New Year, New Goals
Hello!
As we step into spring, I want to express my appreciation for you, our members. Your choice to be a member of Advanced Gynecology means that you have invested in your health as a priority! Thank you for trusting me and my staff and allowing us to care for you.
I see many of you once a year but want to increase my communication with you regarding your best health. The goal of this new, quarterly newsletter is to present helpful information: important women’s health news and key updates from our office. Pass it on to others if you like, and please give me feedback. This is your medical home. As a member of Advanced Gynecology, what do you want to learn more about?
My staff and I wish you a healthy 2025.
—Dr. Sogol Jahedi
New Years Resolutions
The holidays are behind us and a new year looms, full of promise. Well, 11 months, at least! Did you make any new year’s resolutions? I wasn’t surprised to see a poll showing this: becoming healthier and exercising are among the Americans’ top resolutions.
Most of my patients ask me how to become healthier.
The easy answer is what we all already know—exercise and a healthy diet. The hard part is how to work that into your bursting-at-the-seams busy life.
Ask yourself first, What is your baseline?
What small changes can you make to the life you are living? Sustainability is a big deal. My usual advice is not to do anything drastic. Make changes that are easy to maintain, and that means starting small.
Aerobic exercise. Veteran runners, good for you. For the rest of us: Yes, brisk walking counts! Aim for 150 minutes a week. That’s only about 20 minutes a day (one podcast!). This time of year, Chicago weather makes it tricky to get outdoors, but here are good options for at-home workouts.
Resistance training. This is especially important for the over-40 crowd. Women start to lose muscle—and bone—in the perimenopausal transition. Forget hefting barbells: You need muscle for everyday life. This same activity lowers your risk of osteoporosis, which affects women far more than men. Last year, for the first time in my life, I began doing resistance training. So if getting started is tough, I hear you! Activity guidelines recommend two to three weekly strength-training sessions that target the whole body. For inspiration, here is an easy-to-start home routine.
A heart healthy diet. This includes foods rich in fresh produce, whole grains, beans, nuts, fiber and omega 3 fatty acids. If you can, try to meal prep a bit on the weekends to avoid that middle-of-the-week craziness of “what’s for dinner?” How can you “start small?” Try a Mediterranean diet–style dinner just one or two nights a week.
Going it alone isn’t always the best course.
When it comes to diet, I’ve referred a number of my patients to a professional nutritionist to support them in the changes they want to make. Schedule a visit with me if you’d like to discuss this option.
Lifestyle Tips
Fatigue: Did you know that being tired makes you hungry? When your body is fatigued, your stomach releases ghrelin, a hormone that increases appetite and fat production. So getting good rest—listening to those cues that it’s time to sleep—is a key part of any weight loss goal. But why are we tired? Sometimes, perimenopausal hormone changes can cause frequent nighttime awakenings. Treatments for night sweats and insomnia exist, and hormonal supplementation is a safe option for most women in their 40s and 50s. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, so come on in to discuss!
Smoking: In this day and age, most women know that smoking harms nearly every organ in the human body. Interesting from a gynecology perspective, smokers have higher rates of abnormal Pap smears (nicotine byproducts have even been found in cervical secretions) A study published in PLOS Medicine found that smokers had more abdominal fat than those who had never smoked. That makes a million and one good reasons to quit this year!
Alcohol: On January 2nd, the US surgeon general said that alcohol is a leading cause of preventable cancer, and that alcoholic beverages should carry a warning label as packs of cigarettes do. The US Dietary Guidelines for Americans are about to be updated. What a change! For years, moderate drinking was thought to be fine, or even protective against heart disease. It’s now believed that 1 of every 6 breast cancer cases stems from alcohol consumption. And if cancer isn’t enough of a reason to cut back, remember that alcohol is full of empty calories.
Unfortunately, the new recommendations on alcohol are fighting a long-term trend for women: Unlike men, our alcohol use has only risen over the last two decades, and especially so during COVID. So a personal resolution to drink less couldn’t be more timely. Here, too, starting small can count big, because the risk to our health scales up with greater use. Maybe it’s a resolution just to not drink at home, or to have one drink instead of two.
Make Grace a Habit, Too
Stories on new year’s resolutions often talk up “SMART” goals—meaning ones that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. That’s a great tip, but big changes are hard even if your plan is “smart.” Some habits gel in a few weeks. Others sometimes seem to move like glaciers!
So be patient with yourself. A little forgiveness can go a long way to keeping your goals on track. You may fall off the bandwagon again and again. Get back on it when you are ready. Most of you are caregivers to others in your families. Caregiving is hard work, and women especially put themselves last. But we can’t be around to care for others unless we also take care of ourselves.
New Faces
This year we welcome Greta, our new office manager, to Advanced Gynecology! I don’t see your gyne concerns as separate from your overall health, so Greta’s background running a primary-care office makes her a perfect fit for our “stem to stern” style of medicine. Now that she’s moved to the Barrington area, Greta is even my neighbor, too! Say hello next time you’re here, and feel free to tap her knowledge with any insurance or billing questions you have.
A Member Writes
”Dr Jahedi is truly a gem and also a great doctor. She actually listens to you and is incredibly thorough with her exams. I have been her patient for many years and now bring my daughter to see her. The membership she offers is absolutely worthwhile. The support and guidance she offers her patients is priceless. I am a nurse practitioner and her patient and I highly recommend her.”
—Catalina K., patient
We think good medicine means care when you need it—not weeks away—and visits long enough to answer all your questions. We’re glad you agree!