Health News Articles: Current Women's Health Issues, Studies & Trends

If You’re Confused by the New COVID Vaccine Guidelines for Kids & Pregnant People, Read This

Maggie Ryan — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 19:47:21 +0000

Confused about the new COVID-19 vaccine guidelines for children and pregnant people? Trust us, you’re not alone. It all started on May 27, when Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that the U.S. would no longer recommend COVID-19 shots for healthy children over 6 months or healthy pregnant people — a move that shocked most healthcare providers. Not only did the announcement upend the typical vaccine recommendation process, it also targeted a vaccine with good safety and efficacy data.

Then, just a few days later, the CDC walked back part of RFK’s statement regarding children’s vaccines. The agency announced COVID shots would stay on the schedule for healthy children 6 months to 17 years old, as long as the children and their caregivers consulted with a doctor or provider — a caveat even doctors found confusing. “My neck still hurts from the whiplash,” Dr. Molly O’Shea, MD, FAAP, an official spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and a faculty at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan General Pediatrics Continuity Clinic, said on a briefing hosted by the non-profit HealthyWomen this week.

RFK is a known vaccine skeptic, but it’s highly unusual for the Health Secretary to make such decisions unilaterally, as multiple experts pointed out during the briefing. So ultimately, what does this mean for children and pregnant people when it comes to getting vaccinated for COVID? Are these shots still necessary, and will insurance still foot the bill for them if without this government backing? Here’s what we know so far, according to experts in the briefing.

Is the COVID-19 Vaccine Still Effective For Children & Pregnant People?

The COVID vaccine is still considered very effective for children and pregnant people, with lower risks than the infection itself. Early in the pandemic, pregnant people and children often suffered significant outcomes from COVID, explained Dr. Margot Savoy, MD, MPH, FAAFP, senior vice president of education, inclusiveness and physician well-being at the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). “For pregnant people, in particular, the risk of ending up in the ICU, the risk of ending up on a ventilator, and the risk of death were just remarkably high, much more than you would expect,” she explained during the briefing. Once the vaccine became available, “those rates declined,” Dr. Savoy said. In fact, the serious outcomes that many worried would be side effects from the vaccine — things like miscarriage, preeclampsia, blood clots, or premature delivery — were actually more likely to happen as side effects from COVID itself, not the vaccine. “If you find yourself vaccinated, the rates of all of those things actually go down to almost none,” Dr. Savoy explained.

Plus, there’s the fact that vaccinated pregnant people pass their immunity to their fetus. That means that the vaccine protects the pregnant person themselves; their fetus, against stillbirth and premature delivery; and the baby, once they’re born, by conferring protection in their first six months, Dr. Savoy explained.

That’s a good thing, because “babies are very high risk” when it comes to respiratory infections like COVID, added Dr. Alice Sato, MD, PhD, an assistant professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and a member of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the Advocacy Task Force at the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. “Because they have such small airways… just a little bit of inflammation can make a baby get into trouble with their breathing a lot faster,” Dr. Sato explained. “[Babies] had very high hospitalizations, even with the last wave [of COVID-19.]”

Children of any age can also experience long COVID — Dr. Sato said the most recent estimate was that 6 million children in the US were suffering from it — leading to symptoms like fatigue and fussiness. COVID can also lead to missing crucial periods of time from school or preschool. Getting vaccinated can help shorten those periods and protect them from those kinds of complications. “In my vaccinated patients who get COVID, they get mild COVID, if they get it at all — and they aren’t as apt to get long COVID,” Dr. O’Shea said.

The vaccines are also still considered safe, the doctors agreed. In short, “the recommendations have changed, but the science hasn’t changed,” said Kate Connors, senior director of public affairs at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

What Are the New COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations For Children & Pregnant People?

So what are those new recommendations? The CDC no longer recommends COVID vaccination during pregnancy, which “seems to be following a unilateral decision from the HHS Secretary,” Connors noted, referencing RFK Jr. “It was made without any of the input of the experts at the CDC, the members of ACIP [the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices], certainly without feedback from organizations like ACOG, and so we’re very concerned about this.” She noted that ACOG continues to recommend COVID vaccination for pregnant people.

For children, the new recommendations are less cut-and-dry. After initially saying the US no longer recommends COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children over 6 months (with exceptions for children with certain medical conditions), the CDC now says it recommends a “collaborative decision-making [approach] with your pediatrician,” explained Dr. O’Shea. “Healthy children with no underlying health conditions can, in collaboration with their pediatrician, make a decision about whether or not they want to have their child vaccinated this coming fall against COVID-19.” However, this unusual caveat leaves the door open for insurance companies to rescind coverage of the vaccine, possibly forcing parents to pay out of pocket to vaccinate their children (more on that below).

