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Sisters •

When to Say When

At this point after the start of a new year, you may be congratulating yourself on finishing “dry January” and deciding which resolutions you can maintain all year long. It’s a good time to take a look at drinking habits and whether you need a reset on this often-overlooked part of our lifestyle choices.

New research points to a creeping problem in our community: More women, including Black women, are suffering serious consequences from drinking alcohol. Though sisters tend to drink less alcoho
Sisters •

Drug-Free Help for Depression

We all get the blues sometimes. But we don’t have to settle into a funk or let it get worse. It turns out that exercising for a relatively short period of time most days of the week can not only lift our mood but help prevent depression.


A recent study published in the JAMA Network Open journal found that doing 20 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity, like brisk walking five days a week, can reduce the risk of depression symptoms. The research found that this short dose of exercise lower
Sisters •

10 Sisters Shaping the Conversation on Freedom

As both Juneteenth and July 4 draw near, we are reminded of our history and long struggles for freedom. Every generation must build on the struggles of previous ones to move us all forward. Let the work of these powerful Black women inspire you to get involved.







Black women earned 70 cents for every dollar earned by white men in 2022, according to the Pew Research Center. Black Women’s Equal Pay Day falls on July 27 – a date that acknowledges the additional workdays it would take for u
Sisters •

Bad Breath? Here’s Good News

The last time you strapped on a face mask, you might have noticed your breath smelled off. Or maybe the grandbaby scrunched up her nose when you went in for a kiss. That fancy mouthwash you bought doesn’t seem to be working, and breath mints barely camouflage the odor. You try to brush and floss regularly, but it doesn’t seem to be enough. What gives?


Bad breath, or halitosis, has many causes, and some can make it worse as we age. Regular brushing, flossing and seeing your dentist are still i
WebMD •

Why Are Uterine Fibroids Particularly Common in Black Women?

Kristamarie Collman, MD, had long had heavy menstrual periods. But 4 years ago, she started to notice other things that seemed off. She felt unusual pressure in her lower abdomen. She was going to the bathroom more often. The ab exercises that were part of her fitness routine had become harder to do. The combination of symptoms prompted Collman, who is a family doctor in Orlando, to see her doctor. The diagnosis: uterine fibroids. These are tumors in the uterus that are almost always not cancer.
Sisters •

6+ Depression Signs Doctors May Miss

Have a short fuse? Feel unattractive? Don’t want to get out of bed? These feelings might be signs you’re having a bad day. Or especially in Black women, they could signal something more serious: depression.


A recent study published in Nursing Research found that depression, a common mood disorder, may look different in Black women. Depression is typically defined by a depressed mood or a loss of interest or pleasure in activities, in addition to other symptoms, over a two-week period or longe
Sisters •

Morning Stiffness? This Might Be Why

One day, you notice when you wake up that you feel a little stiffer in the hips than usual. Or you’re surprised to see some swelling in your hands or other joints. Or you hear a cracking sound coming from your knees and wonder if that’s a normal sign of age or if it’s from sitting for too long. But is it?


Stiffness, swelling, cracking: All are potential signs of arthritis, or, more specifically, osteoarthritis, which happens when the cartilage — connective tissue in our joints — that normally
Sisters •

A Mini Walk a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

After you eat a snack or a big meal, it’s tempting to just sink into a chair and relax, especially at the end of a long day. The longer you sit, the more likely you are to reach for a second helping or dessert. But getting up and getting active instead, even for just a few minutes, could have a profound effect on your health.


Your mother probably told you that taking a walk after eating is good for digestion and clearing your head. Now researchers have found that taking a short stroll after a
Sisters •

Wait. What Did I Come Into This Room for Again?

One morning when I arrived at work, I unzipped my wallet and realized I didn’t have my work ID. Mystified, I checked every inch of my wallet, my desk at work, my bureau at home, my purse and all of the pockets in my work bag. It was just gone. I waited a couple of weeks just in case it showed up, and eventually it did, in the pocket of a blazer I had slipped it in. Relieved, I tucked the ID safely into one of the slots of my wallet to make sure I would be able to find it again.


We hate the te
Yoga Journal •

NSDR Is the Trendy Practice Right Now. But Is It Better Than Yoga Nidra?

In these stressful times, our bodies need rest more than ever. NSDR and yoga nidra are both tools that can help you let go of anxiety and racing thoughts and even fall asleep. But, which practice best suits your needs?

NSDR was reportedly coined by Dr. Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist at Stanford University, who has been studying—and practicing—it for more than a decade. In an interview with podcaster Tim Ferris, Huberman says he chose the term and acronym because he believed it would be more
Sisters •

Hormone-Healthy Superfoods Might Help You Look Better and Feel Younger

You wake up in the morning feeling headachy or bloated, or with a vague sadness for what seems like no reason at all. Or maybe you notice sudden breast tenderness or an eruption of acne on your chin. These unpleasant signs could drive you to overeat or feel generally disinterested in doing the things you like to do.


On another day, you wake early with a clear head, energy to rise and no particular worry on your mind. On days when you look and feel better, you also have the motivation to engag
Sisters •

Taking Three Minutes to Read This May Help Save a Loved One’s Life

When news broke in late January that Ian Alexander Jr., the son of award-winning actress and director Regina King, had died by suicide, it quickly ricocheted across social media. Sympathetic posts filled Black Twitter and beyond as our collective hearts went out to the beloved star and her family.


