IF YOU RE A lADY,THIS IS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT POST YOU
CNT AFFORD TO MISS.
quIte long,but its it worth reading.
Imagine living without illness to slow you down. While there are
no lifetime guarantees, enough scientific research has been done
to make long, healthy living a possibility.
To help women boost health, we examined five medical
conditions that are of great concern to them: heart disease, breast
cancer, osteoporosis, depression, and autoimmune diseases.
We looked at the risk factors for each disease and asked the
experts what women could do to prevent such ailments.
In order to make full use of this information, ladieshealthng,
encourages women to take charge of their health.
women need to work in partnership with their doctors by finding
out their family medical history, educating themselves on health
issues, and paying attention to their bodies.
"You know what makes you feel good, you know when you
don't feel well. Understanding your body is key,"
Heart Disease
Heart disease is the leading killer of both men and women. In
women, the condition is responsible for about 29% of deaths,
reports the CDC.
Yet death in itself isn't the biggest problem for women with heart
disease. The real trouble is in premature death and disability, says
Cindy Pearson, executive director of the National Women's Health
Network.
"There are far too many women dying of heart disease in their
60s, when no one expects to die because that's too young in this
country,There are (also) women, who, for many
years, are really ill with heart disease -- being out of breath, not
being able to walk up one flight of stairs … because heart disease
impairs their ability to get around."
Although more men die of heart disease than women, females
tend to be underdiagnosed, often to the point that it's too late to
help them once the condition is discovered.
"The symptoms for women are typical for women, and they are
often missed by doctors and the patient themselves
. "We often think of symptoms … like chest pain. Some
people may have that, but others may just have a little bit of jaw
pain, shoulder ache, nausea, vomiting, or shortness of breath."
The American Heart Association lists risk factors for heart disease
as:
Increasing age
Male sex (men typically develop heart disease at a younger age)
Heredity (including race). People with family history of the
disease have greater risk.
Smoking
High blood cholesterol
High blood pressure
Physical inactivity
Obesity and overweight
Diabetes
"The burden of heart disease in women is very great,"
The earlier folks adapt healthier behaviors, the lower
their overall risk for heart disease or stroke outcomes."
people can reduce their risk of heart disease by
modifying lifestyle to include a well-balanced diet and exercise.
Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. It is second
to lung cancer as the leading cause of death for women.
Experts say the fear of breast cancer can sometimes be
exaggerated, stopping women from going to their doctors for
screening, or pushing women to make rash decisions about
mastectomy, when it may it may not be necessary.
"There's a lot of treatment for breast cancer," assures Diane
Helentjaris, MD, immediate past president of the American Medical
Women's Association. "It's not a death sentence."
She urges women to keep their emotions in perspective and to
educate themselves about the issues.
The American Cancer Society lists the following as risk factors for
breast cancer:
Increasing age
Genes. Nearly 5% to 10% of breast cancer is linked to mutations
in certain genes (most commonly, the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes).
Family history of the disease
Personal history of the disease
Race. White women have a slightly greater risk of getting breast
cancer compared with African women. Yet Africans have a greater
chance of dying from this disease.
Earlier abnormal breast biopsy
Earlier chest radiation
Early onset of menstruation (before age 12) or menopause after
age 55
Not having children
Medication use, such as diethylstilbest rol (DES)
Too much alcohol
Obesity
Stephen F. Sener, MD, president of the American Cancer Society,
recommends controlling your weight, exercising, quitting
smoking, and talking to your doctor about your risk and
appropriate screening for breast cancer. He also says to keep risk
factors in perspective.
"Just because your mother didn't have breast cancer, it does not
mean you are immune to this problem," says Sener. At the same
time, it's also important to note that some women who have one
or more risk factors never get breast cancer.
Osteoporosis
Hunched backs, back pain, and frailty used to be things older
women had to accept before doctors knew anything more about
osteoporosis. Now, there are steps women and girls can take to
avoid such problems.
Osteoporosis threatens 44 million africans, of which 68% are
women, reports the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
"Osteoporosis is largely preventable," says Mark. "The behaviors
that women develop in their childhood, in their adolescence, and
in their early adult years really play a significant role in the
development of the disease."
That's because bodies build up most of bone mass until age 30.
Then new bone stops forming and the focus is on maintenance of
old bone.
It is never too late to keep bones strong and avoid fractures.
"Your body will do what it can to repair bone damage, but you
have to provide the tools for it, such as adequate calcium
consumption and weight-bearing physical activity,"
Risk factors for osteoporosis include:
Female sex
Increasing age
Small, thin-boned frame
Ethnicity. White and Asian women have the greatest risk.
Family history
Sex hormones. Infrequent menstrual cycles and estrogen loss
due to menopause may increase risk.
Anorexia
Diet low in calcium and vitamin D
Medication use, particularly glucocorticoids or some
anticonvulsants
Sedentary lifestyle
Smoking
Excessive alcohol
Talk to your doctor about your possible risk of osteoporosis, and
what you can do to prevent problems.
Depression
Depression appears to affect more women than men. The
National Institute of Mental Health reports that about 12 million
women are affected by a depressive disorder each year compared
to about 6 million men.
Dorree Lynn, PhD, a psychologist and author of Getting Sane
Without Going Crazy, says women need a connection with others
in their lives.
"They need that sustenance," says Lynn. "If they don't have it,
they tend to get depressed."
Sometimes, hormonal changes can also trigger the condition,
particularly after pregnancy (postpartum) or around menopause.
Other risk factors for depression include:
A previous depressive episode
Family history of depression
History of heart problems
Serious chronic illness
Marital problems
Substance abuse
Use of drugs that could trigger depression, such as medicines
for high blood pressure or seizures
A stressful life event, such as job loss or death
Diseases that could trigger depression, such as vitamin
deficiency and thyroid disease
Recent serious illness or surgery
Childhood history of physical or sexual abuse
Being a worrier or being overly anxious
Having an eating disorder or an anxiety disorder
To help reduce risk of depression, Lynn recommends finding a
reason to get up in the morning. She says things such as work,
community, love, pets, and volunteering can be good reasons.
"Statistically, the healthiest adults, both in women and men, are
people in significant caring relationships," says Lynn. She says
adults not in nurturing relationships can reduce their risk of
depression by making efforts to reach out into the community.
Autoimmune Diseases
Autoimmune diseases are a group of disorders in which the
immune system attacks the body and destroys or alters tissues.
There are more than 80 serious chronic illnesses in this category,
including lupus, multiple sclerosis, and type 1 diabetes.
According to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases
Association (AARDA), about 75% of autoimmune diseases occur
in women. By themselves, each disease appears to be
uncommon -- except for diabetes, thyroid disease, and lupus --
but as a group, the disorders make up the fourth-largest cause of
disability among African women.
It is not known what causes the body to turn on itself, but genetic,
hormonal, and environmental factors are suspects.
"That's such a major area of needed research," says Helentjaris.
Since autoimmune diseases are not very well understood,
pinpointing specific risk factors is difficult. Symptoms can also be
nonspecific, hampering proper diagnosis. However, if you know
something is wrong with you or a loved one, it's important to
become an active health advocate.
"It's very common for women to make multiple visits to multiple
doctors to finally get a diagnosis," she says. "Insist that someone
take your symptoms seriously."
If you don't feel like your doctor is taking your complaints
seriously, Pearson advises finding another doctor that will take the
time to investigate your symptoms.
Get more health related posts at www.ladieshealt hng.blogspot.co
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
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