SINCE THE PANDEMIC.

THEY HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE JOB LOSSES IN WOMAN BECAUSE OF THE TYPE OF INDUSTRIES THAT THEY WERE INVOLVED THAT LED TO WOMEN WEARING MULTIPLE HATS FROM BEING TEACHERS TO COOKS TO PARENTS, TO DOING THEIR JOBS FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE.

AND ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT SUFFERED IS IGNORING THEIR OWN SELF CARE HEALTH PARTICULARLY PREVENT TIFF HEALTH AS WE KNOW, IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN YOUNGER WOMAN TO AVOID THE CONSEQUENCES, PARTICULARLY ON CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT LED TO DEVELOPING NEW BAD HABITS ANYWHERE FROM MINDLESS SNACKING, INCREASED WEIGHT, LACK OF SLEEP, A LOT OF INCREASE IN SCREEN TIME, WHICH LED TO INCREASED WEIGHT, INCREASED BLOOD PRESSURE, INCREASED STRESS HORMONES AND THAT LED A LOT OF CARDIOVASCULAR RISKS THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH THESE HABITS.

AND THE LOSS OF JOBS LED TO LOSS OF HEALTH INSURANCE.

THAT MADE IT LESS POSSIBLE TO OBTAIN YOUR MEDICATIONS OR TO OBTAIN YOUR PREVENTATIVE CARE MEASUREMENTS OR TO SEEK HELP IN CASE YOU DEVELOP ANY SYMPTOMS.

>> SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS REALLY HAD A MAJOR EFFECT ON MANY WOMEN OUT THERE IN THE WORLD.

I IMAGINE, Dr. WINNETT THAT A LOT OF WOMEN COME INTO YOUR PRACTICE AND ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS.

WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IN THE FIELD OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, WE'VE SEEN DRASTIC JUMPS IN THE AMOUNT OF PATIENTS THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH WITH TERMS OF DEPRESSION ANDATIONITE AND-- ANXIETY AND THAT IS DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGH AMONG WOMEN.

THERE IS A LOT MORE STRESS AMONG WOMEN.

WE ARE STILL AT A DAY AND AGE WHERE WOMEN TEND TO BE PRIMARY CAREGIVERS FOR THEIR CHILDREN, FOR THEIR OWN PARENTS OFTEN, FOR PEOPLE AND THERE IS A LOT OF EXTRA STRESS PLACED ON THEM.

ALSO THERE IS A LOT OF FRONT LINE WORKERS, ESPECIALLY WITHIN THE HEALTHCARE FIELD THAT ARE WOMEN.

THE STATISTIC IS SOMETHING LIKE 70% OF FRONT LINE HEALTHCARE WORKERS ARE WOMEN.

SO NOT ONLY HAVE THEY BEEN WEARING THESE EXTRA HATS AT HOME, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN TAKING ON A LOT MORE RESPONSIBILITY AND FACE A LOT MORE TRAUMA IN THE WORKPLACE.

>> SO IN WOMEN'S HEALTH, IT'S BEEN YOUR JOB, MISS SHIEMER-BERO WHAT KINDS OF SERVICES AND CHANGES HAVE YOU BEEN SEEING IN YOUR SERVICES THAT YOU PROVIDE?

>> SO WE DO A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES IN WOMEN'S AN INFANTS.

REALLY OUR MAIN FOCUS IS LABOR AND DELIVERY, AND POST-PARTUM OF WOMEN.

BUT IT'S SUCH A WIDE RANGE OF AGES FROM TEENAGERS TO MID 40S, THAT THERE IS A LOT OF, AS TO Dr. KAZZAZ'S POINT, COMORBIDITIES, HYPERTENSION, DIABETES, A LOT OF UNDERLYING DIAGNOSE THAT GO ALONG WITH JUST HAVING A BABY.

HAVING A BABY IS STRESSFUL ENOUGH.

TO THEN ADD ON ALL THE DISEASE FACTORS THAT THEY NEED TO TAKE CARE OF, TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF A NEW INFANT, MAYBE OTHER CHILDREN AT HOME.

BEING A TEACHER, A MOTHER, A COOK, A WIFE, THERE IS JUST SO MANY THINGS THAT THEY HAVE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THAT SELF CARE.

SO WE TRY TO REALLY ENCOURAGE THE SELF CARE.

