Featuring
10
Health Risks Women Should Know Now!
1 Go for your screening tests. There are some disorders that can be prevented if the individual was to get screened for it. This includes a mammogram to prevent breast cancer, a pap smear to detect cervical cancer and a colonoscopy to detect colon cancer. Screening tests have been shown to identify cancers when they are in the early stages- and at this time they can be cured. 2 Heart disease and stroke. Women tend to be well protected against heart disease and stroke until menopause. This is because of the benefits of the sex hormones. However, after menopause, women quickly catch up with men and have the same incidence of strokes and heart attacks. This can be prevented by ensuring that your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugars are well controlled. 3 Change your lifestyle. There are way too many women who do not have a healthy lifestyle. While it is true that there is no cure for many medical disorders, adopting a health lifestyle can help reduce many risk factors for disease. This mean exercising on a regular basis. Even walking is as good as any exercise if it is done on a regular basis. Walking helps one reduce weight, lowers blood cholesterol and sugars and improves self esteem. 4 Do not smoke. In the last 2 decades, women have overtaken men as smokers. In North America young women smoke more frequently than men. Smoking is a distasteful social habit with serious consequences. Not only does it lead to premature aging, it can cause lung cancer, heart disease and promotes atherosclerosis. It also leads to bad breath and a foul body odor. 5 Eat healthy. Too many women eat unhealthy diets consisting of processed foods with high sugar. Such diets not only lead to obesity but also to diabetes. Eating a healthy diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, cereals, nuts, and high fiber can prevent constipation, lower blood sugar and decreases the risk of obesity.
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6 Watch your weight. Obesity is now affecting every one in three people in the USA. Obesity is not a benign disorder. Besides poor cosmesis, the disorder leads to an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis and even cancer. The best way to prevent obesity is to change lifestyle and incorporate exercise. Almost any exercise is better than no exercise- so start moving today. 7 Decrease alcohol. Even though there are reports suggesting that low amount of alcohol is beneficial for health, the majority of people are not able to regulate the amount they drink. Women can safely have one drink a day and this can help prevent heart disease. More than one drink a day leads to liver disease and an increased risk of cancer. 8 Decrease stress. While everyone has stress in life, some people have constant stress. Continual stress can lead to both physical and emotional problems. So take steps to lower stress in your life. Practice yoga, meditate, exercise, join a support group or ask for help. 9 Prevent osteoporosis. Women are more prone to thinning of bones than men. When bones become thin, they can break and this can result in significant disability. So it is essential to take steps to prevent this very common disorder. Osteoporosis can be prevented by eating a diet rich in calcium, exercising, decreasing alcohol intake and not smoking. 10 Arthritis is more common in women then men. Women tend to develop arthritis in their 40s. This disorder can lead to a very poor quality of life because of the constant pain and inability to move the joints. The best way to prevent arthritis is to remain active in life, eat a healthy diet, avoid weight gain and avoid high risk sporting activities.
— PLM Contributor