It’s the third leading cause of death for females, but only number five on the list for males.

This is partly because strokes tend to be more lethal when they strike later in life, and women generally live longer than men; nearly half of the strokes in women happen after the age of 80.

But there are other factors, including:

• Postmenopausal changes such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes all increase the risk of vascular diseases.
• Preeclampsia, a blood pressure disorder associated with pregnancy, can lead to haemorrhage or ischemic damage even years later.
• Problems with blood vessels in the brain, such as aneurysms, are more likely to affect women.
• Migraines with aura – recurring headaches often accompanied by visual flashes, blind spots or tingling, often brought on by hormonal fluctuations.
• High blood pressure can be brought on by hormonal changes due to pregnancy, birth control pills or falling oestrogen levels after menopause. Black women are at particular risk.
• Atrial fibrillation – rapid or irregular heartbeat – is more common in women because of hormonal reasons and their longevity.

A stroke happens when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked, or a vessel bursts, which starves the brain cells of oxygen.

It becomes fatal if the brain becomes completely deprived of oxygen and can no longer regulate bodily functions such as breathing or heart rate. It can also lead to facial drooping, arm weakness and speech difficulties; recovery can take weeks, months or years. Some patients face permanent disabilities.

Stroke is usually the first cardiovascular disease to appear in women – as opposed to men, for whom coronary heart disease is more common.

Symptoms can appear suddenly and are often mistaken for something else, so health experts use the acronym FAST:

• Face weakness: one side of your face falls and it is difficult to smile.
• Arm weakness: it’s difficult to lift both arms and keep them in place.
• Speech problems: you’re slurring your words
• Time to call 911.

Other symptoms include feeling weak or numb down one side of your body, blurred vision, loss of sight in an eye, confusion and memory loss, feeling dizzy, sick or nauseous.

Stroke care in Bermuda has improved since the Bermuda Hospitals Board’s Primary Stroke Care Centre established a partnership with Johns Hopkins International seven years ago.

Local doctors have focused on prevention and early treatment. More than 400 patients were treated for stroke in the past two years, many of whom received a new and effective clot-busting medication, while their medical history, blood count and imagery is also considered.

Women can reduce their chances of stroke by:

• Monitoring blood pressure. There are often no symptoms for hypertension, so get it checked out frequently.
• Adopt the Mediterranean diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. Reduce salt.
• Exercise regularly. Doctors recommend at least 2½ hours of moderate activity such as brisk walking per week.
• Quit smoking and drink alcohol in moderation.
• Monitor diabetes and high cholesterol.
• Reduce stress.
• Discuss any specific risk factors with your doctor, such as pregnancy, menopause or migraines with aura.

Sources for this article include Stroke Association UK, NHS, Harvard Health, Office on Women’s Health in the United States.

The post When it comes to strokes, act FAST appeared first on RG Magazines.

The condition causes bones to become weaker and more fragile over time, increasing the risk of breaks, particularly in the hip, spine and wrist.

As bones lose strength, even a relatively minor fall can lead to a fracture — something healthy bones would normally withstand. While osteoporosis can affect both men and women, women face a much higher risk, especially after menopause.

According to Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre, women are four times more likely than men to develop osteoporosis, particularly after menopause, when falling levels of oestrogen accelerate bone loss.

Screening to assess bone health is available through the charity’s bone densitometry service, which has been offered for more than two decades. The test, often referred to as a bone mineral density or DXA scan, measures the strength of bones and helps doctors determine a person’s risk of osteoporosis and fractures.

Health professionals say early detection is important because osteoporosis can progress for years without symptoms. The Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre notes that bone density testing can identify bone loss before a fracture occurs, allowing patients and their doctors to take steps to protect bone health and reduce future risk.

Hormonal change

Understanding how osteoporosis develops can also help people take steps to prevent it. Bone is living tissue that is constantly renewing itself. In childhood and early adulthood, the body builds bone faster than it breaks it down, allowing bone strength to increase and usually reach its peak by the late twenties or early thirties.

It’s after that point that the balance gradually shifts and bone loss begins to occur. Hormones play a key role in that process, particularly oestrogen, which helps maintain bone density. When oestrogen levels fall during menopause, the rate of bone loss speeds up significantly.

That hormonal change is one of the main reasons women are more likely to develop osteoporosis later in life. The years immediately following menopause, especially, are often when bone loss happens most rapidly.

Risk can also vary among different ethnic groups. Research has shown that White and Asian women tend to have higher rates of osteoporosis, partly because they generally have lower average bone density and smaller body frames. Black women typically have higher bone mineral density and therefore a lower overall risk, although the condition can still occur.

Other factors can also increase the likelihood of developing osteoporosis. The Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre notes that people may be at higher risk if they have a family history of osteoporosis or fractures, smoke, have a low body weight or have taken certain medications — such as long-term steroids — that can affect bone health.

Because the disease develops slowly, it often goes unnoticed until a fracture occurs. A minor fall can suddenly result in a broken wrist, while spinal fractures may happen gradually, causing back pain, loss of height or a stooped posture over time.