Dr. WINNETT IS A GREAT ASSET TO THE WOMEN AND INFANTS TO HELP WITH THE POST-PARTUM DEPRESSION OR JUST SOMEBODY TO TALK TO, TALK THROUGH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE EDUCATING WOMEN ON, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TRY TO FOCUS ON IS THE SELF CARE, MAKE SURE THEY KEEP THEIR DATE NIGHTS.

MAKE SURE THEY LEAVE THE BABY HOME ONCE IN A WHILE AND GO TO THE GROCERY STORE.

>> CARVE OUT SOME SPACE IN YOUR SCHEDULE FOR YOURSELF TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.

Dr. MUNIZ, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN SEEING?

WHAT KINDS OF ISSUES HAVE YOU BEEN SEEING IN YOUR PRACTICE?

>> YOU KNOW, I DEAL WITH A VERY SPECIFIC SUBSPECIALTY WITHIN THE FIELD OF WOMEN'S HEALTH, SPECIFICALLY IN PUBLIC'S FLOORS DISORDER.

WOMEN DON'T KNOW ABOUT.

THE SUBSPECIALTY IS OFTEN WE HEAR THROUGH THE GRAPE VINE THAT WOMEN FIND OUT ABOUT US.

LIKE MENTIONED, I THINK A LOT OF WOMEN WERE WEARING MANY DIFFERENT HATS WITH JOB LOSSES AND SCHOOL CLOSURES AND THERE WAS A LOT OF NEGLECT OF THEIR HEALTH.

AND THAT WAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON SEEKING HELP FOR THEIR DISORDERS ONE OF WHICH IS URINARY INCONTINENCE OR LEAKAGE OF URINE.

IN THIS COUNTRY, AROUND ONE THIRD OF ALL WOMEN DEAL WITH URINARY INCONTINENCE AND 50% OF THE WOMEN DON'T EVEN SEEK HELP FOR IT.

WE SAW EVEN LESS THAN THAT.

>> THAT'S AN AMAZING FIGURE THAT I'VE NEVER HEARD.

ONE THIRD.

AMAZING.

>> AND 50% WHO DON'T EVEN SEEK HELP.

SO WE SAW THOSE NUMBERS IN OUR PRACTICE AND WE SAW THAT WOMEN WERE REALLY DEALING WITH THE STRESSES AND THE REALITIES OF THIS PANDEMIC AND REALLY JUST NEGLECTING SEEKING ANY HELP FOR THINGS LIKE URINARY INCONTINENCE AND PELVIC FLOOR DISORDERS.

WHEN THERE WERE CHANGES IN TERMS OF POLICIES AND WE SORT OF SAW NUMBERS INCREASE IN OUR PRACTICE, THERE WERE VERY LONG WAITS FOR WOMEN TO ACTUALLY GET IN.

BUT I THINK WOMEN OFTEN TOLD US, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS GOING ON RIGHT NOW AND THEY REALLY DID NEGLECT THAT ASPECT OF THEIR HOUSE.

SO UNFORTUNATELY, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT SUFFERED.

>> SO HOW DO YOU ALL ENCOURAGE WOMEN TO TAKE THE STEP TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES?

WHAT DO YOU DO?

WHAT KINDS OF THINGS-- WHEN YOU SEE SOMEBODY IN YOUR PRACTICE, THIS MUST BE SORT OF YOUR BREAD AND BUTTER IN A WAY?

>> IT IS.

I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO REFRAME FOR WOMEN THE IDEA OF SELF CARE FROM BEING A LUXURY TO UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S REALLY ESSENTIAL.

IT'S REALLY CRITICAL FOR WOMEN TO PRIORITIZE THEMSELVES AND THEIR OWN NEEDS.

IF WE ARE NOT TAKING CARE OF OURSELVES AND OUR HEALTH, WE CAN'T BE MUCH GOOD TO OTHER PEOPLE WE ARE TRYING TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF.

SOMETHING THAT DO YOU ONCE IN A WHILE IF YOU HAVE THE LUXURY OF TIME TO REALLY CARVING OUT TIME IN YOUR SCHEDULE AND PRIORITIZING IT IS A BIG SHIFT AND I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT SHIFT.

>> PRIORITIZE IT AND NORMALIZE IT.

>> THAT'S ON THE MEN, TOO.

>> I THINK THE MORE THEY HEAR IT FROM ALL OF US, IT THEN BECOMES OKAY.