For Dr. Savoy, the “really deeply troubling” part of these decisions is the lack of evidence to support them. “I actually don’t know what data was used to make the decisions that we’re talking about today,” she said. “The data that I have been able to see most recently continues to mark pregnant people as being incredibly high risk. There would be no situation in the data that I saw that would make me think that it makes sense to remove that recommendation.” The same goes for children, she added.

COVID-19 remains a threat, Dr. Savoy emphasized. “We keep having new variants show up. We keep having people end up in the hospital. We keep running out of beds in the ER. There’s things that are still happening, even though they don’t show up on the news.”

Are COVID-19 Vaccines Still Covered by Insurance?

This is one thorny question to come out of the changing guidelines. “We don’t know what’s going to happen with insurance coverage, and we’re very, very worried about it,” Connors said. That’s because there’s a direct connection between government vaccine recommendations and insurance coverage of those vaccines, Dr. Savoy explained. Insurance companies typically use government recommendations as a sign that a vaccine is safe and essential; when those recommendations are removed or weakened, the companies may see it as a sign (or an opportunity) to stop covering that vaccine.

Connors also pointed out that we’re only a few months from flu and RSV season, when vaccines become all the more essential for public health. “This is a really tough time for these conversations, for these unanswered questions,” she said.

Should Pregnant People & Children Still Get the COVID-19 Vaccine?

All four experts continue to recommend COVID-19 vaccines for everyone, including pregnant people and children. Dr. Sato cited the “incredible, robust” data that shows that the COVID-19 is safe, effective, and presents fewer risks of complications than an infection itself. “The science has not changed,” added Connors. “The COVID vaccine is safe and it is effective… [It’s] the best tool that we have to prevent severe outcomes associated with COVID infection.”

Dr. Savoy agreed. “I would still strongly recommend that if you’re a pregnant person, that you get vaccinated, not just to protect yourself, but… to protect the fetus and to protect your newborn infant on the other side of that delivery,” she stressed. “I’m still willing to stand on that hill… And if you were bringing your child in for their visit, I would still say that your child needs to have at least that primary series as a routine recommendation.”

Before you go, shop these products to soothe your child’s cold symptoms:

Chrissy Teigen Reveals Why She's Drinking Again After Years of Sobriety: 'I Messed Up'

Alice Kelly — Thu, 15 May 2025 19:48:50 +0000

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SheKnows may receive an affiliate commission.

Chrissy Teigen revealed she has ended her sobriety after giving up alcohol in 2021.

The model, 39, confirmed that she had decided to start drinking again in a May 15 episode of her Audible podcast, Self-Conscious With Chrissy Teigen, while in conversation with Holly Whitaker, the author of Quit Like a Woman.

“I loved the initial journey of being sober, and it felt very big, it felt almost exciting and fun,” she said of her decision to quit drinking. “[But] I just remember looking at my therapist one day and being like, ‘I have such a wonderful, blessed life, and it kills me that I can’t have an Aperol spritz or something if we’re in Italy.'”

Teigen added that she discussed a plan with both her therapist and husband John Legend to “carefully” and “mindfully” go back to drinking. “He was happy I was honest about it,” Teigen said of Legend’s reaction to her decision, but her choice still weighs on her. “I really don’t like disappointing people,” she said.

Teigen said she feels conflicted about whether she plans to give up drinking again in the future.

“[Sobriety] was so exciting and so cool to me, and now I’m like, ‘I messed up.’ It’s not even exciting to get sober again, and one of the things that really launched me was the excitement of it,” she said. “I still don’t know. I don’t even know if I’m ready to quit again.”

“All I know for sure is that it makes me feel like shit and I hate the taste of it. It ruins my meals.”

When pressed by Whitaker, Teigen admitted that she has a lot of shame around drinking and joked that many famous memes of her, from being asleep at the 2017 Oscars to her crying face at the 2015 Golden Globes, were because she was drunk at the time.

“I think it will help for this [podcast] to come out and for me to admit to this because right now it’s just all on me, and it feels like this big burden,” she said. “I know that people are going to be really kind about it and they will extend to me a lot of grace because this is how it works, there are ebbs and flows.”

“I guess I haven’t really come to terms with [whether] I am ready to have the last drink of my life.”

Teigen first opened up about quitting drinking in December 2020, three months after the loss of her son, Jack, shouting out Whitaker’s best-selling book as the catalyst for her sobriety. “One month ago, on my birthday, I got this book from my doctor and friend,” she shared on her Instagram Story at the time. “I was done with making an ass of myself in front of people (I’m still embarrassed), tired of day drinking and feeling like shit at 6, not being able to sleep. I have been sober ever since.”

Though she briefly returned to drinking, Teigen celebrated one year of sobriety in July 2022.

Before you go, click here to see celebrities who have struggled with drug or alcohol addiction.