A bone density scan can help identify those risks early. The test is quick, painless and non-invasive. During the scan, a patient lies on a table while a scanning arm passes over the body, usually measuring bone density in the hip and spine. The procedure takes only a few minutes and uses a very low level of radiation.

The results are then sent to a patient’s physician, who can determine whether bone density falls within a healthy range or whether osteoporosis or osteopenia — the earlier stage of bone loss — may be present.

Screening is often recommended for women around the time of menopause, although doctors may also suggest testing earlier for people with additional risk factors.

Prevention

While ageing and menopause are unavoidable, there are many steps people can take to maintain stronger bones. Diet plays an important role. Calcium is essential for bone health and can be found in foods such as milk, yoghurt, cheese and leafy green vegetables. Almonds, tofu and fish such as sardines and salmon are also good sources.

Vitamin D is equally important because it helps the body absorb calcium effectively. Sunlight is a natural source, while oily fish, egg yolks and fortified foods can also contribute to vitamin D intake. In some cases, doctors may recommend supplements.

Regular exercise can also help maintain bone density. Weight-bearing activities such as walking, jogging, dancing or tennis stimulate bone formation and help slow bone loss. Strength training is beneficial as well, as stronger muscles help support bones and improve balance.

Lifestyle choices can make a difference too. Smoking has been linked to faster bone loss, while excessive alcohol consumption can interfere with the body’s ability to absorb calcium and maintain healthy bone tissue.

For people diagnosed with osteoporosis, treatment options are available that can help slow bone loss and reduce the risk of fractures. Doctors may prescribe medications that slow the breakdown of bone or encourage new bone formation, often alongside lifestyle changes such as improved nutrition and exercise.

Simple changes — such as improving lighting at home, removing trip hazards and wearing supportive footwear — can also help reduce the risk of falls.

Although osteoporosis is common, health professionals say it is not an inevitable part of ageing. With awareness, screening and healthy lifestyle habits, many people can protect their bone health and reduce the risk of fractures later in life.

Paying attention to bone health around the time of menopause can be especially important. Early screening and preventive steps can help ensure that the “silent disease” does not go unnoticed until it is too late.

Sources for this article included Bermuda Cancer and Health, Bermuda Hospitals Board and the International Osteoporosis Foundation.

The post The hidden risk to women’s bones appeared first on RG Magazines.

But in a climate like Bermuda’s it is more than just cosmetics – it’s your body’s first line of defence against bacteria, viruses, pollution and UV exposure and essential to maintaining healthy, resilient skin.

RG Best Health spoke with Gladys Nanud, the owner of Fresh Aura Bermuda, specialising in Korean skincare products, for advice on keeping skin calm, hydrated and protected.

What is healthy skin?

“Good skin care is not about beauty – it is about confidence and how people show up in their daily lives,” Ms Nanud said.

“So, for me, healthy skin is skin that is balanced, hydrated, calm and protected.

“There is a lot of hype on social media surrounding products that claim to make your skin glow, but truly healthy skin is not about how much it glows. It’s skin that has a strong skin barrier – skin that can handle Bermuda’s harsh environment without constantly reacting.”

Choosing products

Your skin type changes as you age so it’s essential that you understand what your skin needs now, to select the right products.

Teenagers typically need products designed for oil and acne control, adults often have to address hydration and pigmentation issues, while mature skin often requires ingredients that repair barrier damage and support declining levels of collagen.

“There are so many products on the market that claim to improve your skin that people get overwhelmed and often inadvertently use the wrong products in ways that they were never intended,” Ms Nanud said.

“Acne, for example, can be caused by a variety of fungal, hormonal and lifestyle factors. If you are prone to breakouts, you need to improve your skin barrier by calming the skin and soothing redness before you can successfully work on clearing up the acne itself.”

Healthy skin maintenance tips

• You can have sensitive skin at any age – particularly if you are pregnant or undergoing certain medical treatments. The harsh ingredients in many products can worsen dryness, redness and irritation.
• There is no excuse for not using sunscreen – not only does it protect against harmful pollution and UV rays, but it also helps slow the aging process.
• A good quality sunscreen product is one that absorbs easily and contains antioxidant, hydration and barrier repair ingredients.
• Always start with clean skin. Use the right amount of a product at the right point in your skin care regime in the manner it was intended. Retinol, for example, works best when used sparingly at night; using too much just increases the chances of dryness and irritation.
• Ask for advice. The key to long-term skin protection in Bermuda’s climate is to use the correct products for your situation.
• Consistency is key. Any skin care regime will work better if you apply products in the correct order on a consistent basis.
• Be patient Skin barrier repair takes time. It may take several weeks or longer to achieve results depending on the state of your skin.

An investment in long-term health

In a place where sun and salt are part of daily life, informed, consistent skincare is one of the smartest gifts you can give yourself.

With the right guidance, a simple routine and a measure of patience, it is possible to cut through the noise and make choices that don’t just protect you from the elements – they also boost your confidence and sense of wellbeing. 

For more information, call 799-2176 or visit www.freshaurabda.com

The post Skin care made simple appeared first on RG Magazines.

