50 Of The Most Influential Women In Health

March 18, 2013 Subscribe · Forward 50 Of The Most Influential Women In Health If you've received a blood transfusion, had lifesaving radiation therapy, experienced a natural birth or even lost weight by counting calories, you have used one of the many health innovations given to us by women in medicine. The history of women in medical professions is a long, not always happy one. In honor of Women's History Month, the Healthy Living staff has been thinking about the accomplishments of women in science. As health journalists, we believe that all doctors and researchers deserve more recognition for their contributions to society. And as women, we can't help but notice that our gender is still treated differently in the sciences -- from colleague discrimination to legislation aimed at lessening the control female patients have over their bodies, it can sometimes feel as though we're living in a previous era. That is, until we realize what previous generations actually went through. Take for example the story of Rosalind Franklin: the geneticist's strides in X-ray photography led to the best images of DNA strands of her era, but coworker Maurice Wilkins shared her images with a competing team at Cambridge, who used it to help solve the mystery of how DNA is structured. It wasn't until decades later that Franklin was recognized for her contribution -- well after her death and after that competing team (along with Wilkins) were awarded the Nobel Prize. Now, we live in a country where half of medical school graduates are women and a country where we value -- have actually written into law -- retelling the accomplishments of women in our own history. So we decided to celebrate by bringing together a list of 50 women who have had the greatest impact in medicine and health research and have, in the process, taught us about our own bodies.  Continue reading... 23 Scientifically-Backed Ways To Reduce Stress Right Now Why It's Good For Your Health To Stop Dwelling On Stress 6 Amazing Reasons To Sleep For Skin Health A Guide To The Shamrock Shake 10 Great Green Superfoods 14 Adults 'Functionally Cured' Of HIV, Study Says A Guide To The Shamrock Shake 11 Ways To De-Stress At Your Desk A Guide To The Shamrock Shake 14 Adults 'Functionally Cured' Of HIV, Study Says 10 Energy-Boosting Foods DR. ANDREW WEIL Breathwalking: A Meditative Exercise Even if you are an experienced seated meditator, you may find value in enlarging your repertoire with a walking practice. You may discover that uniting three rhythms -- stepping, breathing and mental counting -- is the most effective way to calm and redirect a chattering mind. Continue reading... KATE BRATSKEIR 9 & 1/2 Things I'm Not Stressing Over Anymore As a GPS for the Soul editor -- someone who reads, writes, Tweets and preaches about stress management all day -- I have my own tools that work when stress rears its repugnant head. But this doesn't mean I don't stress. Continue reading... JOHN WHYTE, M.D., MPH 6 Smart Ways To Burn Calories Outside Of The Gym You don't necessarily need to go to the gym to lose weight and get healthy. Here are some simple changes we can make today to our daily lives to help burn extra calories without the hassle or anxiety that comes with a gym session. Continue reading... SIMONE N. SNEED 7 Steps To Being More Present If the "new economy" is here to stay, then it is critical for us each to develop an understanding of this question that resonates with our day to day lives. I suggest a personal sequester. Continue reading... MANUEL VILLACORTA Add Purple for Your Health This month, I decided to give the spotlight to purple! Purple foods are packed with antioxidants and phytonutrient flavonoids. Eating these foods will help protect your memory, aid against cancer, protect your heart, prevent inflammation, and slow down signs of aging. Continue reading... Received this from a friend? Sign up for alerts from The Huffington Post here. Unsubscribe here.