An occasional upset stomach, constipation, heartburn, or diarrhea is likely nothing of concern, says women’s healthcare expert Marla Ahlgrimm. Having a basic understanding about your digestive system – and the things that bother it – is a good first step in understanding your overall health.

How does the digestive system work?

According to Marla Ahlgrimm, the digestive tract includes the mouth, esophagus, small intestine, stomach, colon, rectum, and anus. All digested food and liquid is processed through these organs and either absorbed or eliminated. The liver and the pancreas assist in digestion by producing digestive enzymes that break food into nutrients. The gallbladder stores bile, which helps the liver digest fat.

The nutrition in your food is absorbed into the small intestine and then dispersed throughout the bloodstream. Waste products are expelled from the bowels, says Marla Ahlgrimm.

Common digestive issues

Digestive complaints run the gamut from gas and heartburn to constipation, nausea, and vomiting. Usually temporary, these stomach issues may be caused by certain foods, bacteria, illness, menstruation, or pregnancy. It is important to talk to your doctor if you have issues that persist, as these symptoms could be a sign of a more serious digestive disease.

Digestive issues specific to women

Marla Ahlgrimm explains that certain digestive issues, including IBS and gallstones, are more common in women. Other issues, such as heartburn and reflux, tend to show up during pregnancy.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a group of symptoms which most often present as abdominal pain, discomfort, and bloating. Many women experience constipation; others uncontrollable diarrhea. IBS may be controlled by changes to your diet and over-the-counter fiber supplements.

Gallstones are what Marla Ahlgrimm describes as hardened material – usually cholesterol – stuck in the gallbladder. Women are two times more likely to experience gallstones due to high estrogen levels – especially during and just after pregnancy.

Feet are at the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to women’s health concerns, says Marla Ahlgrimm. The retired women’s healthcare expert insists, however, that our feet are remarkable feats of biological engineering and deserve as much respect, attention, and care as the rest of our bodies.

According to Marla Ahlgrimm, the feet actually account for around 25% of our body’s bone structure. Each foot is comprised of 26 bones, 33 joints, and a vast network of muscles and tendons. Our feet aren’t just a free form of transportation, either. In addition to movement, feet act as shock absorbers and stabilizers for the rest of the body. They endure an enormous amount of pressure each day and shouldn’t be overlooked.

Marla Ahlgrimm offers these tips on foot care:

• Feet should be washed and dried before putting on shoes or socks. This prevents an excess of moisture, which can lead to bacteria and issues such as athlete’s foot.

• Use a daily moisturizing cream if your feet are prone to drying and cracking. Avoid lotion in between the toes since it won’t dry properly.

• Toenails should be cut straight across to avoid ingrowth.

• Rotate your shoes often. Marla Ahlgrimm says it’s best to change shoes every day. Giving your shoes at least 24 hours to dry out between wear helps reduce the risk of foot odor and bacterial problems.

• Wear well-fitting, high-quality shoes. A one dollar pair of flip-flops is not going to provide ample support for the complex mechanisms we call feet. Women shoes are designed to look fashionable and flattering, but often sacrifice practicality and comfort.

• Understand the link between your feet and other health problems. Marla Ahlgrimm says this is especially important for diabetics, who may be at a greater risk of a condition called neuropathy. People with neuropathy lose the sensation in their feet, meaning they are less likely to notice when they have been injured or are experiencing circulatory issues.

Sleeping and sex. These are the only two activities that should happen in the bed, says women’s health expert Marla Ahlgrimm. There is a laundry list of others that should take place only outside the bedroom. The top six are:

1. Watch television

Watching TV until you drift off to sleep is a favorite American pastime, says Marla Ahlgrimm. However, watching television can actually thwart your brain’s melatonin secretion. Melatonin is a hormone that helps the body fall asleep. It’s best to turn off the tube at least 60 minutes before settling in.

2. Check your phone/tablet

Like the television, the light on your phone or tablet can delay sleep. Another caveat to opening Facebook, text messages, and emails is that it can be very tempting to respond, delaying sleep time even further.

3. Eat

According to Marla Ahlgrimm, eating in bed is one of the worst things you can do for your health and hygiene. Crumbs between the sheets act as a beacon for bugs, including ants, flies, and cockroaches. Sweet foods are especially attractive to gnats and other flying pests.

4. Argue

The 10 o’clock hour is not the time to get into a heated discussion with your partner, says Marla Ahlgrimm. Unfortunately, busy schedules often mean nighttime is the first chance couples have to discuss their differences. It’s better to wait until morning, with the bed best left for makeup sex.

5. Work

Working from bed sounds like a dream come true. But, Marla Ahlgrimm warns that plopping your laptop down where you sleep can actually trigger an unconscious association between your bed and work. This can lead to anxiety when trying to count sheep and catch 40 winks.

6. Co-sleep with pets

This hotly debated topic is the most subjective on the list. Marla Ahlgrimm acknowledges that animals absolutely help reduce stress and may even lull an individual to sleep. The issue here arises when pets get up and move throughout the night, which can disrupt sleep patterns and lead to fatigue and mental exhaustion.