Dr Jessica Gordon said AI has ramped up expectations over what girls think they should look like via pervasive platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube.

“Probably our biggest concern today is social media usage, and I think it impacts girls differently to boys,” said Dr Gordon, a senior counselling psychologist at Solstice.

“Boys are on social media too, but I think girls are more influenced because of the way society looks at girls and treats girls.

“There are major concerns around body image. When I was a teenager, you were seeing a lot of airbrushed images in magazines. Now there’s a lot of AI-enhanced imaging on social media.

“An adult can look at an image and think, that’s airbrushed, that’s not real, but girls don’t have that understanding yet. When girls and teenagers look at these AI-enhanced images, they can’t always tell what’s real and what’s not.”

Dr Gordon said girls are flooded with social media videos about how to be “this perfect way” and they often “tear themselves apart” over minute details.

She said: “They compare themselves to what they see on social media, and they don’t realise that it’s often unattainable.

“Girls follow makeup tutorials or eyebrow tutorials on YouTube. Suddenly, it’s not just their weight that’s a concern – it’s their eyebrows and their fingernails and their eyelashes. I would never have picked on those as a teenager.

“Teenagers are going through all sorts of emotional, hormonal and physical changes, and so they’re more susceptible to this.

“It all breeds a feeling of, ‘I’m not good enough, I’m ugly, no one likes me, no one’s going to like me if I don’t do these things.’”

No local figures are available on the issues, but Dr Gordon said her anecdotal observations were shared by colleagues at Solstice.

She said the adjacent issue of screen addiction is another threat to our young people’s mental health.

“I do think that Covid’s had a lasting impact on mental health issues that we continue to see,” she said.

“Screen addiction is real and can cause all sorts of mental health issues like anxiety and depression. It doesn’t cause ADHD – but ADHD-like symptoms can occur from overuse of screens. Of course, it can contribute to physical health issues like childhood obesity too.

“Screentime often means less interactions with others, less interest in going outside to play with friends or engage in activities, which then leads to a more sedentary lifestyle.

“So, they’re isolating more, which leads to loneliness, depression, anxiety, weight gain.

“Kids are usually happier when they’re active in some way, even if you have to push them into that activity.”

Eliminating screentime altogether is probably unrealistic.

“There are a lot of benefits that screens bring to our life,” Dr Gordon said. “It’s not about cutting them out altogether, it’s about moderating them and teaching kids how to use them safely.

“It’s also watching how kids react. When you take the electronics away, that can be an indication of how they’re tolerating the screen. If you take it away and there’s whining, or anger, or anxiety, that’s a sign that you probably need to put more limits in at home.”

To have any chance of reducing your children’s screentime, you need to practise what you preach.

“It’s very easy for us to all be on our phones, whether it’s work or zoning out,” Dr Gordon said.

“But that’s kind of setting the stage for them. Often, a young person will think it’s not a big deal if they’re on their phone, because their parents are on their phone all the time.”

The post You don’t have to be perfect appeared first on RG Magazines.

For many of us, if not most, our 40s and 50s are when we finally come into ourselves, love ourselves more deeply, and honour our own unique beauty without apology.

In our 30s, stretch marks were something to hide, a flaw. Nowadays, they are tiger stripes, because you are “that hunter”.

The mistakes you made in your earlier years, you are learning to forgive yourself for, not as denial, but as growth, learning and acceptance.

Lisa Wingood understands this from the inside. A mother of two, a certified yoga teacher, and an organisational development advisor at Bermuda Hospitals Board, she speaks about the second half of life not as a descent, but as a widening.

“I’m a creative and compassionate person who values connection, wellness and authentic expression,” she said.

“I find peace in nature, especially the ocean, and joy in being a mother to my two beautiful daughters. I’m passionate about creativity in all forms, whether through art, facilitation, travel, food, or simply bringing colour and intention into everyday life.”

Ms Wingood’s work is shaped by a devotion to transition, to the sacred in-between.

“I’ve always loved supporting people through life’s changes, whether it’s through yoga, meditation, mindfulness, or simply bringing people together to connect and have fun,” she said.

“For me, it’s about creating spaces where people feel safe enough to grow both inwardly and outwardly.”

Cultural freedom

Safe enough. Those two words hold a whole world for women. Safety is not only physical. It is emotional. It is cultural. It is the freedom to be complex without being punished for it. The freedom to soften without being dismissed. The freedom to be powerful without being stereotyped. For women moving through spaces where race and gender shape how they are perceived, safety is often the missing ingredient, the thing that allows a woman to put down her armour long enough to breathe.

When the conversation turned to the idea that women should slow down as they age, Ms Wingood flipped the script with calm certainty.

“I’ve actually experienced the opposite; the second half of my life has been an acceleration,” she said. “I became a yoga instructor in my late 50s, which felt both brave and liberating.”

Like many women, midlife is when their own lives are just beginning. The world may expect you to quiet down, to become smaller and more “settled,” but midlife often brings the opposite: clarity, courage and the self-granted permission to live on your own terms. This is the time when the curtain on the stage of life is lifting for ‘Act Two’ to begin. You already know the lines. You’re stronger and wiser. As you tiptoe onto the stage of life, you approach it, not timidly as you did as a teen but deliberately, knowingly taking up space with your presence and announcing to the world that “I am here”.