Hoda Kotb Hasn't Told Her Daughters She Had Breast Cancer for This Poignant Reason

Maggie Ryan — Tue, 13 May 2025 21:16:37 +0000

When Hoda Kotb was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007, she faced not only the terrifying realities of treatment, including a mastectomy, but also the loss of her fertility. “It was one of the most difficult parts of the whole thing,” Kotb told SheKnows earlier this month from Washington, DC, where she was advocating for better access to breast cancer screening and diagnostic tests as part of the Alliance for Breast Cancer Policy, created by the Susan G. Komen Foundation and the pharmaceutical company Novartis.

For Kotb, who was 42 at the time of her diagnosis, the news that she would never have biological children was “a crusher,” the Today alum recalled. “You survive something terrible, you do the mastectomy, and then they almost say, as an aside, ‘Oh, by the way, this part of your life isn’t happening.'” The news was “devastating,” Kotb says, explaining, “we just put a pin in what I envisioned to be a beautiful chapter of my life.”

In the years since then, of course, Kotb’s dream has come true in a different way: she and her former partner, Joel Schiffman, share two adopted daughters, Haley, 7, and Hope, 5. “I was able to realize that families come together in many beautiful ways,” Kotb says.

When it comes to telling her daughters about her breast cancer journey, though, Kotb takes a measured approach. “My rule of thumb with them is, if they ask, I’ll tell,” the journalist says, explaining that she doesn’t want to burden her young daughters with “grown-up problems.” The one thing they have addressed? Her mastectomy scars. “Mom had surgery,” Kotb told them simply. “If they asked me, ‘What surgery?’ then I would go on and tell them.”

While they’re not to that point yet, Kotb isn’t keeping her cancer experience secret from her kids. “I want them to know that, after breast cancer, this is what life looks like,” she emphasizes. “Your mom plays tennis, she goes running. Your mom picks you up and throws you in the air. This is what happens after breast cancer.”

Currently, Kotb is using her platform to advocate for better insurance coverage for additional breast cancer screening, which makes her message all the more poignant. Per Susan G. Komen, people diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer have a 98 to 100 percent five-year survival rate; stage 2 comes with a 90 to 99 percent survival rate. That makes this kind of testing even more crucial, as it can lead to earlier diagnoses and better outcomes.

With numbers like that, Kotb says she doesn’t want her daughters to be scared of something like breast cancer — or at least to know that when something so frightening happens, they can come out the other side. “I don’t want them to be so terrified,” she explains. “I want them to know that even when scary things happen, this [positive side] can also be true.”

Before you go, check out these products for the breast cancer patient or survivor in your life:

products patients and survivors of breast cancer can actually use:

Eczema Doesn't Just Hurt My Skin — It Also Impacts My Mental Health

Elizabeth Yuko — Fri, 09 May 2025 20:23:30 +0000

Having to live with a skin condition can bring about a feeling of isolation, even when you’re one of many with it. A skin condition that is widely shared among people is eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis. Eczema is a common skin condition that affects millions of people around the world, including nearly 10 percent of the population of the United States according to the National Eczema Association.

In case you’re not familiar with eczema, it is a chronic condition that causes the skin to become excessively dry and itchy while causing blistering, cracked skin and skin discoloration. Although eczema is quite common, it’s rarely talked about in terms of body image, mental health and how it can trigger anxiety and depression — but in reality, that’s a huge part of living with the condition.

In my experience, living with eczema can be an attack on one’s self-esteem and often changes our self-perception, no matter the age. Eczema can cause self-doubt based on how you believe others view the condition and can give you a flawed sense of reality. It means wearing long sleeves, turtlenecks and pants in the summertime so the dark, distorted skin on my neck, inner folds of my elbow and behind my knees can’t be seen, creating a groundswell of moments I feel I need to lock myself in the house. It means having a dark, irritated ring around my mouth while working in customer service, trying to “look the part” when I felt like a beast. In my worst days, I’d call out to avoid the potential of being unpleasant.

I’ve lived with eczema my entire childhood, through parts of my adulthood, and having the constant need to claw at your own skin is one of the worst feelings. The worst of my bout with eczema was in adolescence and came with a constant uneasiness, hoping that none of my friends or others could see just how bad it was.

Having had eczema in noticeable areas and having to find ways of covering it up also brought about severe anxiety. For me, it triggers a feeling of not wanting to be around people or in social situations due to the noticeable change in appearance and constantly needing to pick at the irritation. Mentally, having a condition like eczema can make others see you as dirty or unkempt, although chances are people who have it are constantly washing to keep the skin moist or maybe just hoping it goes down the drain.

