FOR WOMEN ONLY ( OR MOSTLY )
Five conditions every female should look out for
Courtesy Baylor Scott & White Health
Many women know about breast and gynecologic cancers , and it ’ s no surprise why . More than 99 percent of breast cancer patients are women , and , obviously , 100 percent of gynecologic cancer patients are . But these aren ’ t the only health issues to keep on the radar .
“ Women tend to be very aware of their breast and gynecologic health , which is great ,” says Marian Steininger , MD , an OB / GYN on the medical staff at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – McKinney . “ But they should also be familiar with other conditions that commonly affect women , so they can protect themselves .”
Take a look at five conditions that affect more women than men and see what you can do about them .
Alzheimer ’ s Disease Of the 5 million people in the U . S . who have Alzheimer ’ s disease , nearly two-thirds are women , according to the Alzheimer ’ s Association . Researchers are unsure why .
One thing they do know is that women who keep their ovaries have a decreased risk of developing Alzheimer ’ s and dementia . If you ’ re facing a hysterectomy and deciding whether to have your ovaries removed in addition to your uterus , discuss this Alzheimer ’ s connection with your doctor .
Other strategies for preventing Alzheimer ’ s are staying socially and intellectually active ( it keeps the brain stimulated ) and following a heart-healthy lifestyle ( it lowers the risk of other diseases that relate to cognitive decline ).
Multiple Sclerosis Women are up to three times more likely than men to have multiple sclerosis ( MS ), an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system , according to the Na-
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COLLIN COUNTY Living Well Magazine | SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2018