Ms Wingood listed what that acceleration has looked like: improv classes, kayaking, jewellery making, jumping off bridges and creating her own essential oil body butters.

Exploring new things

But what makes her perspective land is her refusal of the cultural script that tells women to shrink.

“I don’t see aging as a time to shrink, I see it as a time to expand,” she said. “Slowing down, to me, isn’t about numbers; it’s about spirit. As long as there’s life in the body, there’s something new to explore.”

That is not just a motivational line. It is a spiritual orientation. It is the insistence that aliveness is not owned by youth, and that womanhood is not a countdown clock. For women who have spent years being the backbone of families and communities, expansion can mean finally choosing pleasure without guilt, choosing rest without apology, choosing joy without needing to justify it.

Midlife is a time when we can return to the self that existed before the world’s demands became so loud. A season where you stop measuring your worth by how much you carry, and start asking what, and who, carries you.

Still, expansion requires rhythm, not relentless motion.

“To avoid burnout, I intentionally take a pause to be still and reflective in between my activities,” Ms Wingood said.

“Rest and rejuvenation are essential. It’s often in those quiet pauses that creativity sparks and life surges forward again. I’ve learned how to lean into the ebb and flow of life!”

That shift matters for all women. It matters especially for Black women and women of colour, whose womanhood is too often framed through endurance rather than joy. When you are raised to be “strong” as a default, slowing down is not always restful. 

During this time, many women discover that spirituality becomes less about performance and more about alignment. Less about proving, more about being.

Ms Wingood described the mindset shifts she sees as most powerful: “Creating balance, embracing change, being at one with yourself, and staying curious while relying on your internal wisdom.”

She also grounds that wisdom in daily practice, naming breath, nourishment and prayer as forms of self-respect.

Her approach is not about chasing perfection. It is about coming back to yourself. Again, and again. In her own teaching, she believes leadership starts with how you show up.

Community matters, too, because not every woman has been taught how to be held.

“Women who have trusted, supportive circles can step more courageously into the next phase of life,” Ms Wingood said.

“Sisterhood matters, it fosters community, collaboration and connection but it begins with cultivating trust, respect and love for each other.”

In the end, her message is not about denying the realities of aging. It is about refusing to let those realities define the limits of a woman’s life. The second half is a sacred season, not because everything is easy, but because you finally understand what matters. You learn to rest without guilt. You learn to move without apology. You learn to choose yourself, again and again, with clarity, with spirit, and always, with love.

The post Expanding, not shrinking appeared first on RG Magazines.

This can cause physical vulnerabilities such as muscle weakness, bone density loss, frozen shoulder and joint pain. 

At this point in a woman’s life, exercise and nutrition become particularly important – however certain exercises are more beneficial than others. If you don’t love running, for example, now is not the time to suddenly start doing marathons. The exercise you do has to be right for your body at this time in its life.

Shara Crunden is a physiotherapist and owner of Intention Clinic, which offers services including Menopause Mastery courses.

She explained why women get certain physical symptoms and shared her advice for how to nurture and strengthen your body during this major life change.

“I like to think that we, as women, are superhuman until we start to hit perimenopause, menopause, and then we become just human,” she said.

“Being superhuman comes with responsibilities – looking after families, nurturing children, having a career. Then, we get to the point where we don’t have these super powers that come from the hormones and we lose that ability to push through pain.

“So, our pain regulation goes down. Inflammatory markers tend to get a little bit more sensitive, so that’s why you get the tendonitis, the muscle pains, the weird body pains that come about during perimenopause.” 

Women can also be at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis, which is a disease of weakened bones. This, she continued, is caused by “the dysregulation of depositing bone into the bone system, so that’s why it becomes weaker and the bone is not as concentrated”.

Muscle weakness can be because the muscles need a higher concentration of protein in the blood stream to trigger growth and regeneration of muscle.

“We have to have higher doses of protein in the blood stream to create more muscle.”

Strength training

To create better quality muscle, and guard against osteoporosis, women need to embrace strength training, and by this she means weights and impact training. 

In Ms Crunden’s experience women can become more fearful of weight training as they age, but they needn’t be, as long as they are doing it right.

“What we need to be doing is really pushing the strength training, so we’re really stimulating the muscles because we need more stimulation to trigger muscle regeneration and growth.

“The three important aspects are heavy strength training with good form biomechanics so you don’t injure yourself. The second one is HIIT (high-intensity interval training) to make sure that your cardiovascular system gets stretched and pushed occasionally, and then the third one is calm, cardiovascular and stretching.”

Calm cardiovascular could be a long walk, “ideally outside and with friends”. 

Strength training can also help alleviate other symptoms that occur as women age.

“If you want good longevity, strength training is a must. There’s lots of reasons. The biggest thing is we know that it helps with mood. It helps with insulin resistance, which becomes a big problem as you get older. It helps the cardiovascular system, which becomes vulnerable as you get older. Essentially, it’s what keeps you young.”

