Top 5 Women's Health Concerns and Managing Risk
May 02, 2022
Women wear so many hats & sometimes that means putting their health low on the priority list. Unfortunately, many women wait until there is a crisis before doing anything about their health.
Here are some of the most prevalent health concerns impacting women and what you can do to manage the risk:
1.Heart Disease. Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death for women. Symptoms of a heart attack include chest pain, shortness of breath and weakness in arms. Women are also likely to experience shortness of breath, and nausea or vomiting. However, women may not recognize their symptoms as a heart attack, and dismiss it as working out too hard or having heartburn. And while menopause does not cause heart disease, certain risk factors are more common after menopause, such as higher blood pressure and cholesterol, and lower estrogen.
Fortunately, there are many things you can do to reduce your chances of getting heart disease:
- Control your blood pressure.
- Keep your cholesterol and triglyceride levels under control.
- Stay at a healthy weight.
- Eat a healthy diet.
- Get regular exercise.
- Limit alcohol.
- Don't smoke.
- Manage stress.
2. Diabetes. Although diabetes is certainly not exclusive to women, it does increase the risk for heart disease by four times in women. Women are also more susceptible to diabetes-related complications, such as blindness, kidney disease and depression. Gestational diabetes is a condition that can occur during pregnancy in which your glucose level goes up and other complications develop. This occurs in at least 3 in 100 women. Here are 10 ways to lower your risk of diabetes.
- Reduce your total carb intake and increase protein intake.
- Exercise regularly.
- Drink water as your primary beverage.
- Lose excess weight.
- Quit smoking.
- Increase your green leafy vegetable intake
- Add a portion of healthy fat such as avocado to your diet.
- Follow a high fiber diet.
- Optimize Vitamin D Levels
- Eliminate processed, refined foods
3. Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease that causes your bones to weaken, making them susceptible to fractures. Postmenopausal women are at higher risk for fractures associated with osteoporosis. Other risk factors can include certain medications, early menopause, a low body mass index (BMI), cancer treatment and genetics.
You can offset these risks by
- Increasing vitamin D, magnesium, hydoxyappetite, Vitamin C, Omega 3 Fatty acids, B Vitamins, zinc, calcium and Vitamin K
- Staying active with appropriate weight-bearing exercises
- Avoiding smoking
Avoid alcohol use.
4. Hormonal Issues. Thyroid, Estrogen, Progesterone, Adrenal. Hormones are the messengers that tell your tissues and organs what to do. A slight change can cause fatigue, weight change, acne, and more.
10 Natural Ways to Balance Your Hormones
- Eat enough protein at every meal.
- Engage in regular exercise.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Take care of your gut health.
- Lower your sugar intake.
- Try stress reduction techniques.
- Consume healthy fats.
- Get consistent, high quality sleep
- Get more fiber in your diet
- Optimize your Vitamin D levels, B levels, Magnesium, Zinc, Selenium, Omega 3 Fatty Acids, and Probiotics.
5. Sleep. Sleep itself is not a "disease". It does lead to all of the above and MORE. If you are a woman getting less than 5 hours of sleep per night you have an 88% increased risk of having a stroke not related to heart disease, diabetes or hormone imbalances. If you sleep less than 7 hours per night you increase your risk of heart disease 4 fold.
To Address sleep, you must address
a. Adrenal Health
b. Diet
c. Exercise
d. Stress levels
e. Nutrient deficiencies
f. Alcohol use
g. Water intake
h. Medication use
i. Night time routine
j. Thyroid and Endocrine Health
If you struggle with any of the above, or think you do and don't want more medication, a visit to a Functional Medicine Doctor can really help you to get your health back on track to reversing many of these chronic problems.
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