Dr. Lori Gore-Green | Women's Health Professional

Dr. Lori Gore-Green's Portfolio of Experience as a Women's Health Professional

Managing the Risks of Dementia

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Many older adults deal with at least some level of cognitive impairment. About 25% of people over 65 suffer from at least mild cognitive impairment. Alzheimer’s disease, however, is the most prevalent form of dementia seen in older people. This disease can cause changes to the way people act, damage their memories and their thinking. It can also affect the ability of patients to communicate by making it hard for them to speak clearly.

 

Alzheimer’s is a terrifying thing for many people. Family members feel they’ve lost their loved ones to the disease. Research shows that Alzheimer’s disease affects neurons in the brain. They become damaged and unable to connect properly with one another. Eventually, the brain actually begins to shrink and finally atrophy.

 

All of this sounds very scary, but the good news is that researchers have uncovered ways to prevent the onset of dementia. Many of these are simple tips that are already recommended for general health. It turns out that things like general health and heart health are closely related to brain health. For example, when blood pressure becomes too high, it increases the risk of vascular dementia. Similarly, high levels of cholesterol can also impact the development of dementia. Physical exercise helps prevent both dementia and heart disease.

 

Some key advice for long-term brain health includes not smoking. Smokers are at an increased risk of developing dementia. Thankfully, quitting reduces the risk to almost the same level as people who have never smoked. Moderating the amount of alcohol one drinks is also important. Some alcohol, especially red wine, can have health benefits. Drinking to excess can increase the risk, too.

 

Other recommendations are less intuitive and deal more with perceptions and relationships. For example, some researchers believe that hearing loss can contribute to the development of dementia. The loss of auditory input can separate people from much of the world. They advocate for hearing aids and even say they may help people maintain their memories.

 

Social interactions with friends and family are also important. Loneliness, an emotional state, has a surprising impact on health. Sleep problems seem to be linked to cognitive decline, too. Treating such issues in middle age may be important for long-term cognitive health.    

Mental Health Support for Women of Color

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A stigma surrounds the idea of mental health in many black communities. People of color are often ashamed to consider their own mental health needs as important, and this stigma is both deep and enduring. Black women struggle even harder with it.

 

The stigma could be cultural in nature. Black people in America endured centuries of slavery. Even after they were technically freed as a people, they were still oppressed culturally and economically, the vestiges of which are still prevalent for many people of color even today.

 

When survival was all that mattered for so long, dismissing mental health is bound to happen. Yet, for all the struggles and discrimination blacks face these days, mental health is something that deserves attention, precisely because it’s so hard being a person of color in the modern United States.

 

Black women are expected to be resilient, displaying strength in all situations. While such a mindset can offer protective benefits for themselves and their families, it’s also a belief system that can eventually generate psychological distress. Many black women feel compelled to suppress their feelings. In fact, asking for help is viewed by many as a sign of weakness. Still, anyone, of any race, who suppresses their feelings long enough will have a breakdown of sorts.

 

Part of the stigma about mental health among black women is likely due to how mental health research in the country is ‘whitewashed.’ Professional studies tend to focus on white experiences. In fact, over 80 percent of all members of the psychology workforce are white, and only 3 percent black. Psychologists and therapists simply can’t connect to people based on shared cultural experiences, and the risk of misdiagnosis is real.

 

The recent pandemic has certainly brought this issue to the forefront. Black women were already enduring many forms of emotional trauma from childhood up before all this, but the events of the global crisis have impacted them just as hard as everyone else. The need for mental health resources is greater than ever.

 

Fortunately, the pandemic might have also created solutions. The need for sound mental health and its importance is an ongoing message in the world of social media. Also, a number of online resources using virtual visits now make remote mental health help possible for anyone online.

What Every Woman Should Know About Postpartum Depression

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Whether or not a woman plans on having a child or not, it’s important to understand what postpartum depression is and how it works. It can affect many women, including yourself and the women you care about. There is a lot of misinformation surrounding postpartum, which is why it’s imperative to know the facts from myth to better help the women who are affected by it. 

What is Postpartum Depression?

Not to be confused with “mommy blues”, which can last two to three days, postpartum depression affects women who have just gone through childbirth and are experiencing an emotional emptiness longer than two weeks. This kind of depression can make it harder for mothers to care for their children and not feel connected to them. It should not be taken lightly and is a very serious mental illness that involves the brain, affects your behavior, and physical health. Whether mild or severe, postpartum depression affects one in nine new mothers. 

The Causes of Postpartum Depression

The biggest trigger for postpartum may be hormonal changes. Levels of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone are the highest when a woman is pregnant. These hormone levels drop significantly back to normal within the first 24 hours of giving birth, which can lead to depression. Women who have a history of depression are also at risk for postpartum. 

Symptoms to Be Aware Of 

There are many symptoms a woman can display that are signs of postpartum depression. Although symptoms vary from one woman to another, common symptoms are sadness, loss of hope, despair, frequent crying, feeling unable to care for the baby, loss of ability to do basic chores, inability to bond with the baby, loss of memory, and trouble focusing. When a woman is showing the symptoms of postpartum, only a doctor is able to give a diagnosis. 

Treatment Options

When diagnosed with postpartum depression, there are two main treatment options available. The first is taking medication to cope with postpartum. Antidepressants directly affect the brain by altering the chemicals that regulate mood. A doctor may also suggest hormone therapy to help regulate estrogen levels. The second treatment option is going to a psychiatrist, psychologist, or mental health professional for counseling. This option helps women suffering from postpartum depression make sense of toxic thoughts and give them the strategies they need to cope.