THEY NEEDED PERMISSION.

THEY NEED THAT PERMISSION TO SAY, OH Dr. WINNETT SAID IT, Dr. KAZZAZ SAID IT AND HEATHER SAID IT.

>> MAYBE THIS IS A GOOD IDEA.

>> GIVING THEM PERMISSION TO DO IT.

>> I THINK WOMEN NEED TO FEEL EMPOWERED; THAT THEY ARE GETTING THE TOOLS TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CONTROL OF THEIR LIVES, THEIR HEALTH AND AS YOU KNOW, THE HEAD OF THE HOUSEHOLD, BEING ABLE TO REALLY EDUCATE THEIR FAMILIES ON HOW THEY CAN GET THEIR HEALTH, YOU KNOW, AS A PRIORITY AS WELL.

>> WE ARE SOCIAL BEINGS.

THE LOSSES THAT WE HAD, THE TRAUMA, THE GRIEF THAT WE HAD DURING THE PANDEMIC WITH NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE AGING PARENTS, TO CARE FOR FRIENDS THAT ARE SICK AND I THINK NORMALIZING SELF CARE AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT'S OKAY TO MOURN OUR LOSSES.

NOT ONLY CONSIDERED THAT WE ARE LUCKY THAT WE ARE HEALTHY, WE ARE LUCKY THAT WE HAVE A HOME AND A JOB AND ALL OF THAT IS TRUE BULL IT'S OKAY TO SAY IT WAS HARD.

THERE WERE A LOT OF LOSSES AND IF WE LEARNED ONE THING, WE ARE SO STRONG.

WE ARE SO RESILIENCE.

WE'RE SO CAPABLE TO ADAPT TO NEW WAYS OF DOING THE SAME THING AND DOING IT BETTER THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN RECLAIM OUR HEALTH, RECLAIM OUR HEALTHY HABITS, AREY CLAIM SEEING OUR PHYSICIANS, OUR MENTAL HEALTH PHYSICIANS, ALL OF THAT.

>> WHEN YOU FOLKS SEE YOUR PATIENTS, IT SEEMS YOU ARE ALL VERY PERSONABLE, VERY FRIENDLY.

DO YOU THINK THAT'S A KEY COMPONENT OF CARE FOR WOMEN AT THIS POINT?

>> I THINK SO.

I THINK YOU HAVE TO BE CONNECTED BECAUSE THEN THEY TAKE THAT PERM LEVEL AND YOU ARE NOT JUST GOING IN WITH A SCRIPT.

YOU ARE NOT GOING IN WITH THE... >> THERE IS ACTUALLY DATA ON WOMEN PHYSICIANS, THE CARE OF THEIR PATIENTS, THEY FAVOR WOMEN AND THE REASONS WE LISTEN.

WE HAVE THE SAME EDUCATION, WE ARE JUST AS SMART AND JUST AS GOOD AS ANY OTHER PHYSICIAN.

BUT THE DATA SHOWED WE SPEND MORE TIME AND WE LISTEN.

>> SO REALLY LISTENING TO YOUR PATIENTS IS ESSENTIAL NO MATTER WHAT SPECIALTY YOU ARE IN.

>> YES.

AND I THINK SOME WOMEN FEEL LIKE THEY NOT ONLY ARE THEY LISTENING BUT THEY UNDERSTAND BETTER.

>> I THINK THE FEMALE PHYSICIANS-- >> I AGREE.

>> SHE KNOWS WHAT I AM FEELING OR-- YOU HAVE A PERM STORY TO PERSONAL STORY TO CONNECT WITH THE PATIENT.

>> I HEAR THAT OFTEN, ESPECIALLY IN THE FIELD OF PELL VISION HEALTH AND PELL VISION FLOOR DISORDERS.

THEY'RE OFTEN VERY EMBARRASSING AND DIFFICULT TO DISCUSS CONDITIONS.

LEAKAGE OF URINE, PROLAPSE OF THEIR ORGANS AND OFTEN THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO RELATE AND TO BE ABLE TO KNOW CHILD BIRTH IS DIFFICULT.

THE EFFECTS AND YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT IT CAUSES TO YOUR BODY ARE DIFFICULT DOWN THE LINE.