While there are many different remedies, from holistic to over-the-counter and prescription medicines, those of us living with the condition have a never-ending period of trial and error to try to find a treatment that works. I have tried many holistic and prescription treatments that seemed to exacerbate my eczema and further irritate my skin. I have also tried and failed with many over-the-counter topical creams that did absolutely nothing as well.

Going through so many different options that seemed to have worked so well for others can also cause someone to grapple with depression. The reality is there is no one cure, and everyone has a different experience with their eczema. One person’s eczema may be due to dietary allergies, while another may be due to weather conditions or irritants in their laundry detergent. It is not a cut-and-dry solution, and it has to be treated based on the individual.

As a 38-year-old adult, my body will start to itch or irritate almost instantaneously at the slightest use of the wrong soap or detergent, dairy, and even too much sugar in my diet. I spent years having to investigate what exactly was exacerbating my condition versus everything that I was seeing online. Thanks to these efforts, eczema hasn’t plagued me for many years.

As society begins to move into an era when we acknowledge those who live with skin conditions, it’s important that body image is not seen as a linear ideology. Most people who live with conditions like eczema cannot cover the condition with makeup or certain fabrics due to the irritation that erupts from the skin at contact.

By affirming the beauty of imperfection, it gives hope to the many who are living in the shadows. We shouldn’t have to live in fear that we are not good enough or attractive enough, or that we’re in some way cursed because we have anything other than the radiant, glowing skin that’s often advertised as the ideal. Even as those of us with eczema seek treatments and relief, we should all remember that beautiful skin doesn’t have to equal perfect skin. Imperfections are beautiful and worthy too.

Before you go, read about these celebs who’ve shared their health issues to end stigma:

It's Time to Get as Much Plastic Out of Your Life as Possible

Erika Janes — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 04:01:00 +0000

Most people don’t realize it, but those plastics clogging our waterways and littering our roads and parks, blowing through our skies, and trapping ocean creatures are made up of thousands of toxic chemicals that harm our health, our children’s health, and the health of all the creatures who get tangled up in plastic, or unwittingly eat it or breath it. We have plastics in our lungs, in our brains, in our blood. Nowadays, babies are born polluted with plastics. As one public health researcher, Dr. Leo Trasande, put it during a recent summit Moms Clean Air Force hosted, Plastics: A Health Crisis in Plain Sight, there is basically no health concern, from cancer to chronic diseases, that isn’t linked to or worsened by plastics. He even mentioned new research tying plastics to heart and arterial problems.

I listened as Dr. Shanna Swan described her decades of studies that show that endocrine disrupters (which mess with our hormone systems) in plastics, in pesticides, in soil and in our food may be associated with a global decline in sperm count that shows no sign of leveling off. Dr. Swan recounted an exchange she had during an interview with Joe Rogan — because, of course, the bros would care deeply about sperm count, as they should: “Joe Rogan said, ‘Do you mean the toxics we put into the environment are endangering the future of the human race? Why don’t people know about this?’” Swan went on to explain that she now considers it a vital part of her work to inform and educate the millions of people who have never heard of this problem. “They have no idea they are being poisoned.”

We should be freaking out. And we should also be angry. And then we should use all that energy to make some serious changes. Lots of “should” in those lines. But you know what? If we don’t demand change, it isn’t going to happen.

First, and please, do try this at home: Get as much plastic out of your lives as possible. Being a mom and a grandmother, the first thing I did was email my two sons about our summit. Now, let me admit: I proceed with caution on these kinds of alerts. It is hard enough being a young parent, holding down a job, trying to get through every day, without your mom calling you to say, “You cannot believe what I have learned about plastics — and you have to get rid of it! All of it!” It causes anxiety, to say the least. Well, it makes me anxious too. So, I did the old Mom Calculation… Which is more caring: to say nothing or to say something? I emailed them. (Honestly, I’m not the ‘stay silent’ type.)

I also called my friend and colleague, Lexy Zissu, an expert on getting toxic chemicals out of your life who has written six books, including The Complete Organic Pregnancy and Planet Home. Lexy always has solid advice on where to get the latest science on plastic danger. She referred me to Amy Ziff’s organization: MadeSafe: Made with Safe Ingredients. There’s also the Environmental Working Group, which does a great job of compiling ingredients and listing and rating products.

One large area of concern that caught my attention: Phthalates, chemicals added to plastics to increase their flexibility, durability, and transparency. You will find them in your house in carpeting, PVC piping, vinyl cladding, and other things, but they are also used in nail polish, moisturizers, eye shadows, liquid soaps, and perfumes. Small amounts, sure, but we are exposed every single day, for years, until we are no longer talking about inconsequential exposures. And we’re exposed to many kinds of these chemicals mixed together, too, changing and amplifying their impact. That’s why more companies are advertising phthalate-free shampoos and clothes detergents, for instance. Buy them.

