“Be Your Best Self” Event
Clinic Sofia is so proud to be working with TeamWomen, a Twin Cities-based leadership organization that brings women together for unique networking and educational events. We recently hosted the first of two “Be Your Best Self” events where Physician Assistant Allie Nowak, Dr. Amy Hammers and Dr. David Clay discussed “common concerns among young professionals.”
“Like Clinic Sofia, TeamWomen empowers women reach their full potential,” said Dr. Deb Krahl, who moderated the May 24th event. “This partnership allows both of our organizations to build and enhance our community of strong, healthy women.”
At the event, Clinic Sofia staff shared valuable tips and insight around topics such as time management, eating healthy, identifying and getting help with mood issues, and how to navigate infertility. Since we know these areas are of interest to our greater Clinic Sofia community, we want to share a few highlights and tips from the event that help all women establish a healthy foundation for success.
Keeping Afloat
Did you know that mood disorders are twice as likely to affect women than men? Dr. Hammers shared important information to help women recognize the signs of depression and anxiety and discussed the types of treatments available.
Signs of depression:
- Sadness
- Irritability
- Poor focus/concentration
- Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities
- Thoughts of harm
- Physical symptoms including: headaches, digestive issues, fatigue/decreased energy, restlessness and poor sleep
Signs of anxiety include:
- Nervousness
- Irritability
- Trouble sleeping
- Elevated heart rate or breathing
- GI problems
- Sense of panic/doom/danger
- Poor concentration
Dr. Hammers also talked about how too often women put off getting help for a variety of reasons—often waiting 9-12 years after start of symptoms before they are properly diagnosed. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, please reach out to your doctor to discuss further.
Managing the Chaos
Allie spoke about the importance of work/life balance and shared actionable steps to help manage the chaos of everyday life. For instance, she suggests carving out time for a morning “beauty routine” that could include daily meditation, yoga, or some time of restorative exercise and reading something inspirational. She also stressed the importance of getting outside and experiencing nature every day.
According to Allie, healthy eating, getting enough sleep and exercising are all critical to boosting energy. And, she suggests women need to go easy on themselves by identifying ways to reduce stress and focusing on self care. Side note: Allie shares more on these topics in her recurring column, “Allie’s Corner” on our website.
Navigating Fertility
Recognizing family planning is a common concern among many young professionals, Dr. Clay led an informative discussion about fertility and how to use ovulatory timing to your advantage when trying to get pregnant. He also addressed the issue of infertility and how it is more common than most would think, affecting 1 in 8 couples.
While he stressed that anyone struggling to get pregnant should consult with their doctor for evaluation, Dr. Clay shared a few “take-home points:”
- Women are most fertile on the day of ovulation
- Fertile window is 6 days leading up to and including ovulation day
- Intercourse is not as effective every day as every other day
Please mark your calendars for the second part of the series, “ Midlife Changes, What’s Next,” which will cover changes in our bodies, families and careers as we advance through life. The event will will take place Sept. 20 at the Minikahda Club. For more information or to register, click here.
