General Health

woman doctor holding up a heart for heart disease

Why Female Heart Disease Is Totally Different

Jackie Dallas MD October 22, 2026

We all know the scene: a man suddenly clutches his chest, winces in excruciating pain, and collapses. Movies and medical dramas have reinforced this image for generations, leading millions of people to believe that heart disease looks, feels, and acts the exact same way in everyone. The reality, however, is strikingly different for women. Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death for women worldwide, but because the field of cardiology was largely modeled around male anatomy and male presentation, when women experience heart issues, the warning signs, and even the onset of the disease can often be missed. Understanding these differences is an important step toward better self-advocacy, timely diagnosis, and saving lives.

Adhesions: What to know about internal scar tissue

Stephanie Joyce MD October 18, 2026

Every time your body heals from an injury, it leaves a mark. On your skin, you get a visible scar. Inside your abdomen and pelvis, it can turn into tough bands of fibrous internal scar tissue. These are what surgeons refer to as adhesions. Abdominal or pelvic operations are common causes for developing adhesions, as well as endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, ruptured cysts, a burst appendix, or even localized infections. When significant, they can tether your intestines to your abdominal wall, bind your ovaries to your uterus, or glue loops of bowel together in tight webbed knots, causing pain, bowel symptoms and potential emergencies.

histamine intolerace allergic reaction mast cell activation flushed face neck

Histamine Intolerance: Not just a food allergy

Jackie Dallas MD October 15, 2026

If you’ve ever had some aged cheese, avocado, or a glass of red wine, only to find yourself dealing with a sudden onset of flushing, a racing heart, nasal congestion, or unexplained digestive trouble, you might be dealing with histamine intolerance. It can present with a baffling cluster of symptoms, where lab work can return completely normal and so many women are simply told that they are just experiencing a strange food allergy. But histamine intolerance is not an classic allergy at all! It is a mismatch between how much histamine enters your body and how quickly your system can break it down.

Why Kidney Stones Are More Than Just Pain

Kai Dallas MD October 8, 2026

When most people think of a kidney stone, they picture a sudden, agonizing pain in the back or side that sends someone straight to the emergency room. While the pain is legendary, focusing only on the discomfort misses the bigger picture. A kidney stone is not just a painful inconvenience. It is a red flag, signaling a disbalance to your body’s metabolic chemistry and a potential threat to your organ function.

woman holding her head dizzy trying not to lose balance as she stands up postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome pots

What is Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)?

Jackie Dallas MD September 24, 2026

If you have ever felt your heart race out of nowhere, experienced sudden dizziness upon standing, or battled relentless brain fog that makes simple daily tasks feel overwhelming, you are far from alone. These experiences are the hallmark features of a conditions known as Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, or POTS. Despite affecting an estimated one to three million Americans, POTS remains widely misunderstood and frequently underdiagnosed, and women often spend months or even years bouncing between specialists trying to get answers. Let’s break down what is actually happening inside the body with POTS, why it disproportionately affects women, and how you can work with your healthcare provider to find real relief.

piggy bank and prescription medications on a blue background saving money on medications

Real Ways to Save Money on Prescription Medications

Jackie Dallas MD September 20, 2026

After finally getting a diagnosis and the prescription that could be the answer to your problems, many people are still caught off guard by higher than expected costs at the pharmacy. Whether you are looking at the first dose of managing a chronic condition, picking up routine maintenance medications, or just trying to keep your family budget intact, there are several practical, completely legitimate ways to lower your prescription bills, and save money on medications. Read on to learn more about some of the biggest secrets that big pharma doesn’t want you to know about.

What Actually Happens To Your Eyes When You Look At The Sun?

Jackie Dallas MD August 11, 2026

With all the excitement surrounding the upcoming total solar eclipse, let’s talk about why it is important to know how to enjoy it safely, and why you should never stare at the sun. Most of us grew up sternly warned to never directly look at the sun. We knew it was bad and could hurt your eyes, but few people ever explain the actual biology of what actually happens and how it affects your vision when you sneak a glance at a bright sky.

circulatory system vasculature blood system arteries veins of heart and lungs

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Jackie Dallas MD August 9, 2026

Pulmonary arterial hypertension, often shortened to PAH, is a complex, and progressive condition that affects the tiny blood vessels in your lungs causing them to narrow and thicken. PAH causes elevated pressure within the pulmonary arteries, the blood vessels that carry oxygen-depleted blood from your heart to your lungs to pick up fresh oxygen, which can lead to heart failure if left untreated. PAH is considered a rare disease, affecting roughly only 15 to 50 people per million worldwide. However, it predominantly affects women, being two to four times more common than in men.

doctor pointing to a gallbladder on anatomical model

Gallbladder Disease: Cholelithiasis and Cholecystitis

Stephanie Joyce MD July 29, 2026

The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped, sac-like organ located beneath the liver that plays a critical role in the digestive process by storing and concentrating bile. While seemingly minor, gallbladder dysfunction is one of the most common reasons for emergency surgical consultation, and women are twice as likely to develop issue. When the chemical balance of bile is disrupted, it forms precipitates known as gallstones, which can lead to inflammation, infection, or structural blockage.

My Parent’s Keeper: Caring For Elderly

Trang Singer July 16, 2026

If you’ve got an aging parent like me, you’re constantly looking for the perfect products to help preserve their health and independence, while saving your sanity and lower back. I’ve broken down six categories of care and they are: getting around, sleeping, bathing, toileting, alertness, and entertainment. Here’s an exhaustive (exhausting?) list of all of the game changing products, devices and contraptions to help with caring for elderly that I wish I had known about years ago!

Hello! I am Jackie Dallas

A doctor, actress, and women's health advocate, Jackie is the founder of Her Health 101, a platform empowering women through evidence-based health education

Know Me

A women's health resource lead by women's health experts!

A women's health resource lead by women's health experts!

Why Female Heart Disease Is Totally Different

Adhesions: What to know about internal scar tissue

Histamine Intolerance: Not just a food allergy

Why Kidney Stones Are More Than Just Pain

What is Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)?

Real Ways to Save Money on Prescription Medications

What Actually Happens To Your Eyes When You Look At The Sun?

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Gallbladder Disease: Cholelithiasis and Cholecystitis

My Parent’s Keeper: Caring For Elderly

Hello! I am Jackie Dallas

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