If you are new to strength training it’s not advisable to start weight lifting on your own. If budget allows, Ms Crunden recommended working with a personal trainer or a physiotherapist to ensure your form is correct. Once you have mastered your form, you can start doing more.

“Start increasing the resistance to the point where you’re working at about eight out of 10, most of the time, whatever that looks like for you,” she advised. “That might be 10lbs for me, it might be 40lbs for you. As long as you’re working, you’re pushing the muscles so they are forced to have this regeneration and repair.”

If a personal trainer isn’t in your budget, there are online options and she also recommended the apparatus available at the National Stadium and in the Arboretum, but, she emphasised, partner up with someone and adapt the exercises to you.

“Just because somebody is picking up 30lb weights, it doesn’t mean you should be picking up 30lb weights to start with. Pair up with somebody else. Guide each other. Assist each other. Are you doing this right? Does it look like the video? Use a mirror.”

Ms Crunden has also teamed up with personal trainer, Anita Lightbourne of Renewal Fitness, to provide resistance training workshops specifically for women going through perimenopause, and they try to make them as affordable as possible.

“It’s to teach why we strength train, the parameters of the strength training, how to nourish around strength training and other exercises and then we go through a lot of compound exercises.” 

Nourishment and hydration

To support your body, the right nourishment is essential. While Ms Crunden emphasised that not everybody is the same, on average, women should have a minimum of five grammes of calories if exercising first thing in the morning, and then around 30g to 35g of protein within 30 to 45 minutes after exercise.

The five calories before helps to bring the “stress hormone”, cortisol, down. Protein after a workout helps with muscle repair and recovery. Good proteins include chicken, eggs and protein shakes with minimal preservatives. Vegetable proteins such as lentils and nuts are also good, but you will need more.

Hydration is also essential. In addition to water, she recommended coconut water and electrolytes, which you can get with a pinch of salt or a slice of lime.

Community

Going through this stage in life is different for everyone, but, said Ms Crunden, “women thrive within a community of women.”

In addition to exercising with others, she advised women going through perimenopause to find “like-minded women whose company you enjoy and spend time with them.”

For more information about Intention Clinic’s Menopause Mastery courses, visit intentionclinic.com. 

The post Prime fitness appeared first on RG Magazines.

That’s a lot of mothers handling pregnancy, money worries and big life changes without a steady partner beside them. Early pregnancy can be an emotional roller coaster for anyone. Doing it alone can make that ride much harder.

Fiona Dill from It Takes a Village Foundation sees this reality up close. Her charity supports pregnant women through childbirth education, doula care and practical help like food, diapers and Belco vouchers and a soon-to-be-launched breast pump programme. While she often meets women later in pregnancy, the pressures often start much earlier.

“I think the hardest part is if the pregnancy was not planned,” Mrs Dill said. “Then they have to worry about if the dad is going to stick around and support them and the baby once it’s here.”

That uncertainty can sit heavily on a woman’s mind from the start.

Fear about money is another early stress. Bermuda’s cost of living is high, and pregnancy comes with extra expenses particularly if uninsured — quality food, maternity clothes and preparing for a baby all add up.

“The reality is that even when there are two working parents it can be hard,” Mrs Dill explained. “All they need is an additional cost in a month, like a health co-pay or going back to school expenses, and it can set them back.” 

For women without a reliable partner, the constant stress can affect both mother and baby for years to come. That is one reason the foundation’s work goes beyond birth classes.

“Our approach is concerned with the short and long-term emotional and physical health of our whole community,” Mrs Dill said.

“We value and work closely with Government’s Maternal Health Clinic and health visitors as we share these goals.

“There are other similar programmes run elsewhere in the world that are very similar. From these overseas programmes, we know that this support works and goes some way to support health equity and reduce disparities in terms of experience and maternal and infant outcomes.”

A support system’s journey 

Mrs Dill has run a childbirth education practice in Bermuda for 19 years. Six years ago, after attending one of her classes, a new mother, Erin Williams, came back with an idea.

“She said the classes had made such a difference to how she had regarded the birth process and such a difference to her experience of birth that she wanted every pregnant woman in Bermuda to have access to good evidence-based childbirth education regardless of their ability to pay,” Mrs Dill recalled.

When told there was no charity, the woman replied, “Well let’s create one.” Ms Williams became co-founder of It Takes a Village. 

Many people know the group for its Facebook page where items are shared, but Mrs Dill said: “That is only a small part of what we do”. At its heart, the work is about helping women feel less alone at one of the most vulnerable times of their lives.

Combating fear with education 

Mrs Dill said teaching women, and their partners, if they are around, about the birth process and how to advocate for themselves is “so important”. When a woman understands what her body is doing, she often feels more in control, which can lead to a more positive birth experience.

That sense of control can be especially powerful for women with past trauma. Mrs Dill pointed to a painful statistic: “Here in Bermuda, one in four girls have had some form of sexual abuse encounter and that has huge implications for the birth space.” Pregnancy and birth involve intimate exams and physical vulnerability, which can trigger old memories.

