Empowering Women to Take Charge of Their Health

In the spirit of the 18th annual National Women’s Health Week, we are encouraging women to make all aspects of their health a priority, especially their gastrointestinal health. To that end, we thought it would be beneficial to sit down with our premier female physician Dr. Claudia Barghash to discuss the issues surrounding women and the sensitive subject of digestive care:

Q: What are some of the more common types of gastrointestinal issues you see with female patients?

Dr. Barghash: Yes, some of the more common issues seen include constipation or diarrhea, reflux symptoms, and pelvic floor disorders such as pelvic pain, incontinence and difficult defecation.

Q: Are there special steps women should take when it comes to certain gastrointestinal conditions?

Dr. Barghash: Along with diet, what women can do to decrease common abdominal disorders includes—with our help—educating themselves about healthy lifestyle choices, stress-reduction techniques, and use of some over-the-counter medications, fibers and probiotics.

Q: Do you feel that women are more comfortable seeing a female gastroenterologist for their issues?

Dr. Barghash: Yes, I think women do feel more comfortable discussing their digestive and pelvic issues with a female gastroenterologist. In fact, I think their preference for a female over a male may result in delaying their evaluation and possibly even their colonoscopy screening.

Q: As busy working women, what do you do to stay healthy while on the go?

Dr. Barghash: Indeed, staying healthy with our busy careers and all of our demanding educational, parenting and family needs require finding a subtle balance between life and work. For me, that includes keeping a regular exercise routine two to three times weekly and mindful meditation for a few minutes once or twice daily. It also involves healthy, high-protein snacks and a healthy diet. These are some just some of the ways I stay healthy, happy and highly productive.

We are proud to support Drs. Barghash and National Women’s Health Week. Ladies, get started on a happier, healthier you by scheduling an appointment with our female specialist. Contact Digestive Healthcare Center (DHC) today.