AND JUST BEING ABLE TO TALK TO SOMEBODY AND KNOW THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH AND WHAT YOU ARE DEALING WITH, I THINK, IS REALLY COMFORTING FOR A LOT OF PATIENTS.

>> SO IN TERMS OF PREVENTATIVE CARE, WE SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO THEY COME INTO YOUR OFFICE AND THEY'VE GOT SOME PROBLEM ALREADY.

BUT WHAT ABOUT PREVENTIVE CARE?

WHAT KINDS OF THINGS DO YOU THINK WOMEN SHOULD BE ATTENDING TO SO THEY DON'T BRING YOU-- DON'T COME INTO YOUR OFFICE?

WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST TO PEOPLE TO DO?

>> PREVENTIVE CARE IS MY PASSION.

IF WE CAN PREVENT ONE HEART ATTACK OR ONE STROKE, WE MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE AND SOMEONE'S LIFE, A FAMILY'S LIFE AND EVENTUALLY THE COMMUNITY.

THE MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGE THAT I HAVE FOR MY PATIENTS IS KNOWING THEIR NUMBERS.

THERE IS SO MUCH POWER IN KNOWING WHERE YOU STAND ON YOUR RISK FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE BECAUSE THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN'T CHANGE, LIKE THE FACT THAT WE AGE, WHAT FAMILY HISTORY WE HAVE.

>> DON'T TELL ME I CAN'T GET YOUNGER.

I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT.

>> AGING IS A PRIVILEGE, I GUESS.

WE CAN'T-- ONE DAY WE MIGHT.

BUT IF BEE CAN CONTROL THE WEIGHT, KNOWING WHERE OUR BLOOD PRESSURE AND THAT'S WHERE WE DEPEND ON OUR WOMEN'S HEALTH BECAUSE SURPRISINGLY A LOT OF WOMEN DON'T KNOW THAT IF THEY HAVE HYPERTENSION WHEN THEY'RE PREGNANT OR HAD DIABETES WHEN THEY'RE PREGNANT, THE RISK OF DEVELOPING THESE CHRONIC DISEASES WHEN THEY GET OLDER IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER AND THIS IS WHEN I LIKE TO SEE THEM BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE I CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE.

AND DEVELOPING GOOD HABITS.

AND THERE IS NO ONE RIGHT ANSWER.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU LIKE TO WALK, IF YOU LIKE TO JUMP, IF YOU LIKE TO DANCE, YOU KNOW, IT IS NOT ABOUT BEING AN ATHLETE.

IT'S REALLY ABOUT BEING HEALTHY AND IMPROVE YOUR NUMBERS.

>> GET MOVING.

>> WITHOUT A DOUBT.

>> AND KEEP MOVING.

>> ACCOUNTABILITY.

IF YOU HAVE A FRIEND OR A PARTNER THAT YOU CAN BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TOWARDS, IT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN ACHIEVING SUCCESS.

>> AND AGAIN IT COMES BACK TO PRIORITIZING THAT NOT IF THERE IS TIME AFTER I WORK AND AFTER DO I LAUNDRY AND AFTER I COOK AND AFTER THE KIDS HOME WORK IS THERE IF THERE IS TIME, I'LL GET IN MY 30 MINUTES OF EXERCISE TODAY.

IT'S GIVING YOURSELF PERMISSION TO PRIORITIZE THAT TO MAINTAIN THE GOOD HEALTH.

>> LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN YOUR RESPECTIVE FIELDS WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU ARE SEEING THAT WOMEN RIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT, LIKE I'M-- YOU KNOW, I READ A LOT ABOUT DIFFERENT RESEARCH THINGS AND I'M ALWAYS AMAZED WHAT IS GOING ON IN DIFFERENT FIELDS.

ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR COME TO MIND THAT YOU MIGHT THINK WOULD BE PERTINENT TO OUR AUDIENCE?

>> I CAN SAY THAT, LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, I FEEL LIKE THE SUBSPECIALTY OF URO GIEN GYNECOLOGY IS A HIDDEN GENERAL.

LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE TREAT HIDDEN PELL VIC DISORDERS.

I FIND THAT EDUCATING PATIENTS ON WHAT THEY HAVE, THAT IT MAY NOT BE LIFE THREATENING GIVES THEM A BIG SENSE OF COMFORT.

