Health Ministry Page Women's Health From puberty to menopause and beyond, women cope with unique health problems. As with all areas of health, prevention is the key to enjoying a full and productive life. Lifetime preventive measures include not smoking, healthy diet, regular exercise, self breast exams, screenings and medical examinations as indicated by health care providers, and knowing when to seek medical care. All of these measures will decrease your risk for primary diseases affecting women. Heart Disease: Until menopause, men are at greater risk for Heart Disease than are women. After menopause and the decrease of estrogen, women's risk is equal to or greater than that of men. And women are twice as likely to die within a year of having a heart attack. Women also are at greater risk for second heart attacks and for disability due to heart failure. It has been recommended that after menopause, hormone replacement therapy (estrogen) be strongly considered to minimize the risk; however, recent research by the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) is raising new questions and it won't be until 2005 for results to be finalized. Keep alert and discuss this issue with your gynecologist. Also there are indications that folic acid (folate) and vitamin B6 decreases the chance of coronary heart disease. (This is the same folate that is recommended to pregnant women to prevent certain birth defects.) Breast Cancer: The news is very good. Preventative measures, including self breast examination, mammograms, and improved treatments, have significantly decreased the death rate due to breast cancer. Family history and age continue to be a significant indicator. Ovarian Cancer: Previously the picture was very bleak, but there are optimistic signs that the 5th leading cause of cancer death among American women is improving. New drugs and combinations of drugs are being tested. Be alert for subtle signs of persistent changes in bowel pattern and abdominal discomfort. Osteoporosis: Thanks to advanced bone-measuring technologies, it is easier to discover our risk for broken bones. (A bone scan is frequently recommended for women over 50.) We are now better prepared to know how to preserve bone strength. Our best hedge against osteoporosis is to enter our 30s with as much bone mass as possible and do everything we can to minimize subsequent loss. Get enough calcium and vitamin D. Vitamin D regulates the absorption of calcium from the intestines and its deposition in the bones. 1000 mg of calcium per day for those under 50 and 1200 mg for those over 50 is recommended. Weight bearing exercise such as running and walking are beneficial. Resistance exercise applies stress to the bones by way of the muscles and is especially helpful for increasing the strength of the upper extremity bones. Information taken from "Harvard Women's Health Watch" newsletters, the "Healthwise Handbook", and miscellaneous pamphlets. For additional information contact Joyce.

Bethel Hill Homepage
Health Ministry Link Page
Top of Page