Jo Waters

Living with UTIs
“Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are painful, and can impact your quality of life,” says Dr Ann Nainan, family doctor and Healthily expert. “If you get them over and over again, or they never clear up, they can affect your social, work and love life, not to mention your mental wellbeing.”
Some women say the toll of having recurrent or chronic UTIs isn’t recognised by their employers, friends, family – or even doctors.
If you’re dealing with this situation, knowing you’re not ...

Why aren't there more women in leadership roles in healthcare orgainsations?

Could weight loss pills help you lose weight?
Weight loss /diet pills attract dieters looking for quick fix solutions for their weight problems. Trying and failing to lose weight can be disheartening, so it’s not surprising that so many people are searching for extra help.
Although weight loss injections have been stealing news headlines, other weight loss drugs are available from your doctor – and some of them have been around for a lot longer so have more information about effectiveness. “R...

Why injections for weight loss are an important option
Around the world, more and more people are becoming overweight, obese or seriously obese. And it’s having a dramatic effect on our mental and physical health.
In the US, obesity has become a serious health problem, with 4 in 10 adults now classed as obese – meaning they have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more. In the UK, it’s estimated that 1 in 4 adults are obese.
“Obesity is a risk factor for other health problems, such as high blood...

Do you enjoy an evening run in the park? Or perhaps you’ve joined the growing numbers encouraged by the lighter summer months and the pandemic to swap public transport for a cycle trip to work?
While exercise provides a huge range of benefits for mental and physical health, experts are now urgently warning of the potential risks that running and cycling in polluted areas can cause to heart health.
‘Cycling and running are indisputably good for your health. But at high intensity and in pollute...

article on air pollution and heart health

“Being female means you’re about 10 times more likely to get a thyroid condition,” says Dr Ann Nainan, family doctor and Healthily expert.
Research shows that about 1 in 8 females will get a thyroid problem at some point. So it’s a good idea for women to know the facts (check out our thyroid problems guide) and share their experiences.
Why sharing thyroid stories and tips can help
“thyroid problems can be easy to mistake for other issues,” says Dr Ann. For example, weight gain and low mood li...

Why women need to know about trichomoniasis
Never heard of trichomoniasis? You’re not alone. But here’s why it should be on your radar – women are way more likely to be diagnosed with this STD than men. In fact, 2018 figures found that of the 2.6 million infections diagnosed in people aged 15 to 59 years old in the US, 2.1 million of those were in women.
Why the difference? Research shows that it may be down to biological differences between how men and women respond to the infection and also...

What is HPV?
HPV stands for ‘human papillomavirus’. It’s the name for a group of more than 200 viruses that infect humans. So how many people have HPV? It’s very widespread, with an estimated 79 million Americans infected.
“Most people with HPV won’t even know they’ve been infected,” says Dr Ann Nainan, family doctor and Healthily expert. So how can you protect yourself against these silent viruses, which can cause genital warts and, in rarer cases, some cancers? Here’s everything you need to...

STD test results – an emotional rollercoaster
Finding out you have an STD can bring up lots of different emotions. “You may be shocked, have a lot of questions, feel relieved that you can now get treatment, or even feel scared or ashamed,” says Dr Ann Nainan, Healthily expert. Everyone will go through different emotions but as there still can be stigma attached to STDs – particularly for women – and it’s important that any feelings of shame don’t get in the way of seeking the help and support...

Why injections for weight loss are an important option
Around the world, more and more people are becoming overweight, obese or seriously obese. And it’s having a dramatic effect on our mental and physical health.
In the US, obesity has become a serious health problem, with 4 in 10 adults now classed as obese – meaning they have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more. In the UK, it’s estimated that 1 in 4 adults are obese.
“Obesity is a risk factor for other health problems, such as high blood...

How do women cope with headaches and migraines? 7 women tell us about their symptoms and how they treat everything from tension headaches to migraine attacks
Medically reviewed
In this article
Tension headaches
Hormonal headaches
Migraines
Cluster headaches
What it feels like to have headaches
We all know what a headache feels like as they’re so common - but what is it like to cope with hormonal headaches, severe headaches(migraines) or cluster headaches?
Healthily clinical adviser Dr Ann Nai...

Why women need to fight back against chlamydia
Chlamydia is the most common STD in the US, with 1.5 million cases diagnosed every year. Yet between 70% and 90% of women who catch it have no symptoms so they don’t even know they’ve been infected.
“Just because most women don’t get symptoms, that doesn’t mean you can ignore it. Chlamydia can cause long term health problems for women including fertility issues and chronic pain if you don’t get it diagnosed and treated with antibiotics. Meanwhile...

Why it’s time to talk frankly about painful periods
Periods can be a monthly drag, forcing many women to cope with symptoms including painful cramps, heavy bleeding, irregular cycles, acne flares, mood swings and even hormonal headaches.
“On average, you'll have your period for 2,535 days of your life – so it’s a big part of your health and wellbeing,” says Dr Ann Nainan, family doctor and Healthily expert. “Of course, not everyone gets period problems – but if you do, they can start to domin...

What’s it like to be told you have sexually transmitted disease (STD)? Read real-life experiences from women, including how they felt when they found out and broke the news to partners, and how they came to terms with it.
Being diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease (STD) – also known as a sexually transmitted infection (STI) – can come as a huge shock. You might have had no symptoms, or never thought you were at risk as you’ve only been with one partner.
“It can be scary and isolating...