Bottom line: get as much plastic out of your life as possible. We know it is next to impossible to get it all out. But keep those plasticizers off your skin, keep those plastics off food, transfer cheese and chickens and whatever else to glass, and please don’t microwave food in plastic containers. Don’t buy peanut butter in plastic jars — here’s a big thank you, Smuckers! for those beautiful, classic glass jars. Use loose tea steeped in stainless steel infusers. Get your kids into cotton or bamboo sleeping clothes — not fleece (made of plastic) — and get plastic, a.k.a. polyester, a plastic polymer derived from petroleum, out of your bedding. We breathe in microplastics all the time, especially if we are babies crawling around on polyester carpets, or kids playing on plastic turf, or if we are working in beauty salons. Just for instance.

There’s tons of guidance available, and once you start noticing exactly how plastic creeps into your life, you will be amazed at how much you can control.

But here’s my second and bigger takeaway from learning about how much toxic chemicals are in our stuff: Moms must double down on demanding that the people who make the products we buy, the people who sell our stuff, and the people whose job it is to protect us from dangerous chemicals, get to work! They are going to have a long road ahead, rebuilding our trust in the safety of the things we bring into our homes, slather on our bodies, and on our babies’ bodies, and cook in and, well, what part of life isn’t touched by plastics and the petrochemicals that make plastic? Even the air we breathe, because petrochemical plants are emitting some of the worst pollutants around. After listening to the scientists on stage, any trust between consumers and manufacturers should be entirely broken — and it will be, once millions of people understand how bad things have become. And that’s part of my job. Making sure people get the news.

Each scientist and public health expert on our panels agreed that we know enough, we have enough research, to know that we have a serious problem and that we have to demand change. “Scientists need to get off the speedbump of uncertainty and get behind what you know morally is where we need to go,” Robin Morris Collins, a former EPA advisor, told the summit audience.

But right now, instead of the industry vowing to clean up its pollution, the petrochemical and plastics lobbyists want to get around the Biden-era rules that require facilities to monitor their toxic pollution and to limit the release of potent carcinogens, reproductive toxicants, and other hazardous air pollutants — chemicals such as benzene, ethylene oxide, and 1,3 butadiene. We have an EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin doing everything he can to weaken protections against air pollution.

We have to believe: our voices matter. It matters to call Target, Walmart, Costco, and anywhere else you shop, and demand that they buckle down on requiring that manufacturers use safe chemicals. It matters to call your lawmaker and demand that they fight against what this EPA is undoing. These companies don’t want or need the bad PR. And we are the public in those relations, so we have to raise our voices. It matters to join your neighbors in fighting against the pollution coming from nearby chemical plants. All of it matters, but only if we all believe we matter enough to get off the speed bumps that keep us from heading as rapidly as possible to safety.

Katie Couric Reveals She’s Convinced One Star to Get a Colonoscopy & Is Still Battling To Get Another to Do It

Delilah Gray — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 23:39:20 +0000

Katie Couric is committed to raising awareness about colon cancer — and that includes convincing anyone she can to have a colonoscopy when they hit 45. As the Today alum revealed at the SHE Media Co-Lab @ SXSW last weekend that includes big names like Jimmy Kimmel and, she hopes, Kevin Hart.

While speaking with doctors and industry experts on the topic of gut health and the rise of colon cancer in young adults, Couric told the audience that she’s “done everything I can” in recent years to encourage people to get screened for colon abnormalities and cancer. That included “getting an on-air colonoscopy on the Today show back in the year 2000, which resulted in a 20 percent increase in colonoscopies nationwide, which was so gratifying,” Couric recalled. “In the years since, I tried to keep this issue on the front burner. I took Jimmy Kimmel to get a colonoscopy a few years ago. I’m trying to get Kevin Hart to let me take him this year because he just turned 45 and he hasn’t gotten back to me yet.”

It’s a project Couric is passionate about for a touching reason. The former Today anchor lost her first husband, Jay Monahan, to colon cancer in 1998, when he was just 42 years old. In the decades since, Couric has dedicated herself to raising awareness about colon cancer and encouraging others (including celebrities!) to get screened.

Jimmy Kimmel, Kevin Hart ABC via Getty Images

A colonoscopy is a procedure that uses an endoscope to examine the large intestine, or colon, to look for anything unusual like growths or polyps, which could be a sign of health issues like colon cancer.

Per Yale Medicine, “The American Cancer Society and U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommend that people between the ages of 45 and 75 who are at average risk for colorectal cancer undergo regular screening tests for colorectal cancer,” so your mid-forties are the age to get it done.

While gut health is a big buzzword in the wellness world these days, it’s important to remember that taking care of your digestive system isn’t just about eating probiotic-rich foods and plenty of fiber. You also want to pay attention to any unusual digestive symptoms (think: a change in bowel habits, blood in your stool, and discomfort in your belly, per Mayo Clinic) and stay on top of important screenings like colonoscopies. Hopefully, Couric can get celebs like Hart to do the same.

