This year's Health Lab, presented by Women's Health with support from Cosmopolitan, Prevention, and Oprah Daily, featured a diverse group of doctors, researchers, thought leaders, and advocates, each bringing their singular perspectives and expertise to a shared focus: women's health. The symposium, in partnership with Northwell Health and their Katz Institute for Women's Health, an organization dedicated to improving health outcomes for women, offered discussions on cardiovascular health, maternal health, skincare for BIPOC communities and more—along with a visit from the First Lady of the United States.
After an introduction by Stacey Rosen, MD, executive director of Katz Institute for Women's Health and senior vice president of women's health for Northwell, emphasizing the need to revolutionize the way we provide healthcare to women through research, clinical programs, and community education, the Health Lab panels began. Read on for recaps and videos of each one.
Go Red For Women
Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, led a discussion about women's cardiovascular health and the importance of prioritizing it at every stage of life. She spoke with Jill Kalman, MD, chief medical officer, Northwell Health; Tara Narula, MD, associate director, Lenox Hill Women's Heart Program; and Svati Shah, MD, director of the Duke Center for Precision Health, Duke University School of Medicine about the importance of closing the gender gap in cardiovascular research, actionable steps women can take to safeguard their heart health, and how discoveries made today may change the face of cardiovascular health for women in the future.
Menopause Matters
Women's Health editor-in-chief Liz Plosser sat down with Stephanie McNally, MD, vice president of the OB/GYN Service Line and director of OB/GYN Services, Katz Institute for Women's Health; and actress Julianna Margulies to speak about the advances that have been made in our understanding of menopause, why it's imperative that we continue striving for greater awareness, and the importance of open conversations that acknowledge each person's menopause experience as unique and valid, to help them manage their symptoms and live their best life.
The Secret To Standing Tall
In this illuminating conversation sponsored by Amgen, Jane Francisco, editorial director of the Hearst Lifestyle Group, spoke with Kristi Tough DeSapri, MD, founder of Bone & Body Women's Health; Anna Haddad, founder of ONEYOGAHOUSE; and Laura Rinck, a patient living with osteoporosis about osteoporosis and bone disease in women. Topics covered included the science behind (and misconceptions about) bone disease in women, the relationship between bone health and overall wellness, and steps that women can take to guard against bone disease.
From The Hip: Movement Break
In between sessions, Kelly Georgiou, wellness guide and director of program operations of Sensei, led the audience through a series of fun and healthy lifestyle practices that everyone can incorporate into their daily routines to stay active.
Mothers' Voices
Oprah Daily editorial director Pilar Guzmán sat down with Christy Turlington Burns, founder and president of Every Mother Counts; Dawnette Lewis, MD, MPH, director of the Center for Maternal Health, Northwell Health; and Chelsea Clinton, author, advocate, and vice chair of the Clinton Foundation to speak about the urgent need to prioritize maternal health (both physically and mentally), the systemic problems underpinning the maternal-mortality crisis, and how we can evolve to become a society that values the health of all mothers.
Black, Brown, And Beautifully Protected
In this vital conversation sponsored by EltaMD, Cosmopolitan beauty editor-at-large Julee Wilson spoke to best-selling author and Peloton superstar Tunde Oyeneyin; Deon Hines, principal scientist for skin health, EltaMD; Elyse Love, MD, FAAD; and James Merrick, chief communications and marketing officer of the Melanoma Research Foundation about the troubling factors that can lead to minority populations getting diagnosed with melanoma only at more advanced stages of the disease. These included skin-health education and intervention aimed primarily at Caucasian consumers, a scarcity of Black dermatologists, and a lack of cosmetically elegant sunscreen options made for skin of color.
Dr. Jill Biden
This year's keynote speaker was Dr. Jill Biden, who spoke about the tangible effect that women's health being understudied and underfunded has on women's lives, the importance of government and industry working together to prioritize women's health, and what it meant to launch the White House Initiative on Women's Health Research.
The Women In Sports Revolution
Amidst a groundswell of long-overdue interest in women's sports, Women's Health director of special projects Amanda Lucci sat down with Laura Braider, Ph.D, assistant vice president of college mental health at Northwell Health; Sam Rapoport, senior director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at the National Football League; Angela Baker, an offensive assistant with the New York Giants; and professional soccer player Midge Purce to discuss each of their journeys, how they've seen the landscape of women's sports change over time, and where they hope it goes next. Emily Tisch Sussman, founder and host of She Pivots podcast, introduced the panel and shared what she's learned from co-owning the women's professional soccer team NJ/NY Gotham FC.
The Health Lab concluded with activations from our sponsors, including an American Heart Association selfie station, an EltaMD SPF bar, and a Rykä mini pop-up where guests were able to pick up personal pairs of athletic shoes from the brand designed just for women.