AND EDUCATING THEM ON THE FACT FAT THERE ARE NON-SURGICAL AND SURGICAL OPTIONS THAT NOT EVERYTHING REQUIRES THEM TO UNDERGO SOMETHING VERY INVASIVE OR SOMETHING WITH ANESTHESIA.

AND OFTEN TIMES, YOU KNOW, I MAY GO THROUGH A COUNCILLING SESSION WITH A PATIENT AND LET THEM KNOW THEIR OPTIONS AND THEY MAY SAY I DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING AT THIS POINT.

I JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHAT I HAD AND THAT'S OKAY.

IT'S COMING TO THAT CONCLUSION TOGETHER AS A TEAM, BUT EDUCATING YOUR PATIENTS AND LETTING THEM KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE, I THINK, IS THE FIRST STEP.

>> THE BEST THING THAT HAPPENS IN CARDIOLOGY SINCE CHOLESTEROL MEDICATIONS IS THE NEW CHOLESTEROL MEDICATIONS THEY DO NOT CAUSE ANY MUSCLE ACHES.

THEY DO NOT AFFECT THE LIVER AND THEY ARE MAGIC.

THEY DON'T ONLY LOWER CHOLESTEROL, THEY DON'T ONLY LOWER CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, THEY ACTUALLY CAUSE OR LEAD TO REGRESSION OF ARTHROSCLEROSIS THAT ALREADY EXISTS.

>> THE PLAQUE THAT CAUSES THE BLOCKAGE.

>> IT'S ALREADY THERE.

THERE IS A PROOF OF REGRESSION SO NOTHING MAKES A CARDIOLOGIST HAPPIER.

>> RECENTLY I READ THAT EXERCISE, SOME PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT IT AS THE PANACEA.

YOU START TO EXERCISE BECAUSE ONLY A VERY SMALL PORTION OF PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY DOING ANYTHING TO EXERCISE.

AND SO YOU ARE IN THIS HOLE THAT JUST FROM NOT DOING ANYTHING BECAUSE WE'VE GOTTEN SO SEDENTARY.

AND WHEN YOU START TO MOVE, EVERYTHING GETS BETTER.

>> YEAH AND I THINK WE HEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, CARDIOLOGY, YOU MIGHT EXPECT TO HEAR THAT A LITTLE BIT, RIGHT.

BUT IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, NEARLY EVERY PATIENT THAT I WORK WITH, WHEN I TELL THEM THERE ARE MULTIPLE STUDIES THAT SHOW THE IMPACT OF CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISE CAN BE AS EFFECTIVE ON ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION AS MEDICATION IS, THEY'RE SHOCKED.

THEYN'T BELIEVE THAT COULD BE TRUE.

AND THEN ONCE I COERCE THEM INTO TRYING IT AND DOING MORE OF IT, THEY FEEL BETTER AND THEY START LOSING WEIGHT AND THEIR BREATHING IMPROVES AND THEIR DIABETES GETS BETTER AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS ARE BETTER.

>> AND THEY GO FOR WALKS WITH FRIEND.

I WANT TO THANK OUR PANELISTS AGAIN FOR JOINING US.

DR. NELLY KAZZAZ, A CARDIOLOGIST AT ST. JOSEPH'S HEALTH DR. MONIQUE WINNETT, A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST AT ST. JOE'S DR. KEILA MUNIZ, A UROGYNECOLOGIST AT ST. JOE'S AND HEATHER SHIMER-BERO, THE CLINICAL DIRECTOR OF WOMEN AND INFANTS AT ST. JOSEPH'S BE SURE TO VISIT WCNY.ORG/CYCLEOFHEALTH FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS AND OTHER EPISODES.

FOR CYCLE OF HEALTH.

I'M DR. RICH O'NEILL.

THANKS FOR CHECKING IN.

ON THE NEXT CYCLE OF HEALTH, ANIMAL HEALTH.

FOLKS FROM THE ROSAMOND GIFFORD ZOO STOP BY TO TALK ABOUT CARING FOR THEIR UNIQUE COLLECTION OF ANIMALS.

WE MEET MORTOISE THE RADIATED TORTOISE AND EAGON THE EURASIAN EAGLE-OWL.

AND GET AN EARLY LOOK AT THE ZOO'S NEW, STATE-OF-THE-ART ANIMAL HOSPITAL.

WE HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US FOR THE CONVERSATION ALL ON THE NEXT "CYCLE OF HEALTH."