What to Know About Women’s Health
Women’s Health Topics: What can you do to improve your health or support the health of the women in your life? Here are seven facts about your health and tips for a healthy lifestyle.
1. Women caregivers have a greater risk of poor health
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS), the majority of caregivers are women. Women who serve as caregivers face more long-term mental health issues—such as depression and anxiety—than their male counterparts.
Dealing with people often causes stress, and this stress can lead to poor sleep quality and declining health. If you spend the night procrastinating, you won’t feel refreshed in the morning. You may become more prone to illness or neglect exercise.
To reduce the risk of health problems when caring for a caregiver, make time for yourself. Here are some tips:
- Incorporate exercise into your daily routine
- Choose heart-healthy foods
- Make time for enjoyable activities or hobbies
- Keep in touch with family and friends
- Keep up with regular medical check-ups
2. What you eat affects your hormones and menstrual cycle
You are what you eat, right? What you eat affects your health and your mood. It can also affect your hormones and your reproductive health.
Vitamin D is essential for hormonal health, so consider adding foods like eggs and fatty fish to your diet. Thanks to their omega-3 nutrients, fatty fish—like salmon—also help balance estrogen levels and can reduce menstrual cramps.
To maintain a healthy diet, it is also recommended to use cruciferous vegetables. It contains phytoestrogens, such as lignans and coumestrol, that help balance estrogen levels throughout the menstrual cycle.
To get a clearer picture of your diet, log what you eat on the MyFitnessPal app. You’ll be able to track your daily intake of iron, calcium, vitamin D, protein, and other essential nutrients. Additionally, you can look at the amount of fibre, sugar, fat, and carbohydrates present in the foods you consume.
3. The right exercise is important when pregnant
Pregnancy brings life. It also changed your life—yours! If you’re pregnant, you’ll want to engage in appropriate physical activity safely throughout the day. Being active safely during pregnancy can reduce your chances of developing:
- Gestational diabetes
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Preeclampsia
- Abdominal pain
I get it: pregnancy can make exercise difficult. To keep your body strong as your child grows, try modified exercise or alternative activities, such as swimming, riding a stationary bike, or water aerobics. Pilates and yoga stretches can also help you keep moving.
4. Nutritional needs change as you (and your menstrual cycle!) age
As you progress in life, you need to focus on certain nutrients.
- Between your teens and your 20s: Consider eating foods high in protein, calcium, and iron.
- In your 30s: Try to get more calcium, omega-3 fatty acids, and dietary fiber.
- In your 40s: maintain your calcium and protein intake, and try to increase your fibre and vitamin D intake.
- Starting at age 50: Consider increasing your intake of calcium, protein, fibre, and vitamin D, and supplementing with omega-3s and vitamin B12.
According to the USDA’s *Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025*, girls are generally not getting enough protein, calcium, and iron in their diets. Good health also requires vitamins B6 and B12—two vitamins that support body growth and change.
Are you entering adulthood? It may be time to increase your intake of calcium, fibre, and vitamin D.
5. Menopause can affect your body composition
Menopause is when the ovaries stop releasing eggs. This is also the stage during which, for many women, estrogen levels drop significantly. You might think that estrogen only affects the reproductive system, but it plays a much wider role.
Estrogen also affects:
- Bone density
- Muscle mass
- Cholesterol levels
- Blood sugar levels
- Blood circulation
- Heart health
- Brain health
- Skin health and collagen production
Menopause symptoms affect your mood, body temperature, and energy levels. Decreased estrogen levels can also lead to general weight gain and increased abdominal fat accumulation. A high Body Mass Index (BMI) and weight gain can increase health risks, such as cardiovascular disease.
6. Hormone levels can impact your exercise performance
Hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle can affect physical performance. The cycle consists of two main phases: the follicular phase and the luteal phase. The follicular phase begins in the first half of the month, with the first day marking the beginning of menstruation.
During the follicle phase, you may feel more motivated to exercise. However, proceed with caution. Although hormone levels rise throughout this phase, they begin with a low baseline. Making sudden or drastic changes to your workout routine can result in soreness or muscle injury.
During the luteal phase, estrogen levels begin to drop, while progesterone remains elevated for a time. Furthermore, levels of both hormones drop as menstruation approaches. This phase is ideal for lower-intensity workouts and for allowing adequate recovery time.
7. Women’s risk of osteoporosis is four times higher
Women’s bodies produce significant amounts of estrogen to maintain strong bones. After menopause, this steady supply of estrogen is no longer available. This decline is detrimental to your health, as it can make your bones more fragile and increase your risk of developing osteoporosis by up to four times.
Given that ageing also causes a loss of muscle mass, the muscles will not exert their usual strength. Incorporating more exercise into your daily routine also helps protect your bones. Greater muscle mass—by acting as a “shock absorber”—may reduce the risk of bone fractures or fractures, even in the case of lower bone density.