7 Interesting Ways To Improve A Woman’s Mental Health

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7 Interesting Ways To Improve A Woman’s Mental Health | Dr. Lori Gore-GreenIt’s important to realize that due to the different way in which female brains work, some things can affect a woman’s mental health in interesting ways. Below, you will find seven exciting things that can affect a woman’s psychological health, how it affects it, and why.

  1. Eat Your Veggies

Eating your vegetables and fruits every day can do more for you than promote a healthy weight. The University of Sydney released a study demonstrating that consuming 3-4 daily servings of fruits and vegetables can reduce psychological stress, depression, and anxiety in women.

  1. Decorate With Flowers

While fake flowers are quite lovely and possess incredible longevity, freshly cut flowers will provide aromatherapy for you and will also improve your mental health in many ways. A Harvard study showed that placing freshly cut flowers in your home can chase away anxiety, increase your energy levels, and improve your mood and enthusiasm.

  1. A Warm Shower

If you suffer from stress or insomnia, taking a warm shower for 10 minutes before bedtime can help you sleep better. The sound and feel of the shower are relaxing to your senses. Additionally, your warm body entering a cold room causes a drop in your body temperature, telling your brain that it’s time to sleep.

  1. Bake And Cook More

Although considered more of a chore by most people, cooking and baking are quite therapeutic in many ways. Cooking and baking provide a small project with a short time frame that can cause a person’s mind and thinking to focus on just the tasks at hand, help to reduce stress and anxiety. Completing these small, meaningful projects every day can also help you develop a feeling of accomplishment.

  1. Puppy Love Is Real

Many people have already realized that petting or interacting with a dog can make them feel better, but they aren’t sure why. Researchers have determined that engaging with dogs and puppies increases your serotonin levels. This increased serotonin promotes reduced stress, anxiety, and depression.

  1. Blanket Anxiety

Anxiety can keep you awake at night and prevent restful sleep. A study revealed that wrapping yourself in a weighted blanket can help reduce stress and promote a restful sleep since the weight mimics a hug which signals a feeling of safety and comfort.

  1. Always Carry Earplugs

If you’re someone who becomes annoyed by certain noises, it would be beneficial for you to carry around a spare set of earplugs. Use them anytime you encounter an annoying noise. Those with high noise annoyance were found to be twice as likely to develop depression and anxiety, according to a German survey.

9 Tips For Pregnant Women Encountering Mental Health Difficulties

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9-Tips-For-Pregnant-For-Women-Encountering-Mental-Health-Difficulties-Dr.-Lori-Gore-GreenBehavioral symptoms, such as anxiety and depression, uniquely impact pregnant women, who experience the complication and the effects of postpartum depression before they even give birth.  For this reason, conversations about mental health and pregnancy should be held early and often.

Some women go through their entire pregnancy without experiencing morning sickness, swollen feet, and troubled sleeping. However, many don’t escape pregnancy without experiencing pre-baby anxiety. The stress and the “what ifs” can be overwhelming. Lancet Psychiatry published a report in 2015, which stated that two-thirds of mothers with severe depression experienced mood shifts during their pregnancy ahead of postpartum depression. Maternal depression isn’t the same for all women. Approximately 20 percent of mothers experience depression or anxiety after giving birth. Those findings also linked postpartum depression biological triggers and dramatic dips in hormone levels.

There are nine things every pregnant should know about maternal depression and the importance of focusing on mental health during pregnancy:

Document Your Emotional Responses

Pregnant women should take their feelings seriously, and track them. If you notice that you’re feeling sad more often than not, or you feel extremely worried, relay that information to your therapist, doctor, or midwife.

Depression is Blameless

Perinatal mood disorder can be a challenge, and often pregnant women want to blame themselves or their partners for these emotional obstacles, but it’s no one’s fault. There are a number of factors that contribute to pregnancy-related mood shifts.

You’re Not The Only One

Too many women believe they’re the only ones struggling with mental health symptoms, which are some the most common complications of childbirth. The stigma surrounding maternal depression often means that women are too embarrassed to seek out health. Convinced that they should be overjoyed with the prospect of motherhood, sometimes fail to tell others when that they’re struggling.

Seek Treatment Sooner

Therapy can help to ease stress and manage mood disorders. Choosing to deal with one’s mood disorders sooner will ultimately improve your piece of mind, and it will enhance the bonding between you and your child.

Treatment Will Benefit the Baby

Depression and anxiety never simply affect one person, and this is particularly true depressive episodes are affecting a pregnant person. It’s challenging to be a mother, so seeking treatment means that your child won’t have to deal with the emotion and sadness that might could put both you or your child at risk.

Treatments Work

Frank conversations with your primary care physician and your therapist can alleviate anxiety and perinatal depression. It can also help to create a sense of balance and offer an understanding of what balance may look like for a woman in her new life.

You’ll See Progress

If you’re as serious about your mental health as you are about your impending motherhood, you’ll find that you feel better after just a few session. Of course, everyone is different. Even if it takes a bit longer for your mood to improve, know that progress is on the horizon. Take medication appropriately and stay committed to your sessions.

Support Groups, Also

While some women choose isolation, others find strength in knowing that others are going through the same thing. Support groups are incredible because offer a supportive network of like-minded individuals who also need to know that everything in their lives will be okay.

Find Support Online

The internet is great for things outside of news, online shopping, and cyber stalking exes, it’s also a great resource for individuals seeking out others for support.

Online, you’ll find countless resources for mental health and pregnancy wellness. Some things you’ll want to do are to hydrate, do abdominal exercises, eat a well-balanced diet, educate yourself on mental health, take your vitamins and supplements, and rest appropriately.