14 Celebrities Who've Opened Up About Trying Ayahuasca

Delilah Gray — Sat, 08 Mar 2025 17:10:24 +0000

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Chances are, you’ve heard about Ayahuasca and how it gives people the wildest drug trips that can, potentially, change the course of their lives. But did you know that quite a few celebrities have tried Ayahuasca and shared their experiences? Before we get into what celebrities have said about their Ayahuasca journeys, though, we need to talk about what it even is — and why it’s so polarizing.

Ayahuasca is a type of brew made from hallucinogenic ingredients and plants, typically including the Psychotria viridis shrub, per Healthline. While Ayahuasca is illegal in the United States, it’s used for spiritual, religious, and ceremonial purposes by numerous tribes in North and South America.

So what happens when you take Ayahuasca? Experiences can really vary. By that, we mean that someone can have a trip that’s full of ecstasy, enlightenment, panic, or anxiety — or all of the above.

Vomiting and diarrhea are normal parts of the experience, which can last up to six hours. However, some people find Ayahuasca to be helpful with mental health conditions and general well-being. In fact, in 2022, a group of scholars did a study via survey and discovered that respondents who regularly used Ayahuasca displayed lower levels of anxiety.

However, with such high highs come some serious lows. Along with vomiting, diarrhea, and potential paranoia, some people have reported that Ayahuasca can worsen certain mental disorders, and some research has found that it can cause cardiac issues. There have also been several reports of death during an Ayahuasca ceremony, though “there has never been a death observed during a clinical study,” researchers noted in one 2018 paper. In other cases, Ayahuasca has been blamed for a death that occurred after the ceremony, sometimes long after — as in the case of one celebrity ahead.

Many celebrities who’ve had Ayahuasca experiences talk about both the good and the bad, but all of them have stressed that their experiences took place either abroad or with a tribe doing a ceremony. Ahead, these stars’ stories show just how wide the range of experiences on Ayahuasca can be, from scary to confusing to life-changing.

Brooke Shields’ Doctor Once ‘Refused’ To Give Her an X-Ray: 'They Thought I Was Just Being Hysterical'

Maggie Ryan — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 22:27:54 +0000

It’s not always easy to advocate for yourself in the doctor’s office. If you’re someone who dreads asking your doctor a question or has swallowed your concerns once or twice, just know you’re far from alone — Brooke Shields has been there too.

“I asked for an X-ray in a hospital once, and it just was refused to me,” Shields told SheKnows ahead of her appearance at Flow Space presents An Evening with Brooke Shields. Describing the interaction, Shields recalled asking for the X-ray — “I would like one please” — and the healthcare provider saying no. “They said, ‘Well, we gave you one.’ I said, ‘Well, give me another one.'”

Turns out, Shields’ concerns were valid. “My bone had popped completely off a metal device, and they thought I was just being hysterical,” she recalled, then joked, “I said, ‘if you want me to be hysterical, I’m an actress, I can totally deliver!'”

Shields’ frustration stems from knowing that “women’s pain is judged differently,” she explains. “Especially women of color, they’re not taken as seriously.” She also pointed out the obsession with “fixing” women, something Shields experienced when she was given an additional procedure during a labial reduction. As Shields described in her new memoir, Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman, per an excerpt shared with Flow Space, she came out of surgery to the male surgeon telling her about the additional, unauthorized surgery: “I tightened you up a little bit! Gave you a little rejuvenation!”

The traumatic experience left Shields in shock. Years later, she decided to share it in her book — knowing the salacious headlines that would come as a result — because of the dire need to confront stigma around women’s health and the shame and fear that comes with speaking up for yourself in healthcare settings. “When I really looked at the story and the importance of advocating for yourself medically—and how we’re not taught to do that as women—it was clear it needed to be in the book,” Shields told Flow Space. “We’re not taught to ask too many questions, and I think that needs to change.”

These days, Shields isn’t afraid to speak up in the doctor’s office. “I feel more proactive in my healthcare now,” she tells SheKnows. “I feel not embarrassed that I don’t know something, or I don’t feel difficult if I have more than one question.”

She said some of that comes from feeling empowered by different doctors, “who have encouraged me to ask questions and [who] say, ‘Is there anything else that you need to know about this?'” Shields is aware of how difficult it can be to have those conversations, and not just because you have to work up the courage to start them. “Not everybody can spend an hour with their health care provider and get into the weeds with it all,” she explains, “but it’s [the doctor’s] responsibility to educate us more so that we can be proactive in the future.”

