The Modern Woman's New Health Concerns

The good news for the 21st century woman is that she is living more than 30 years longer than her 19th century counterpart, and enjoys far greater social, economic and reproductive freedom. The challenge, however, is that this new-found independence puts women at greater risk for chronic diseases and other health concerns, including:

At least one in five women has some form of cardiovascular disease, increasing the chances of a heart attack or stroke (one in two women will eventually die from a heart related ailment).

Every three minutes an American woman is diagnosed with breast cancer (180,000 women each year) and lung cancer kills more than 60,000 women every year. Twenty-eight million women are affected by potentially crippling osteoporosis; more than four million women suffer from diabetes and many more go undiagnosed.

Sexually transmitted diseases are also common: More than 600,000 women are infected with gonorrhea, chlamydia or syphilis, and one in four women are now infected with the herpes virus.

In addition, unintentional injuries, including car accidents, drownings and poisonings are consistently among the top 10 causes of death for women every year.

Taking Charge

These health threats may sound frightening, but there is a great deal each of us can do to protect ourselves and increase our chances for many long and healthy years ahead. The new century offers more opportunities to create a woman's health destiny than ever before.

Follow these simple strategies:

Eat right;
Stay active;
Don't smoke;
Get cancer screenings (pap smears, mammograms);
Get regular check-ups;
Play it safe by wearing seat belts;
If you have diabetes, watch your weight.

As you try to maintain good health, it is important to concentrate on both your mental health and your physical health--including your body image and self-confidence. Society's pressure on women to look a certain way can lead to a sense of failure and even depression. Fashion models weigh 23 percent less than the average female, yet many men and women still consider the underweight body type to be normal and healthy. Now, more than ever, women are learning to appreciate the differences in their bodies and take charge of their health every day.

Learn about your personal health risks. Remember: Eat right, stay physically active and keep a positive self-image.

You take care of others, why not make sure you are as healthy as you can be?

Source: National Women's Health Information Center http://www.4woman.gov/

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