National Women’s Health Week

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During National Women’s Health Week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health is encouraging women and girls to reflect on their individual needs and take steps to improve and maintain their overall health. It’s always a good time to pay attention to health!

Build a Foundation of Good Health

Women, men, girls and boys can all take steps to build a foundation of good health!

  • Make an appointment with your primary care physician for a check-up
  • Consider preventative screenings
  • It’s summertime, be active
  • Healthy eating with seasonal foods
  • Reduce stress
  • Get ample sleep
  • Drink plenty of water
  • Pay attention to your mental health
  • Adopt healthy habits

Photo by Mikhail Nilov: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-brown-shirt-in-a-bending-position-6707078/

Leading Causes of Death in Women

There are differences in the way women experience healthcare delivery. Factors that influence healthcare disparities include social, economic, environmental, and other disadvantages. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists the top 5 leading causes of death among women as follows:

  • #1 – Heart Disease is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S. and can affect women at any age. Over 60 million women are living with some form of heart disease. In 2018, heart disease was responsible for more than 1 out of every 5 deaths for women in the U.S.
  • #2 – Cancer is the second leading cause of death for women in the U.S. and affects women of all ages, races, and populations.  
    •  African American women have the highest cancer death rates and Asian/Pacific Islanders have the lowest cancer death rates.  
    • While African American women have similar breast cancer rates as white women, they have a greater risk of dying from it.  
    • Examples of how cancer can uniquely affect specific groups of women include:
      • Higher incidence of a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer among African American women;
      • Higher rates of kidney cancer among American Indian and Alaska Native women;
      • Higher rates of liver cancer among Asian and Pacific Islander women; and
      • Higher rates of cervical cancer incidence among Hispanic and African American women.
    • See More Examples and Learn More About Cancer Disparities
    • Learn how to Prevent Cancer or Find it Early by simple and proven methods like cancer screenings/tests, vaccines, and making healthy choices.
  • #3 –Stroke affects 1 in 5 women between the ages of 55 to 75 and is the third leading cause of death for women in the U.S.  High blood pressure is the main risk factor for stroke. Additionally, the risk for stroke increases with age, and because women live longer than men on average, more women have strokes over their lifetime than men.
    • Women have unique risk factors for stroke, including high blood pressure during pregnancy, using certain types of birth control medicines, and higher rates of depression.
    • African American women have the highest rate of death from stroke compared to other ethnic groups for a variety of reasons including high blood pressure, obesity, salt and sodium consumption rates, higher diagnosis rates of Sickle Cell disease, and tobacco use.
    • Learn More About How Stroke Affects Women
    • Take Action and Prevent Stroke (CDC) by getting regular physical activity, choosing healthy foods and drinks, keeping a healthy weight, and limited alcohol.
  • #4 – Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease (CLRD)  is a group of conditions that affects the lungs and is the fourth leading cause of death for women in the U.S. CLRD includes diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung cancer. Smoking is the number one risk factor.
  • #5 – Alzheimer’s Disease is the fifth leading cause of death of women in the U.S.  More than 5.6 million people, over the age of 65, have Alzheimer’s Disease, of which, almost two-thirds are women.
    • The greatest risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease is age, and because women live, on average, 5 years longer than men, they are more likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
    • White women have the highest rate of death from Alzheimer’s Disease.
    • Learn more about Alzheimer’s and Its Effects
    • Recent research suggests increased physical activity, blood pressure control, and cognitive training Can Help Prevent Alzheimer’s.

Photo by Anna Shvets: https://www.pexels.com/photo/cutting-cucumber-on-board-6593586/

Healthy Eating

Healthy eating choices can help prevent or manage many health problems that affect women (and men). Healthy choices include choosing foods in the proper amounts from all the essential food groups and getting the right amount of nutrients through food. Here are some tips from WomensHealth.gov

  • Diets low in fiber can lead to constipation and can raise the risk for other health problems.
    • A fiber-rich diet helps lower your risk for heart disease, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, and colon cancer.
  • Whole-grain breads, fortified cereals, beans, berries, and dark green leafy vegetables are all rich with fiber and should be added to women’s diets.
  • Cooking is a great way to make healthy eating choices and there are many resources to discover delicious and healthy recipes.
    • The NHLBI provides delicious heart healthy recipes and free cookbooks full of wonderful recipes from many different cultures.
      • Healthy recipes for smaller dinners and whole family meals and can be sorted by type of dish, like pasta or chicken.
      • In addition to great recipes, NHLBI also provides helpful cooking resources like safe cooking practices and food preparation basics.
      • Explore everything that the NHLBI offers here.
    • The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) also provides healthy recipes for women on-the-go.  It includes recipes of the month and other recipe collections, like money-saving main dishes.
  • HHS and the USDA collaborated to publish the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to help all individuals and their families consume a healthy and nutritionally adequate diet.  The main points of the guidelines are:
    • Follow a healthy dietary pattern at every stage of life, 
    •  Customize and enjoy a nutrient-based diet based on your personal preferences,
    • Focus on meeting food group needs with nutrient-dense foods and drinks while staying within calorie limits, and
    • Limit foods and beverages high in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium.
  • Having a healthy eating plan is a positive step towards better nutrition and should include foods from all the main food groups to ensure women are getting all of their essential vitamins and nutrients.
  • There are a lot of small changes you can make to start improving your diet now.  Below are several tips to assist with eating healthier.  Try starting with just one and add to it as you feel comfortable:
    • Buy one piece of whole fruit at the grocery store for each day of the week. 
    • Add at least one vegetable to one of your meals each day. 
    • Switch your favorite yogurt for a plain yogurt with whole fruit.
    • Drink water with lemon instead of sugar-sweetened beverages.
    • Add a pre-made salad to your dinner most nights of the week. 
    • Buy one less treat or splurge food at the store than you normally would. 
    • Ask for brown rice instead of white rice when you order Chinese food.
    • Put out a bowl of whole fruit on your kitchen counter.  
    • Buy seafood instead of beef or pork for one dinner a week.  
    • Check out additional tips.

Take Care of You

Making time to take care of you is a “must have”! Overall health includes peace of mind.

Building your foundation of “step-in support” at home and work is highly recommended. Happy to review your readiness this summer. Send me an Email: Lynn@thelivingplanner.com or if you’d prefer to schedule a Complimentary Discovery Call to discuss your particulars, go for it! My main website is: https://thelivingplanner.com.

We’ll close out with a quote from Buddha today, “To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” Happy Health ❣️Lynn

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