For Shields, her experience getting a cone biopsy when she was younger — a procedure to remove per-cancerous tissue from the cervix — had long-lasting effects she wasn’t made aware of going in. Per People, the biopsy left scar tissue that would make it harder for her to have children.

“I was happy to be cancer free,” Shields reflects now. “But had I known that it would have been so difficult for me to conceive, I would have taken steps earlier.”

And when it comes to the idea of “fixing” women’s bodies, especially with procedures they didn’t ask for, Shields has something to say about that too. “I didn’t think I was broken,” she says, “so I don’t really think I need fixing.”

Before you go, read up on other celebrities who’ve spoken out about their health journeys:

Kate Middleton Reveals She's In Remission, Recalling Side Effects From Cancer Treatment: 'Words Just Disappear'

Maggie Ryan — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 18:51:17 +0000

Kate Middleton is in remission from cancer, she revealed on Instagram today, and is taking the opportunity to reflect on the side effects she experienced during treatment.

“It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focussed on recovery,” Kate wrote on Instagram, in a post thanking the Royal Marsden hospital in London “for looking after me so well during the past year.” Kate went on to thank “all those who have quietly walked alongside William and me as we have navigated everything.”

She stressed that she’s still in a period of transition. “As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal,” Kate explained. “I am however looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead. There is much to look forward to.”

The Princess of Wales has largely kept her cancer battle private since sharing her diagnosis in March 2024, following a 14-day stay in the hospital for abdominal surgery. While visiting the Royal Marsden on Tuesday, Middleton spoke more candidly about the details of her treatment, including the side effects she didn’t expect.

“You think treatment’s finished, crack on with that… daily tasks, but that’s still like a real challenge,” Kate said while speaking with staff, according to the Daily Mail. “And talking… the words totally disappear… understanding that as a patient, yes there are side effects around treatment, but actually there are more long-term side effects.”

When speaking with patients, Kate referenced “the resilience you need to get through” cancer and treatment. “It’s to keep coming back….to be as positive as you are,” Kate added. “The treatments are really so different and so varied, it impacts families differently.” She also noted one piece of advice she’d gotten during treatment: “Everyone said to me, ‘please keep a positive mindset, it makes such a difference.'”

Though Kate hasn’t spoken much about her cancer journey, she described it as an “incredibly tough” experience in a video posted in September. “Life as you know it can change in an instant and we have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown,” she said at the time. Kate also called cancer “complex, scary, and unpredictable,” adding that it “brings you face to face with your own vulnerabilities.”

Throughout her journey, the Princess of Wales has spoken of the importance of staying positive and thanked the public for all the support she’s received; now, it seems she’s looking to pay that support forward in her role. “My hope is, that by supporting groundbreaking research and clinical excellence, as well as promoting patient and family wellbeing, we might save many more lives, and transform the experience of all those impacted by cancer,” she wrote.

Before you go, read about other stars who’ve spoken up about their health issues:

7 Ways to Stay Hydrated That Aren't Just Plain Water

Maggie Ryan — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 22:23:29 +0000

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We’ve all heard about how important it is to prioritize our water intake, but on a hot summer (or dry winter!) day, you probably need even more H2O than you think. That’s not great news for those of us who aren’t fans of plain old water to begin with, but never fear — there are plenty of great hydration drinks available that do the trick just as well, if not better.

When you’re searching for a great hydration drink that isn’t water, it’s all about electrolytes, vitamins, and nutrients — and keeping the added sugar to a minimum. When you head down the beverages aisle, start by flipping over different drinks to get a look at the ingredients label. The fewer ingredients you see — and the more you can actually read and understand — the better.

Another option? Making your own hydration drinks, whether in a smoothie, juicer, or tea kettle. We’ve got plenty of recommendations (and a couple recipes!) below. But first, a reminder of why these hydration drinks and staying hydrated, in general, are so critical to your health any time of year.

Why Is Hydrating So Important?

“Your body is about 60 percent water, and during the summer months, we are constantly sweating and exerting energy,” registered dietitian Vanessa Rissetto, CEO of Culina Health, tells SheKnows. “If we aren’t properly hydrated we could end up in the hospital with dehydration, fatigue, and even heat stroke.”

“Water is important for just about every function and system in our body, from digestion to brain health,” adds registered dietitian Kaytee Hadley. That’s why symptoms of dehydration can vary so widely, she tells SheKnows; you might feel fatigued and have brain fog, or be experiencing muscle cramps or constipation. All of which is enough of a reason to keep pushing those fluids all summer (and all year) long, but the truth is, sometimes flavorless water does get a bit boring. So how do you stay hydrated without drinking water — plain ol’ unflavored water, that is?

We decided to ask the experts. Keep reading for other ways to stay hydrated besides drinking water, including the best hydrating drinks to sip when you’re feeling parched.

