Studies show that somewhere between 25% and 45% of post menopausal woman find sex painful.  Estrogen, the primary female sex hormone, regulates your reproductive system. Before menopause, estrogen helps maintain the thickness and elasticity of your vaginal tissues. However, as you age, your estrogen levels drop, causing changes in these tissues.  When vaginal tissue grows too thin, sexual activity can become painful.

Our topic today is women’s health with a focus on Mona Lisa Touch, a promising and exciting hormone free treatment.  

This Friday edition of Health Matters with The Medicine Center Pharmacy features your Pharmacist Paul White and sitting-in for Compounding-Pharmacist Brad White is Health Matters Radio Show Executive Producer Nancy Wharmby. Nicole Selinsky, Diabetes Educator and Registered Dietician from Mercy Medical Center

Seasonal Allergies have you down? Pharmacists Paul White and Brad White discuss Over the Counter treatments to help you beat the pollen. We also cover tips on how to save money at the pharmacy counter.

The Centers for Disease Control report a that a whopping 62 percent of Americans are overweight or obese. It’s no surprise that a sedentary lifestyle combined with increased food consumption lead to health risks among adults, teens and children. As the warmer months approach, many people focus on dieting and exercise to lose weight and getting in warm-weather shape. It’s also a great time to evaluate good food choices and really pay attention to what we put in our bodies. Today we’re going to talk about healthy eating habits,  learn tips on portion control and more. 

From Botox injections to tummy tucks, Americans are spending more than ever on plastic and reconstructive surgeries, according to an article published in USA today. What was once common only in wealthy social circles has become much more common in mainstream America because plastic and reconstructive procedures have been proven to be affordable and safe when provided by a reputable medical provider. However, plastic and reconstructive surgeries are commonly known as cosmetic luxuries, but they are often medically necessary – from removing skin cancer to addressing a cleft lip. Dr. Stephen Lopez, plastic and reconstructive surgeon from Aultman Medical Group shares more with us during this segment.

Opioid addiction has been a serious and growing issue in our country for years, and the face of the epidemic is usually of those who are addicted. However, there is another side of the opioid addiction crisis and substance disorders in general – the children of those who are addicted or who overdose. As the opioid crisis spreads, it has forced more children into foster care and exposed many to severe trauma. In this segment, we learn more from the experts at OhioGuidestone.

Hosts and Pharmacists Brad and Paul White talk with OhioGuidestone’s Hollie Spencer Truman.

March is National Colon Cancer Awareness Month, and we are helping raise awareness and joining the effort to save lives. According to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer, and it’s the second leading cause of cancer death in men and women combined in the United States. Family history, ethnicity and race can put you at a higher risk for colorectal cancer, so screening is an important factor. Early detection is key, and in this program with talk with the cancer experts from Mercy Medical Center.

L-R: Medicine Center Pharmacy’s Nancy Wharmby, executive vice president and Paul White, R. Ph., discuss colon cancer awareness and treatment with Mercy Medical Center’s Angelina Barbato, cancer nurse navigator and Dr. Russell Ramey.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a third of adults report they usually get less than the recommended amount of sleep every night. Why does this matter? Not getting enough sleep is linked with many chronic diseases and conditions – such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity and depression – which all threaten our nation’s health. However, diagnosis of sleep disorders can lead to treatment. In today’s program we talk about sleep apnea, starting school later and more. 

Joel Porquez, clinical manager at Mercy Sleep Disorders Center, talks about sleep issues with adults and children.

Often neurosurgery is synonymous with issues involving the brain. However, neurosurgeons diagnose and treat issues beyond the brain. Some conditions that might warrant treatment from a neurosurgeon include carotid artery disease, cervical spine disorders, chronic pain, stroke and nerve and head injuries among others. Dr. Rishi Goel, neurosurgeon from Aultman Medical Group, explains brain surgery in terms listeners can understand in today’s podcast!

More than 5 million Americans are diagnosed with heart valve disease each year, according to the American Heart Association. When one or more of your four heart valves fails to work properly, surgery is often required in order to replace the valve. Innovative procedures like a Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement – commonly known as TAVR – can provide beneficial treatment options and faster recovery for patients who may not be candidates for open heart surgery. As we continue this month’s focus on Heart Health Awareness, Dr. Sabe, Executive Director of Mercy Heart Center shares more.

A lot is happening in the world of pharmacy, from local store closings to news about middle men - called pharmacy benefit managers, often known for causing havoc on patient prescription costs. In this segment we talk about these issues as well as medication recalls, flu and strep testing, monthly health screenings along with how to interpret your numbers and more.