Many breast cancer treatments have the unfortunate side effect of causing decreased bone density, explains retired pharmacist and women’s healthcare entrepreneur Marla Ahlgrimm. In the following question-and-answer session, Ahlgrimm discusses the link between breast cancer and bone loss.

Q: What is the relationship between bone loss and breast cancer?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Chemotherapy, surgical removal of the ovaries, and some hormone therapies can impact estrogen levels. You may know that estrogen is important to female reproduction, but it is also the hormone that strengthens bones to reduce the risk of fractures. Less estrogen may put patients at a greater risk for osteoporosis.

Q: How are breast cancer and estrogen interconnected?

Marla Ahlgrimm: A number of breast cancer tumors are estrogen sensitive. This means these tumors flourish when estrogen is present. These estrogen receptor (ER) positive tumors respond to estrogen blocking therapy, which can slow the growth of tumors and help to prevent the return of cancerous cells.

Q: How is breast cancer typically treated?

Marla Ahlgrimm: There are a number of treatments for breast cancer. Treatment choice is based on differing factors that include whether the diseased cells have spread or remain contained in the breasts. Surgical methods remove cancerous tissue while chemotherapy and radiation attack cancer cells. Hormone therapy is used to fight ER positive breast cancer cells and may include aromatase inhibitors, selective estrogen receptor modulators, luteinizing-hormone releasing hormone, and estrogen receptor antagonists.

Q: Is it possible to prevent bone loss when being treated for breast cancer? 

Marla Ahlgrimm: Women being treated for breast cancer with other risk factors, including smoking or alcohol abuse, run a higher risk of osteoporosis. And while some bone mineral density may not be preventable, doctors recommend taking any prescribed medications as directed and getting sufficient amounts of vitamin D to reduce the possibility of bone loss.

If you google “weight loss,” you’ll find everything from sensible information to nonsensical and dangerous diet plans, says women’s healthcare expert Marla Ahlgrimm. According to Ahlgrimm, there is no quick fix to managing one’s weight; it’s about eating right and making healthy diet choices. There are a few eating strategies, however, that are a good stepping point toward reclaiming a lost waistline without resorting to extreme measures or self-deprivation.

The Mediterranean diet

Marla Ahlgrimm explains that a Mediterranean diet is not a typical weight loss diet. Instead, it is an eating plan that mimics the habits of citizens in Greece, southern Italy, Spain, and certain parts of France. Traditional foods in these areas include high fiber bread, plenty of whole grains, healthy fats, fruits, vegetables, beans, and fish. Tree nuts and wine are also consumed while limiting red meat, confections, and soft cheeses.

Reduced carbs

There are dozens of low-carb diet fads lingering on the Internet, reports Marla Ahlgrimm. When handled correctly, a diet with a reduced amount of carbohydrates can lead to weight loss. According to Marla Ahlgrimm, one of the biggest benefits to a low-carb diet is that you don’t typically have to track calories. The biggest change to most people’s diet is limiting bread, potatoes, and pasta. These can be replaced with healthier alternatives without sacrificing culinary satisfaction.

Vegetarianism

Marla Ahlgrimm stresses that protein is essential but says many people can benefit from a vegetarian or vegan diet. Long-term vegetarians may wish to include a B12 supplement to their daily regimen. In lieu of meat, vegetarians can snack on nuts and include beans and nut butters in their daily menu.

A recurrent theme in all healthy meal plans is whole foods. Fruits, vegetables, lean meats, nuts, milk, and other edibles void of chemical processing are easily recognized by the body and utilized as energy instead of being stored as fat.

If you’ve been perusing the Internet for information about hormones that will help keep you young, read on for what women’s health expert Marla Ahlgrimm has to say on the subject.

Q: Is it true that human growth hormone can help me lose weight and reverse the effects of aging? 

Marla Ahlgrimm: Human growth hormone is essential to growth and development. It is a hormone secreted by the pituitary gland and helps children grow taller and decrease infantile body fat. In adults, this is the hormone that stimulates metabolism. There is little evidence to suggest that synthetic human growth hormone – which may be prescribed by a doctor for muscle wasting and other legitimate health concerns – has any benefits for healthy adults.

Q: What are the risks of growth hormone use?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Short-term side effects include swelling of the hands and feet, muscle pain, and joint stiffness. Extended use can lead to heart disease, diabetes, and blood pressure problems. People who inject growth hormone derived from human cadavers put themselves at risk of developing Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a life-threatening brain condition.

Q: DHEA is safe and can increase my energy, right? 

Marla Ahlgrimm: Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a hormone produced in the adrenal glands and is converted by the body into estrogen and testosterone. DHEA may be useful in treating adrenal insufficiency, lupus, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis, Crohn’s disease, infertility, complications with menopause, and obesity. DHEA may also help with weight loss but only under a doctor’s orders and in an appropriate dose. DHEA has been banned by the National Football League, the Olympics, Major League Baseball, and most other mainstream athletic organizations.

Q: How does DHEA affect women?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Women taking DHEA may experience an increase in testosterone which can cause irregular periods, increased facial hair, and acne.