Blog - Melanie Young- Fearless Fabulous You!

I Screen. You Screen. We All Need To Screen.

On November 30, 2015 / Women's Health

It was the first and last time I’d bare my derriere for a man I’d just met, but this was for a a colonoscopy, and I believe in taking care of my health. The last time I had this done was Thanksgiving week 2009 with my internist who was also my gastroenterologist at the time under another health insurance plan. This doctor was arranged by my wonderful oncologist, Maria Theodoulou. She’s my doctor yenta; I look up to her to fix me up with the right specialists to tend to my well-being. It was like a medical blind date without much

Are You a Nervous Nosher?

On November 23, 2015 / Healthy Living, Life As We Know It

Holiday times are supposed to be happy times. Right? Well…Maybe. For many the holidays are stressful. There’s the pressure to “get it all done” before the end of the year. There are the office parties and the family gatherings where you have to be on your best behavior. There’s the financial strain of overspending on gifts and entertaining. And then there’s that end-of-the-year taking stock of what you have- and have not- accomplished. If you feel stressed this time of the year you are not alone. The The American Psychological Association holiday statistics report in 2011 said up to 69% of people are stressed by

Getting Things off My Chest: When Saying “No” Gives You More “Yes”

On November 16, 2015 / Attitude Adjustment, Life As We Know It, Making Things Happen

The conversation usually starts like this: “I really admire what you’re doing and all your success. I have an idea and would love to pick your brain if you have some time. Maybe a cup of coffee?” The thing is, my brain is for hire and not for picking. I’ve been picked and pitched for years to land clients and much of the time was wasted and ideas misused. I have learned a pretty penny about the value of time and how to spend it wisely. So I politely say the usual writer line, “I’d love to chat and and

Fearless Fabulous You! Fertility Options for Cancer Survivors

On November 15, 2015 / Fearless Fabulous You Radio Show, Women's Health

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 10 percent of women (6.1 million) in the United States ages 15-44 have difficulty getting pregnant or staying pregnant. This is a heartbreaking statistic for any woman whose dream is to bear children. Now just think how difficult this is for younger women of child bearing age faced with a cancer diagnosis who are also faced with the reality they may lose their ability to conceive children. Some treatments can cause premature menopause. There are many factors that will impact your fertility after cancer treatment including: age, your diagnosis, type of cancer treatment

When the Cancer Doctor Becomes the Cancer Patient- Lessons Shared by Dr. Susan Love

On November 13, 2015 / Breast Cancer, Fearless Fabulous You Radio Show

Dr. Susan Love, author of the best selling “Dr Susan Love’s Breast Book” and founder of the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation, has made it her life’s mission to pursue research to find both a cause and cure for this disease which affects 1 in eight women. Her commitment to help end cancer became even more clear when Dr. Love was diagnosed with leukemia in 2012 and experienced being The Cancer Patient. I heard Dr. Love discuss her personal experience and how it impacted her view as a medical professional at the 2013 National Women’s Cancer Survivor Convention in Nashville. I was taken by

They Told Her It Was Postpartum Depression But It Wasn’t

On November 7, 2015 / Fearless Fabulous You Radio Show, Healthy Living, Women's Health

At SHARE‘s annual fundraiser, A Second Helping of Life Sept 21, Valerie Smaldone congratulated me on my radio show, Fearless Fabulous You!. Coming from Valerie, I was honored. She’s hosted radio for years in the NYC area and is a respected media talent. Then she told me about a women named Wendy Baruchowitz who was diagnosed at the age of 39 with a disease I had never heard of and could barely pronounce: Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). Valerie said Wendy’s mission is to raise awareness of this little known disorder. I was curious to learn more. How did a healthy mom with two young

Feeding New York City’s Elderly Citizens

On November 6, 2015 / Fearless Fabulous You Radio Show, Inspiring Women, Life As We Know It, Making Things Happen

Usually when we think of malnutrition our thoughts drift to impoverished areas of the United States or overseas to Third World countries. Rarely do we think about New York City much less a neighbor in your building. But the reality is New York City is home to nearly 1.3 million senior citizens age 60 years and older. Many of them are hungry…for food and for companionship. The same goes for other cities, not just New York. It could be your elderly neighbor down the street who has mobility issues or weakened memory for whom cooking is difficult and eating is

Getting Things Off My Chest: Pushing the Pause Button

On November 2, 2015 / Healthy Living, Life As We Know It

“Sometimes I don’t know whether I am coming or going.” a friend told me recently. “I’m constantly in motion. By trying to never miss anything I miss everything.” “Maybe you need to push the pause button,” I responded. I find fewer of us are comfortable pushing the pause button due to Fear of Missing Out (FOMO). The result is we never really enjoy where we are because we are always worrying about where we are not. We also focus on what’s ahead of us instead of what’s right in front of us. We’re so busy trying not to miss out on

Parenting Advice and Managing Menopause- Nov 2 Fearless Fabulous You @iHeartRadio

On November 2, 2015 / Life As We Know It

This Monday, November 2, 4pm ET Parenting Expert and Pediatrician Dr. Kathy Masarie, founder of the Family Empowerment Network, provides advice on how to reclaim “digital sanity” within in your family and balance your high-low tech life. Kathy is author of several parenting books including “Raising Our Daughters,” Raising Our Sons” and “Face to Face: Cultivating Kids’ Social Lives in Today’s Digital World.” Speaking of “pause”…we’ll discus menopause and vaginal health with Dr. Machelle Seibel, who is one of America’s leading experts on women’s health. Dr. Seibel is Founder and Editor of My Menopause Magazine, former Editor-in-Chief of

Are New Breast Screening Recommendations Hit or Miss-Guide(d)lines?

On October 26, 2015 / Breast Cancer

When I heard the news that the American Cancer Society revised its guidelines for mammograms and clinical breast exams I thought about my friend Julie. She was diagnosed at the age of 44 with stage 4 breast cancer and died two years later. No family history; average risk. A mammogram found Julie’s tumor. Under the new guidelines Julie may not have had that mammogram. Neither would have other women I know diagnosed in their early 40s with early stage breast cancer who are still alive thanks to early detection. Despite criticisms that mammograms can result in false positive reports, especially for younger women who

Getting Things Off My Chest: Give Yourself Permission!

On October 18, 2015 / Attitude Adjustment, Imbibing

I recently had the opportunity to check something off my travel “bucket list”- hunting for Mother’s Nature’s black and white diamonds in Italy. (aka truffles). The season for the best truffles is short, October to December, and restaurants around the country lure devoted fans with pricey “truffle dinners.” I’ve only enjoyed truffles shaved over dishes at places like SD26 (sadly now closed), Spago Beverly Hills and Spiaggia in Chicago. So, an invitation to go to the source was a dream come true. Our generous host was Livia Colantonio, proprietor of Castello delle Regine in Umbria, who opened up her majestic home- literally a small

Be Smart About Your Knees

On October 16, 2015 / Fearless Fabulous You Radio Show, Healthy Living, Over 50

“Oh my aching knees!” I used to roll my eyes when older family members and friends would moan and groan about aches and pains in their knees. Now, I’ve become one of them. My right knee sends me a reminder that it’s time to “get up and move” with a dull ache. Is it age or something else? It turns out females are four to six times more likely to injure their knees over men. And we’re not necessarily talking only about older women. Young women athletes are more likely to injure their Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL), the most common knee injury.