Heart disease can happen at any age, and according to the Centers for Disease Control, younger adults are now being affected by the disease more often than in past years. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking and obesity are just a few of the risk factors. Advances in cardiovascular medical treatment are making an impact on life expectancy, and since February is American Heart Health Awareness Month, today is the perfect opportunity to focus on heart health awareness and talk about the latest advances in minimally invasive heart surgery and robotic surgery with Mercy Cardiovascular Institute’s Dr. Mark Tawil.   

Dr. Mark Tawil, cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon from Mercy Cardiovascular Institute Explains the Latest Advances in Minimally Invasive Surgery on Health Matters .

Audio Block

Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more

Driving safely during winter months can be a challenge for all drivers – this includes teens, parents, seniors and anyone who gets behind the wheel.  When the snow and freezing rain comes, it often causes many problems for those of us who must be out on the road. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 17 percent of all crashes occur during winter months. So, today we’re going to learn some winter weather driving safety tips—like what to do when your car or truck is sliding as well as how to prepare our vehicles before we head out on the roads. Julie Dominik, occupational therapist and certified driver rehabilitation specialist from Mercy Medical Center joins us to share tips to help keep you safe.

The American Heart Association recently released new cholesterol guidelines, and the results have shed light not only on the actual numbers, but also other risk factors including race. The new guidelines found that race and ethnic backgrounds can indicate risk factors for heart disease in specific  populations. Overall, nearly one out of every three American adults has high levels of LDL cholesterol—the "bad" cholesterol that can build up along artery walls and lead to higher chances for heart disease and stroke. Today we learn about the new guidelines, risk factors and give you information to live a healthier life.

Dr. Justin Dunn, cardiologist and president-elect of the Akron American Heart Association’s board of directors (right) talks about the new cholesterol guidelines.

It is cold outside! Whether you’re taking the kids sled riding, hitting the slopes for fun or even just clearing your sidewalks, you’ll want to consider safety. Some health issues that are top of mind include frostbite, hypothermia, concerns with shoveling snow, falling and others. This segment features Mercy Medical Center’s David Morris, injury prevention and outreach coordinator, who discusses some of these issues and shares tips from the trauma experts.  

Breast health is important for both women and men. According to the nonprofit agency, breastcancer.org, about 1 in 8 U.S. women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime, and a man’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is about 1 in 1,000.

Regardless of your age, breasts typically change throughout the many phases of life. Understanding your body – what is normal and what isn’t – can be the key to treatment when something out of the ordinary may be found. In this Health Matters program Aultman Hospital’s Dr. Sabrina Shilad talks about breast treatment, surgery options and risk factors to help you stay healthy.

Dr. Sabrina Shilad joins the Health Matters program to talk about breast health with pharmacists, Brad White and Paul White.

Holiday weight gain is real. Depending on what study you read, the average weight gain is between 5 and 10 pounds. Now that we’ve enjoyed holiday feasts and lots of delicious baked goods, we still have New Year’s parties and other holiday gatherings to look forward to. They may be fun, but the parties continue to offer delicious foods, drinks and extra calories. As we inch closer to 2019, it’s time to set our resolutions for healthier and happier living. In this segment, we look at how we can avoid extra, unwanted calories, talk about portion control and help you get ready for the New Year with Mercy Weight Management’s Registered Dietitian Sereen Zawahri Krasuna.

Registered Dietitian Sereen Zawahri Krasuna from Mercy Weight Management shares tips on food substitutions, portion size, healthier eating and fun exercise options.

When the body recognizes an infection or something harmful, our immune system reacts and becomes inflamed. This inflammation attacks the bacteria or threat, which can include infection, for example. However, sometimes the inflammation can last too long. The result can be rheumatoid arthritis, gout and other inflammatory diseases. About 1.5 million people in the United States have rheumatoid arthritis, and out of that number nearly three times as many women have the disease compared to men, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Tune in to hear Mercy Medical Center’s Dr. Alexander Hannan, rheumatologist, discuss inflammatory conditions like gout, rheumatoid arthritis and more.

Dr. Alexander Hannan, rheumatologist from Mercy Medical Center discusses inflammatory conditions on Health Matters.

Dr. John Sutton from My Community Health Center (right) talks with Brad and Paul about medical services available for the under-served population of Stark County.

Patients with diabetes understand the challenge of managing the disease during everyday living. Healthy eating, physical activity, regular blood monitoring, taking medication and reducing the risk of complications are all necessary. Sometimes it can be overwhelming, but a diabetes educator can help. In this program we discuss blood sugar ranges, how to treat them, diet, exercise and more with Aultman Hospital’s Diabetes Educator Mechelle Metzgar.

Brad and Paul White talk about strategies for healthy management of diabetes with Mechelle Metzgar, diabetes educator.