“If you have always felt your body is dirty or that people didn’t believe you or listen to you, then to experience agency and having a new narrative around your body as you see what it can do, can be transforming,” she said. Education and the right support can help a woman feel respected and heard.
Beyond birth classes

Food support is another key piece.

“We know that what we eat when pregnant can make a big difference to our health and that of the baby,” Mrs Dill said. But healthy food costs money, and not every family has enough. The foundation’s voucher programme aims to ease that strain. 

One of the most personal forms of support the charity offers is community doula care. A doula is not a medical professional but a trained support person who stays with a woman through labour and into the early days after birth and beyond into early parenting to facilitate breastfeeding and post-partum recovery. This can be key to those that don’t have partner or family support.

“There is so much research that shows childbirth education and doula support decrease unnecessary interventions, increase breastfeeding rates and decrease post-partum depression,” Mrs Dill said.

The foundation also runs a diaper programme through government health clinics. Even that basic item can be a struggle. If a mom doesn’t have enough diapers, she may have to keep her baby in a dirty diaper for longer, which increases the risk of rashes.

Despite the challenges, she points to the strength she sees in mothers.

“Many single-parent families are headed by women and in my experience strong, resilient women who love their kids and do everything they can to give them what they need,” she explained. 

Early support can have lasting effects. It’s also helpful for women just knowing that ‘the village’ cares. “Even if a mom doesn’t have the birth experience they were hoping for, what we know is that if someone feels safe, listened to and respected then it can still be a positive experience,” she said. 

She believes more needs to happen at a community and policy level. Childcare is a major issue. “Happy Valley Daycare is government run and brilliant, but so oversubscribed,” she said. “Another facility like that would be amazing.”

The post Emotional strength in pregnancy appeared first on RG Magazines.

Five years ago, the BCHC – in tandem with the Bermuda Hospitals Board – launched an integrated breast cancer care pathway of education, detection, diagnostics, treatment and recovery that is designed to improve efficiencies and the quality of care.

The BCHC’s goal for all patients is to reduce the time between abnormal imaging or biopsy, confirmed diagnosis, and initiation of treatment, to improve both the patient experience and the clinical outcome.

All BCHC breast cancer cases are presented to a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) that includes surgeons, clinical and medical oncologists, pathologists, radiologists, nurses and a dedicated cancer navigator, to ensure each patient benefits from collective clinical expertise across the island.

The MDT’s functions include:

• Case discussions. The team reviews all newly referred patients, including diagnostics (biopsies, scans), to determine the best treatment plan
• Evidence-based care. The MDT uses national guidelines to guide decisions, reducing variation in practice
• Clinical trials. The team discusses suitability for clinical trials
• Patient-centred approach. Although patients usually do not attend the meeting, their preferences and needs are represented by the nurses and doctors in the meeting
• Communication. After the meeting, the treatment plan is communicated to the patient via their oncologist or general practitioner.

The BCHC said the integrated pathway has resulted in patients being better informed about what should be happening next, how long it should take, and who they should be talking to.

The development of the pathway formed part of the BHB’s integration programme and was led by clinical oncologist Dr Chris Fosker, now the CEO and medical director of the BCHC, in collaboration with BHB executive sponsor Scott Pearman and physician lead Anna Neilson-Williams.

There are also specific MDTs, or in some cases clinical review meetings, for other cancers, as well as the multi-disciplinary Comprehensive Tumour Board, which also reviews cancer cases of all types.

Dr Fosker said: “The pathway work gave us visibility into where the system was creating delays and unnecessary stress for patients. Once those barriers were clearly mapped, we were able to make practical changes to improve co-ordination, reduce avoidable waiting, and create a better experience for patients at a very uncertain time.

“Cancer care is time-sensitive, but it is also emotionally charged. By structuring the pathway and reviewing cases through a multi-disciplinary team, we have been able to remove friction points in the system and ensure patients move from diagnosis to treatment in a co-ordinated, deliberate way.”

Promoting awareness

The integrated breast cancer care pathway starts with an emphasis on early detection.

Programme manager Azuree Williams is responsible for promoting breast health education, awareness and the importance of early detection, including public education campaigns and how women are encouraged to seek screening early.

BCHC’s Know Your Lemons presentation explains nine breast cancer risk factor categories, 12 symptoms, and six detection tools that can help with early detection. 

Eight presentations in 2025 attracted a total of 5,000 attendees. Information was also presented at BCHC events such as the annual breast cancer walk and Relay for Life, reaching 7,230 attendees.

Ms Williams said: “Early detection truly can change someone’s story. When people understand what is normal for their own body and feel confident recognising changes, they are far more likely to seek help early. As an educator, I see every day how knowledge gives people the reassurance and clarity to act sooner and often that means treatment can be simpler and outcomes more positive.

“Breast health education isn’t about creating fear. It’s about building understanding and confidence. Through programmes like Know Your Lemons, we focus on practical, relatable information: what to look for, understanding risk factors, recognising symptoms, and knowing what screening tools are available. 

“My hope is that everyone feels informed and supported enough to act early if something doesn’t feel right, because when they do, they will have more options and a stronger chance of a good prognosis.”

