Common Health Issues Faced by Women

Women today are excelling in every possible field. Yet juggling between family & career often takes a toll on their health. Celebrating womanhood, this International Women’s Day, Listing here the top health issues that woman today face-

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE:

It is often thought to be a ‘male problem’; however, it turns out to be the number one killer in women. Previously common in post-menopausal women, it is increasingly striking younger women due to urbanized lifestyle, hectic schedules, junk food, lack of exercise, and smoking. The incidence of death due to heart attacks is higher in women because they do not experience the characteristic chest pain. The usual symptoms in women include shortness of breath, pain in the arms, back, neck, and breaking out in a cold sweat. So, adopt preventive measures like a healthy lifestyle, including a healthy diet, exercise, stress management, regular medical check-ups, and basic screening tests to reduce your risk effectively.

CANCER:

One of the greatest health fears of women is breast cancer. The increasing incidence can easily be attributed to a change in lifestyle, late marriages, and late pregnancy, less breast feeding, junk food intake, smoking & alcohol and increased exposure to environmental pollutants causing free radical damage. So ladies, please check your breasts regularly to detect any lumps. 

Cervical cancer is caused by the Human Papilloma Virus. It is spread through sexual contact and incidence is high in cases of very early marriage, multiple pregnancies, multiple sex partners, unprotected sex. Vaccinations are now available to lower your risk of cervical cancer. 

Regular screening and medical checks, mammograms, better nutrition and exercises will go a long way in lowering your cancer risk.

PCOD & DIABETES:

PCOD or PCOS (polycystic ovarian disease or syndrome) is another very common problem affecting females from 15 to 45 years. It is an urban phenomenon and is a lifestyle-related disorder attributable to faulty eating, lack of exercise and stress. Common symptoms range from irregular menstrual cycle, menstrual cramps, sparse or heavy bleeding, hair fall, weight gain, acne, facial hair, infertility and insulin resistance. Weight gain and insulin resistance multiply the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Adopting a permanent healthy lifestyle is the only way to prevent and manage these diseases.

OSTEOPOROSIS:

The term osteoporosis is synonymous with women, weak bones and fractures. Worldwide, it affects around 200 million women resulting in 9 million fractures annually. Poor diet, smoking, alcohol abuse, lack of exercise, over exercising (like running in marathons) increases the risk of osteoporosis. Besides calcium and vitamin D, our body also requires phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and other nutrients for bone health. A healthy diet, giving up smoking and alcohol, maintaining healthy body weight and weight-training exercises are helpful in preventing and treating osteoporosis.

AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES:

Women tend to have a stronger immune system than men. However, it can backfire when their immune system starts attacking their own body tissues. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Celiac disease, Rheumatoid arthritis, are a few of the common autoimmune diseases whose incidence is higher in women.

INFERTILITY:

Increasing incidence of obesity, hypothyroidism, PCOD, late marriages, lifestyle factors like smoking, alcohol etc are all leading to reduced fertility in women. The intent is not to scare you, but to increase awareness about the common health issues that women are facing and how better lifestyle, regular screening and medical check-ups can help in prevention, early detection and treatment.