The shock of the news stemmed in part from learning that the young son of a celebrity who presumably had it all had taken his own life. But the surprise surely also came from the belief some might h
Sisters •

The Secret Is Out: You Can Hire a Rehab Pro to Help Rejuvenate Your Lady Parts

As we women get older, many things about our bodies start to change. We may obsess about our double chin, lax tummy or butt. But there’s another area that needs our attention just as much to maintain our health and quality of life.


The pelvic floor is the collection of muscles, nerves and blood vessels that support our pelvic organs, like the vagina, uterus and rectum. If things get weak down there due to pregnancy or menopause, we can experience a leaky bladder or other uncomfortable or emba
Sisters •

10 Sisters Shaping the Conversation About Black Women’s Health

We all know that African American women face greater health problems, from diabetes to hypertension to obesity, especially as we age. That’s the bad news. But the good news is that we have several health champions who are bravely rewriting the story on Black women’s health. Scientists, nutritionists, journalists, celebrities and activists are tackling the challenges that contribute to poor health outcomes and offering sister-centered solutions. Read about some of them, and be inspired to improve
Youth Today •

Already facing barriers, voters with disabilities are troubled by latest bids to block ballot access

Sean Gold, 23, well knows the hurdles people with disabilities face in exercising their voting rights.

“My mom, aunt and I were at the DMV,” said the St. Louis man, recalling the day five years ago when he signed up to cast his first vote. “I saw the forms on a shelf and I got one out as they were busy in line. My aunt came over and helped me. The only thing I could do was sign my name at the bottom.”

Continued Gold, an author and disability rights advocate whose cerebral palsy causes severe s
Sisters •

13 Sisters Who Are Shaping the Conversation About Black Motherhood

The time is now for Black mothers to be supported and celebrated, which starts with us being seen. That’s what makes seeing pop star Rihanna, who has exposed and adorned her growing baby bump with fearlessness — on the street, on the red carpet, on the cover of Vogue — so joyful and powerful. “There’s no way I’m going to go shopping in no maternity aisle. I’m sorry — it’s too much fun to get dressed up. I’m not going to let that part disappear because my body is changing,” she told Vogue.


Bla
YaleNews •

Art transforms the trauma of illness for teens

It was an unusual scene in the Donald J. Cohen Auditorium at the Child Study Center on May 7. Next to the podium where Grand Rounds are delivered stood three microphones and music stands in a row. A young woman strummed the guitar on one end while a beat-box artist tested his mic on the other. The seats filled and the audience members quieted to a hush in anticipation of a different kind of lecture.

Dr. Andres Martin, the Riva Ariella Ritvo Professor in the Child Study Center, stepped to the po
YaleNews •

Child deaths from opioids nearly tripled in recent years, says Yale study

Close to 9,000 children and teens in the United States died from opioid poisonings over the last two decades, representing a nearly three-fold increase in mortality rates, Yale researchers said. These findings illustrate how the opioid epidemic continues to evolve and harm children even as efforts to confront the crisis through treatment and limits on opioid prescribing ramp up, they said.

The study was published in JAMA Network Open.

While the high opioid overdose death rate among adults has
YaleNews •

Study finds racial disparities in prescribing opioids for chronic pain

Yale researchers have identified racial disparities in the treatment of patients who are prescribed opioids for chronic pain. Black patients who receive opioids long-term are more likely than whites to be tested for illicit drug use. Of those who test positive, blacks are more likely to have their opioid prescriptions discontinued, said the researchers.

More than 40% of opioid overdose deaths in the United States are attributed to prescription opioid painkillers such as Oxycontin and Percocet.
YaleNews •

One in three young adults has ridden with an impaired driver

One-third of young adults aged 19 and 20 report riding in a motor vehicle with an impaired driver at the wheel at least once in the past year, according to a new study co-authored by Yale researcher Federico Vaca, M.D., M.P.H, and his colleagues at the National Institutes of Health, and led by Colorado State University investigators. Driver impairment was more likely to be caused by marijuana use than alcohol, the researchers said.

The research team used data from the NEXT Generation Health Stu
BabyCenter •

How to talk to your child about poverty and homelessness (ages 5-8)

BabyCenter selects products based on the research of our editors and the wisdom of parents in the BabyCenter Community. All prices and details are accurate at the time of publication. We may earn a commission from shopping links.

What your grade-schooler knows – and needs to know

Five- to 8-year-olds are transitioning from being me-centered to seeing themselves as part of a group. "So it's a good time developmentally to talk about hunger and poverty," says Susan Linn, a child psychologist at H
BabyCenter •

How to talk to your child about a layoff

How to break the news

Don't put it off. As soon as you have a sense of how the layoff will affect your family, talk to your child. "It's dangerous for parents to assume that kids aren't paying attention," says Judith Myers-Walls, a professor of child development and family studies at Purdue University.

School-age kids will pick up on a shift in routine – if you start packing lunch instead of sending lunch money, for example, or if Dad is still in his pajamas after breakfast. They could also he
BabyCenter •

How to talk to your child about interacting with strangers

What your child knows – and needs to know

What you say to your child about talking to strangers depends on her age. Preschoolers, for example, don't know what a stranger is and can't tell who’s safe and who isn't. You can begin to teach these little ones basic safety, but they're not yet ready for conversations about how to deal with strangers.

By age 4, many children have heard about strangers and can start learning safety rules. However, they're still too young to be unsupervised in public b
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