It's ironic, isn't it? A season that's meant to be a happy, wonderful time of celebration so often ends up being stress central. But do the holidays have to be synonymous with stress? Not if you take steps to cope.

Here are my suggestions:

In my practice, I have noticed a huge increase in the popularity of IUDs (Intra-Uterine Device) as a birth control option. More and more women are coming in asking about it, and are deciding to go for it. You may have a girlfriend or two who already has an IUD – and there’s a good chance she raves about it. Word-of-mouth has been a major factor in the growing numbers of IUD users. Truth be told, it’s an excellent option for contraception. At the same time, there are a few issues that commonly hold women back.

It’s spring! Which means: warm winds, tulips, the beginning of baseball season, swingy dresses, itchy eyes and nonstop sneezing...wait. What?

Yes, for some of us, spring is not all butterflies and rainbows. If you suffer seasonal allergies—commonly called hayfever—read on for tips on how to survive (and enjoy) the season.

I get up at 5am every day for a lot of reasons. For me, it’s the only time of day that’s quiet, peaceful, and nobody needs me for anything. It allows me time to relax, and time to get organized. Plus, it’s when I do all my writing. Of course, as soon as 7am hits, everything changes, and the controlled chaos of daily life begins.

Staying healthy throughout your life is not a simple matter. We all know the laundry list of things we must do: stay active, eat well, floss, get enough sleep, take your vitamins, see your doctor for regular checkups...the list can go on.

Let’s face it...it’s easy to get overwhelmed by it all. 

As a mom of two boys, I’m accustomed to dealing with my kids' various aches and pains. Between earaches and sore throats, trampoline bruises and bicycle wipeouts...it’s always something.

So a few years ago, when my eldest son began complaining of leg pain at night—every night for days on end—and there was no specific cause, I knew the likely culprit. Growing pains.

When Carin’s two year-old son Isaiah came down with a fever, she didn’t worry at first. After all, he had just started preschool, and everyone knows preschools are petri dishes for viruses. There was no reason to suspect anything more. She treated his fever at home and kept a close eye on him. A few days later, the fever was still raging, so she took him to a walk-in-clinic, like any parent would. There, the doctor told her Isaiah had a virus, and he’d be better soon. 

Recurrent pain like headaches and stomach aches are common in kids. But as a parent it can be bewildering and—let’s face it—frustrating to deal with. When your kid tells you she has yet another tummy ache, what do you do? Is it real? What’s causing it? Should you keep her home from school? See the doctor?

So last night you wrangled the kids to bed early (for a change), you and your partner settled in for a binge session of House of Cards and takeout spicy tuna rolls. Plus microwave popcorn. And the remainder of a pan of brownies. 

Now it’s the morning after, and you’re paying the price with belly cramps and pain. That pain is going to mess with your day...and with your packed schedule, it’s the last thing you can afford.

What do you do?

Back-to-school can be a tough time of transition for a lot of kids. Will my best friend be in my class? Will I like my new teacher? How much homework will I get this year? But for children who are also dealing with a chronic illness, back-to-school season can feel like a nightmare.

Every day, you have an opportunity to give your kids a great start to their day. Yep, I’m talking about breakfast. Because mornings can be somewhat...chaotic, no matter how frenzied things get, you never want to skip that all-important first meal of the day. For one thing, breakfast fills kids with energy and helps them be productive and focused all day long. 

Here are some of the other benefits of breakfast:

Most moms know they should be getting more water than they are currently taking in. In fact, studies show that 52 percent of us aren't drinking enough water. But do you know exactly WHY it’s important? And do you know how much you should be getting?

First, let’s talk about the why. Here are three big things water does for you:

As I write this article, I have to pause and put eye drops in my left eye because — in a display of strange coincidence — I happen to be dealing with my own case of conjunctivitis as we speak. The infection was gleaned from my snuggly 5 year-old’s pillow as I lay down with him the other night when he first came down with his most recent virus. It’s ironic, perhaps. But it’s also just life.

It’s not unusual for a parent to bring a young child in to see me because of a sore leg, or a sore arm, or a limp that seems to have appeared from nowhere. It often turns out the kid had an awkward landing on the trampoline, or a tumble off the climbing equipment at school, and it’s nothing worse than a strain. I might do an X-ray to be sure, but when the symptoms go away in short order and nothing more comes of it, we chalk it up to regular childhood stuff.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a disease that can affect many areas of a person’s life—not the least of which is pregnancy.

A few years ago I had a patient who had recently been diagnosed with MS. She was a young woman in her thirties who had not yet had children. As she began treatment with her neurologist, one of her first questions was: what’s going to happen when I want to get pregnant?

Last year was a banner year in the Foster household: the months of September and October alone saw us through at least six different cold viruses between my two boys. I’m expecting a similar showing this year. After only one week back in preschool—as if on cue—my 4-year-old developed a runny nose.

And so it begins.

If you’re a mom, I know you’ve wiped a tiny red nose or two. And I’m almost positive you’ve glanced at the contents of that tissue. Have you ever wondered what it means?

When I say “sandwich generation” you know what I mean, right? I’m talking about those of us who are jammed in between young kids to raise and aging parents to care for.

Thyroid disorders are common. You probably know people with thyroid issues (including yours truly), and you might have wondered on occasion if your thyroid is behaving itself. Most people have heard that a poorly functioning thyroid can make you feel tired and cause you to gain weight. And let’s face it, who doesn’t struggle with those issues? So...maybe it’s your thyroid?

Well, it’s possible. But first things first.