Plant waters

Coconut, maple, and cactus water are often touted as being hydrating and a better choice than sports drinks. These trendy drinks may have some benefits, but depending on your goals, you may want to consume them sparingly. “Coconut water is extremely hydrating but quite high in carbs and sugar, so it’s best to drink it in moderation,” says Jason Kozma, a celebrity personal trainer based in Santa Monica. And while maple syrup has a lower glycemic index than your typical granulated sugar, per the Cleveland Clinic (meaning it won’t cause as much of a spike in your blood sugar), it’s still “just a natural sugar,” Kozma says, “and there’s nothing special about it” in terms of helping with hydration.

Cactus water still has skeptics as well. Though the Mayo Clinic reports that there is research suggesting it can mitigate some of the effects of a hangover, it may still be too soon to label it a superfood. Still, if you particularly love one of these options and it helps you stay hydrated, go for it — just in moderation.

Infused water

Infused waters are a great, hydration-forward alternative to coconut, maple, or cactus water, and easy to make on your own, Kozma says. “Just add lemon, lime, mint, or watermelon for a refreshing combination,” he explains.

Hadley recommends this option too. “Make your own fancy ‘spa water’ by adding your favorite combination of fruit, cucumber, mint leaves, or basil to a pitcher of water,” she says. “Keep it in the fridge overnight and enjoy over the next one to three days.”

Iced tea or iced coffee

Caffeinated tea or coffee as a hydration drink? Yes, it’s true: these hot-weather staples can be great sources of antioxidants when freshly brewed, but some of us skip it because caffeine is often touted as a diuretic. Well, good news, because “this myth has been debunked,” says Tina Martini, fitness trainer, chef, and author of Delicious Medicine: The Healing Power of Food. Caffeinated beverages only have this diuretic effect — meaning they make you urinate more — when consumed in large amounts, Hadley says. “However, caffeinated drinks still have a net hydrating effect,” she explains, “so enjoying that iced latte this summer will, indeed, help you stay hydrated.”

Sports drinks

Athletes rely on sports drinks to help restore their electrolytes — potassium and sodium — lost through perspiration, but most of us won’t need something that hardcore during normal bouts of exercise. Plus, these drinks tend to be filled with things that we just don’t need. “Generally speaking, they contain too many chemicals,” says Martini. “It is better to make your own.” Or, add tiny pinches of pink Himalayan salt to your water. “It gets its color from Astaxanthin, a phytonutrient that removes free radicals from our bloodstream,” says Martini. Here is her healthy, electrolyte-rich hydration spin:

Classic “Greatorade”

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons lime juice

1-2 teaspoons honey, agave, or pure maple syrup

pinch of pink salt

pinch of cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon magnesium powder (if prone to muscle cramping use one teaspoon)

Whisk and enjoy!

Electrolyte Packets

Electrolyte supplements have been growing in popularity recently and there’s some research to suggest the can help athletes stay hydrated while working out. You have a lot of options to choose from, with Nuun tablets and Liquid IV leading the charge, and Rissetto loves the Hydrate + Electrolyte Singles from Laird Superfood. When it comes to hydration, “electrolytes are a good place to start,” she says.

Watermelon (or Watermelon Juice)

Packed with electrolytes, phytonutrients, antioxidants and a healthy dose of vitamin C, watermelon is a refreshing summer fruit that also happens to be 92 percent water — making it not just healthy but hydrating too. It isn’t always ideal to tote a chunk of melon around, but luckily, WTRMLN WTR has managed to squeeze all of its cold-pressed goodness — yes, even the rind! — in a slim bottle. It comes in six flavors and has no added sugars.

You can also get all of watermelon’s benefits from Martini’s post-workout drink aka “shrub.” “Shrubs are old-school drinks that have both a recovery benefit and are just downright refreshing,” says Martini. “They are making a comeback!”

Watermelon Recovery Shrub

1/2 cup coconut water or plain water

1/2 cup organic watermelon cubed, with the white part of rind (cut just the dark green off)

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2-3 mint leaves

1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

pinch pink salt

Blend everything together until smooth and frothy. Serve in a chilled glass.

Vitamin water

Vitamin water is a popular sipper that seems like the perfect beverage, but unfortunatley, it isn’t so. “It is really more of an adult Kool-Aid, plus many of the vitamins are not absorbed into the body,” says Martini. Indulge in fruits and veggies instead, since they’re jam-packed with vitamins and fiber. If you plan on consuming water with added vitamins, make sure to check the labels because the sugar content can be really high.

Hydration tip: Use a straw

Whichever of these refreshing beverages you choose, consider grabbing a reusable or glass straw to sip it through. “Research suggests that drinking through a straw may actually help you consume more fluids without even realizing it,” Hadley says. Summer Stanley cups, anyone?

Adobe Stock / Dirima

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