Page 37 - Mangwanani Magazine - May Edition

HEALTH

Heart Disease Ÿ Family history
Ÿ Sex hormones.
Heart disease is the leading killer of both men and women.
Although more men die of heart disease than women, Infrequent menstrual
females tend to be underdiagnosed, often to the point cycles and estrogen
that it's too late to help them once the condition is loss due to
discovered. menopause may
increase risk.
The symptoms for women are often missed by doctors and Ÿ Anorexia
the patient themselves. Some people may have common Ÿ Diet low in calcium and vitamin D
chest pains, but others may just have a little bit of jaw Ÿ Medication use, particularly glucocorticoids or
pain, shoulder ache, nausea, vomiting, or shortness of some anticonvulsants
breath Ÿ Sedentary lifestyle
Ÿ Smoking
Risk factors for heart disease include: Ÿ Excessive alcohol
Ÿ Age
Ÿ Heredity (including race) Depression
Ÿ Smoking
Ÿ High blood cholesterol Depression appears to affect more women than men.
Ÿ High blood pressure Sometimes, hormonal changes can also trigger the
Ÿ Physical inactivity condition, particularly after pregnancy (postpartum) or
Ÿ Obesity and overweight around menopause.
Ÿ Diabetes
Other risk factors for depression include:
Women can reduce their risk of heart disease by modifying Ÿ A previous depressive episode
lifestyle to include a well-balanced diet and exercise. Ÿ Family history of depression
Ÿ History of heart problems
Breast Cancer Ÿ Serious chronic illness
Ÿ Marital problems
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. It is Ÿ Substance abuse
second to lung cancer as the leading cause of death for Ÿ Use of drugs that could trigger depression, such as
women.
medicines for high blood pressure or seizures
The following are risk factors for breast cancer: Ÿ A stressful life event, such as job loss or death
Ÿ Age Ÿ Diseases that could trigger depression, such as vitamin
Ÿ Genes
Ÿ Family history of the disease deficiency and thyroid disease
Ÿ Personal history of the disease Ÿ Recent serious illness or surgery
Ÿ Earlier abnormal breast biopsy Ÿ Childhood history of physical or sexual abuse
Ÿ Earlier chest radiation Ÿ Being a worrier or being overly anxious
Ÿ Not having children Ÿ Having an eating disorder or an anxiety disorder
Ÿ Medication use, such as diethylstilbestrol (DES)
Ÿ Too much alcohol To help reduce risk of depression find a reason to get up
Ÿ Obesity in the morning, such as work, community, love, pets, and
volunteering.
You can reduce your risk of breast cancer by controlling
your weight, quitting smoking, and talking to your doctor Autoimmune Diseases
about your risk and appropriate screening for breast
cancer. Autoimmune diseases are a group of disorders in which
the immune system attacks the body and destroys or alters
Osteoporosis tissues. There are more than 80 serious chronic illnesses in
this category, including Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, and Type
Hunched backs, back pain, and frailty used to be things 1 Diabetes.
older women had to accept before doctors knew
anything more about osteoporosis. Now, there are steps It is not known what causes the body to turn on itself, but
women and girls can take to avoid such problems. genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors are
suspects.
Risk factors for osteoporosis include:
Ÿ Female Since autoimmune diseases are not very well understood,
Ÿ Increasing age pinpointing specific risk factors is difficult. Symptoms can
Ÿ Small, thin-boned frame also be nonspecific, hampering proper diagnosis.
Ÿ Ethnicity. White and Asian women have the

greatest risk.

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