Breast specialist radiologist Paul Risk interprets imaging, performs image-guided biopsies and identifies suspicious findings that lead to diagnosis. 

Dr Risk said: “My role within the pathway is to ensure that imaging and biopsy results are accurate, timely and clearly communicated. Breast imaging is often the first step in a patient’s cancer journey, and precision at this stage is critical.

“Through the weekly multi-disciplinary meetings, imaging findings are reviewed alongside pathology and clinical information. That collaborative review ensures that diagnoses are robust and that each patient’s case is considered from multiple expert perspectives before treatment decisions are made.”

Clinical oncologist Pat Murray leads systemic treatment planning and works closely with radiation oncology and surgical colleagues to deliver co-ordinated care. 

Dr Murray said: “Treatment planning needs to be patient centred. Each patient’s tumour biology, stage of disease, overall health and personal circumstances must be considered carefully.

“The strength of the multi-disciplinary approach is that no single clinician is making decisions in isolation. We discuss each case collectively and agree on the most appropriate, evidence-based plan. From there, we tailor treatment to the individual, ensuring that care is both clinically sound and aligned with the patient’s needs and values.”

Michele Hypolite supports patients and general practitioners by answering questions and co-ordinating care after diagnosis, helping to ensure that the right appointments happen at the right time. 

She said: “A cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming. Patients are suddenly faced with new terminology, multiple appointments and difficult decisions, often all at once.”

In her role as a cancer navigator, she provides clinical, practical and emotional support to patients and their GPs throughout the diagnostic and treatment pathway. She helps interpret clinical information, co-ordinate investigations and appointments, address questions or concerns, and ensure that each step is clearly communicated and well organised.”

She said: “Patients and physicians consistently report that the integrated pathway offers greater clarity, smoother communication, and the reassurance that a dedicated clinical professional is actively guiding and supporting the process from start to finish.”

For information related to breast cancer, see https://www.cancer.bm/cancer-information/prevention–early-detection/breast-cancer-and-the-bermuda-pathway

The post Making treatment better and quicker appeared first on RG Magazines.

Thankfully, this is now changing with the increasing availability of telehealth services, which can either remove or reduce these barriers to seeking mental healthcare.

Telehealth pioneer and clinical counsellor, Dayla Burgess, founded TeleConnect Bermuda in October 2024.

She provides online counselling services to adults with mild to moderate mental health symptoms and has found her services to be in high demand from women aged between 25 and 45, many of whom are mothers.

“The women who are currently in my care now, most of them are mums,” Ms Burgess said.

“I think that’s the part of the service that works best for them is that they can etch out 45 minutes to an hour, which for some of them is really hard.

“I’ve had sessions where they’re new moms and they’ve had kids sleeping in the background or they may be on the ground playing with them while they’re in a session, and they’re able to stay focused and multi task.

“They really do find it accommodating to the things that they have to do within their week, especially if they’re working from home or have to remain home with their child.”

It’s not just at-home mothers who benefit from this service. It also makes it easy for busy working women to keep their therapy appointment.

“It takes less of a hassle and inconvenience out of people’s time and schedule, especially folks who are wearing lots of hats throughout the week,” she explained.

“If they can’t go into their office space during their lunch break, they go out to their car and spend 45 minutes to an hour in a session and they’re able to get back to work and they feel like they have had a reprieve for the week.”

Addressing stigma

Awareness around the importance of mental health care has increased, but Ms Burgess said a stigma still exists around therapy in Bermuda. Herein lies another benefit of attending online: you won’t bump into anyone you know.

“A lot of times, people, because of the stigma, will not present themselves to a bricks and mortar physical location.”

There are also cost benefits to online versus in-person therapy, and she’s found that even people with tight finances still have internet access.

“Mental health services or counselling still has a cost barrier associated with it and so folks who maybe can’t afford to be in the City of Hamilton, or drive into a physical location every day, most people do have Smart devices. Even if there isn’t data, they have Wi-fi at home.”

Ms Burgess, who also works in addiction medicine and recovery, cites research showing online services can also help these patients “because of the disabilities that people who have chemical addiction or chemical dependency issues are finding”.

Potential patients can book a complementary “discovery appointment” on the TeleConnect Bermuda website, during which they will learn more about the type of service provided.

“I use a therapy modality that’s called solution-focused brief therapy,” she said, which is “a set amount of sessions where you identify the problem, we set some goals around it and then we have sessions that look at pragmatic tools and ways of coping with what you’ve identified with”.

She added: “If it works for you, then we hit the ground running and we book our first session using a PIPA encrypted platform that keeps your data and all of your information safe.

“If that doesn’t work for you, I talk to them about the other services and what else is out there based on what their needs are because there’s a lot of other great clinicians out there that are also practicing online.”

Ms Burgess’s website includes a Therapist Directory of Bermuda-based mental health professionals including psychologists, child and adolescent counsellors, clinicians specialised in counselling men and boys, and a thanatologist who specialises in grief support.

In Ms Burgess’s experience, the most common mental health concerns Bermuda’s women tend to present with are high functioning depression, grief and loss, or relational issues. 

For relational issues, this could be to do with their partner or relationships within their workplace.

