One of the most interesting sayings I have heard about women’s health is that the global human population is as strong as the health of women. In essence, the healthier the women are, the stronger the human race. The elephant in the room, however, lies in the question, what are the major areas of concern when it comes to women’s health, and why are they unique?
Let’s have a look at them!
Early/Premature & normal Menopause
One of the most unique health issues affecting women is related to their menstrual cycle. Between the ages of 45-55, this cycle comes to an end, a phenomenon called menopause. However, some women experience a premature end of the menstrual cycle, something that happens in about 1% of women under the age of 40 years. While premature menopause may sound interesting for some people, it puts women at risk of different conditions such as neurological diseases, mood disorders, premature death, and infertility, among other issues. In this sense, it is prudent to visit a health expert when such an event occurs!
Heart health
Why do healthcare experts advise women to engage in greater frequency of physical activity than men? While doing that adds to their beauty and appearance, experts emphasize that the healthy waist size for women should not exceed 35 inches or 80-85cm. This is primarily because women are more vulnerable to heart diseases than men, and that living a sedentary lifestyle which leads to increased weight and body size puts them in an even much worse risk to heart diseases. In this sense, intentional daily physical activity and taking healthy meals is a crucial factor for ensuring great cardiovascular health in women.
Anxiety
Women are twice as likely as men to experience panic disorders! In fact, research shows that women are likely to exhibit higher rates of lifetime diagnosis of anxiety disorders than men. This is because they tend to have more metacognitive beliefs about the uncontrollability of worry!
Cancer
Today, one of the greatest healthcare fears in women is cancer. While some cancers such as cervix cancer and cancers affecting the womb and the ovaries are specific to women, they are also more vulnerable than men, to lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and large bowel cancers among others. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality among women, ovarian cancer is fifth, while any woman has a 13% chance of developing breast cancer! With modern screening technologies however, there is no reason to panic! The earlier it is detected, the higher the chances of survival!