“A lot of the tools that we’re tapping into have to do with how to assert oneself or how to have a stronger self-esteem. Asking for the pay rise or setting boundaries with someone at work,” she explained.

“A lot of it is relational and also connected to forms of grief and loss and also childhood traumas as well, because those things tend to present as we are taking on more roles and developing more relationships in our later adulthood.”

High functioning depression, she continued, “can look like someone who doesn’t know that they have depression because they are used to managing so many roles and suppressing symptoms that don’t look like textbook depression.”

She said: “Sometimes, someone can be so dysregulated that the dysregulation in their mood actually allows them to take on more things in their schedule and handle more tasks and options.

“They don’t notice that they could be managing a disruption in their mood until there is a period of stillness and then everything falls out from beneath them.”

Polyvegal Therapy

For example, a successful team leader, working for an exempt company, might be earning a good salary and can afford childcare.

But Ms Burgess said: “They are not satisfied or happy with everything that they are able to do or everything that they have achieved. They are climbing the corporate ladder and doing all the things at work, and at home. But when that person may have a chance to sit with themselves or gather with friends, or be outside of the family duties, or roles at work, there’s this underlying tension or feeling of disconnect that they can’t quite understand what’s going on.”

To help someone overcome this, Ms Burgess takes a trauma informed approach using the Polyvegal Theory.

“This talks about the mind and body connection to our nervous system and how the nervous system is really the epicentre for all of the emotional history and emotional experiences since we were babies,” she said. 

“When we start to do a lot of excavating and timeline work, the person is able to see that, ‘I’ve been carrying a lot for a very long time and actually I’m just exhausted.’”

Online mental health services may not be for everyone but, in Ms Burgess’s experience, those who do use it, stick to it.

“The retention rates are really high,” she said. “And I really do believe that has a lot to do with the accessibility piece of it.

“Everyone has a Smart device. It’s just the way of our world. You could be without a place to live but you have a Smart device. When you have a Smart device and people are needing healthcare that is convenient, you can really access people a lot easier.”

For more information about TeleConnect Bermuda visit connectbda.com or call Dayla Burgess on 537-0734.

The post Mental health care from anywhere appeared first on RG Magazines.

Not because I particularly like it, but for a couple of years it was the only way we could get our daughter to go to sleep.

Allowing your child to watch her favourite film every night while the rest of the household comes to a standstill for 102 minutes sounds indulgent, and perhaps it was.

But we tried and failed everything else suggested by friends, doctors and the internet, from the orthodox (warm bath and nighttime story – futile), to the unconventional (giant bowls of mashed potato at 7pm – unsuccessful), to the desperate (driving from Hamilton Parish to Dockyard and back while listening to Tiny Dancer by Elton John – unsustainable).

Our toddler simply loved to gallop around the room, whatever the circumstance. This was a delightful experience for about 22 hours a day, seven days a week, but wore a little thin the rest of the time.

When, to our great surprise, we discovered that she would lie quietly on the couch next to Daddy throughout the entire of Frozen, we decided to run with it. Every night, she contentedly sighed and nodded off, immediately after Prince Hans was unceremoniously punched in the face by Princess Anna. The very last part of the movie. For our daughter, this probably signified all was finally right with the world – and for me too, because she was asleep and the hell was over for another 24 hours.

Getting your child to sleep, indeed, can be an unrelenting ordeal. Our daughter is now seven and we still haven’t completely cracked it, but we’ve learnt a few things along the way.

Here are RG Best Health’s top tips for parents who have reached the end of their tether:

• Don’t lie in bed googling solutions. After you’ve gloriously failed with every idea under the moon, multiple times, the last thing you need at 4am is some wise owl boasting that they get their kid to sleep by giving them a bath and warm milk at the same time every evening. Thanks Einstein, why didn’t I think of that.
• White noise. We recently bought an electronic gadget that supposedly soothes the little one to sleep by mimicking womb-like noises. Our daughter adjusted the setting, so it sounds like a police car speeding to the scene of a crime, with flashing blue and red lights to boot. But it’s mostly worked for the past two weeks, so that’s good enough for us.
• Sliding-scale rewards chart. A trip to MarketPlace for mango ice cream is the ultimate prize if our youngster completes a certain number of nights in her own bed. But you also need a smaller incentive, for those nights she’s never going to make it all the way through. Therefore, she accumulates stars on the fridge: five stars for a perfect night, one star for a terrible night, zero stars if she burns the house down. I believe they use a similar system to encourage good behaviour in prisons – or at least they should.
• See things from their perspective. You can say there’s no such thing as monsters until you’re blue in the face, but young children have a vivid imagination and their fear is real. It doesn’t wash to say there’s no such things as burglars or kidnappers, either, because – well, there is. We found it’s best to agree it’s scary but remind her about the mango ice cream in her future if she can show how courageous she is.
• Don’t stress. Every child learns how to sleep the night through in the end, even if it takes some children longer than others. And if your child really needs Mom or Dad in the middle of the night, remember it’s because they love you – so cherish it.

The post Sleep well, little one appeared first on RG Magazines.