Traditionally, women are seen as caregivers and born multi-taskers. In an attempt to strike a balance between different roles, they often neglect their own health. Since the biological makeup of men and women is remarkably different, certain health factors affect men while others have a greater impact on women’s health.
If you’re a woman reading this, irrespective of your age, it is crucial that you pay attention to your body and take the time out to care for yourself. In this day and age where quality pathology labs are all around, this has become a lot easier and more convenient than before.
In this article, we focus on some of the top health concerns for women, how they can be prevented and/or cared for.
What: Osteoporosis
This is a condition where one’s bones become weak and porous. It happens because the bone mass and density starts diminishing increasingly, making one prone to fractures.
It is unfortunate but true that women are at a greater risk of developing osteoporosis than men.
As women have thinner and shorter bones, it makes them more vulnerable.
What causes Osteoporosis?
Bone mass in women peaks in the mid-twenties and remains stable until the onset of menopause. Oestrogen, a hormone found in women that protects the bones decreases rapidly as one nears menopause. That said, young women with low bone density are also at risk.
Decreasing grip strength, cramps and bone pain, frequent fractures, loss of height (by an inch or two) as well as brittle fingernails are some early warning signs of osteoporosis.
Prevention & Care for Osteoporosis
While osteoporosis could largely be genetic, you can take a few steps to delay its onset or avoid it all together.
- Increase your Vitamin D intake
- Check your family history
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Avoid smoking and consuming excessive alcohol.
To prevent osteoporosis, you may also get checked for Rheumatoid Arthritis. Consult your doctor or book an appointment with your trusted pathology lab.
What: PCOS
You may have come across this abbreviation that stands for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. It is a condition that affects women in their reproductive age and causes hormonal imbalance. There’s an increased production of androgen, a hormone known as the male hormone which results in severe acne, excessive hair growth and difficulty in conceiving.
According to Healthline, 70% of PCOS cases go undiagnosed.
What causes PCOS in women?
5 Health Factors That No Woman Should Ignore
Prevention & Care for PCOS
Pay close attention to your body and look for the following signs:
- Sudden weight gain
- Acne
- Excessive facial hair growth
- Baldness
- Dark patches on skin
- Irregular periods
- Heavy bleeding
These are some common signs of PCOS, however, in some cases, women have also reported frequent headaches.
First and foremost, reach out to a pathology lab for a full body checkup or at least a blood test to assess the male hormone levels in your body. If you’re overweight or diabetic, your blood test should also have a reading of your cholesterol and blood sugar levels. This is because PCOS may often lead to hypertension, heart disease and diabetes.
The best way to manage and/prevent PCOS is to keep your weight in check, follow a low-carb diet and exercise regularly.
What: Breast Cancer
Breast cancer affects less than one percent of men worldwide. However, it is one of the most common cancers across the world. And even though it is ridiculously unfair, being a lady puts you at risk almost by default.
Like most types of cancer, there isn’t a set answer that reveals what causes breast cancer. Yet, it is likely that a set of genetic and environmental factors are at play here.
Breast Cancer: Who’s at Risk?
According to an article by Mayo Clinic, certain factors increase the risk of being prone to breast cancer. It’s best to be alert if:
- You have a personal history of cancer
- If there is a history of breast cancer that has healed
- You were exposed to radiation treatments
- Your periods started by the age of 12 or before
- You’ve never been pregnant
- Your menopause is delayed
Prevention & Care for Breast Cancer
The best way to prevent breast cancer or set yourself for an early diagnosis is to know your medical history. A lot of pathology labs now conduct cancer tests/examinations that could be vital in detecting breast or cervical cancer at an early stage. Reach out to your doctor or medical practitioner to help you find the right pathology labs that have appropriate tools for mammograms and Pap smear tests (for cervical cancer).
Apart from maintaining a healthy weight, following a proper diet and exercising regularly, it may also help if you can familiarize yourself with self-examinations. Physical signs of breast cancer like lumps, discharge etc can be easily identified.
What: Iron-Deficiency Anemia
Anaemia is a condition where haemoglobin levels of our red blood cells start decreasing. Haemoglobin is responsible for transporting oxygen in our tissues. This is why an anaemic person often complains of weakness and fatigue.
What causes Iron-Deficiency Anemia?
Iron deficiency is one of the most common causes of anaemia and compared to men, women are more likely to be anaemic. While having celiac diseases, stomach ulcers, internal bleeding or surgeries could interfere with your body’s ability to absorb iron, some factors affect women specifically.
Pregnancy, endometriosis, long and heavy menstruation cycles, uterine fibroids, PCOS can cause excessive loss of blood among women which leads to iron deficiency. Upon a doctor’s recommendation, a pathology lab or a diagnostic centre may conduct a blood test and/or an ultrasound for accurate diagnosis. Some common symptoms of iron-deficiency anaemia are:
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Pale or yellowish skin
- Irregular heartbeats
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Chest pain
- Cold hands and feet
- Headaches
Source: Mayo Clinic
Prevention & Cure for Anemia
Anaemia caused by iron deficiency can be easily prevented or controlled by bringing changes in one’s lifestyle and diet. Experts often recommend increasing the consumption of red meat, green leafy vegetables and nuts along with Vitamin C-rich foods such as citrus fruits, tomatoes, cauliflower etc. Sometimes, taking iron supplements is often advisable.
However, if anaemia is caused due to an underlying issue, the course of action is determined after proper diagnosis. For this, your doctor may ask you to do a CBC test to measure the following levels.
- red blood cells (RBCs)
- white blood cells (WBCs)
- hemoglobin
- hematocrit
- platelets
Subsequently, the diagnosis could be based on your ferritin levels. Ferritin is a type of protein that stores iron in our blood. Biocity Healthcare–one of India’s leading pathology labs offer a comprehensive iron profile in most of its healthcare packages. You can take a look at them here.
What: High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a silent killer especially when it comes to women’s health. As per an article published by John Hopkins Medicine, blood pressure is often ignored or goes undiagnosed among women between the age of 20-34. This leads to an increased risk of stroke and heart diseases.
Did you know that women account for over 52% of high blood pressure-related deaths? However, it is known to affect ladies more after the age of 65.
What causes High Blood Pressure?
High blood pressure or hypertension occurs when the blood reaches the walls of our arteries with increased force. In the long run, this can cause life-threatening complications like stroke and heart diseases. There are no easy-to-identify symptoms of high blood pressure, however, if the severity increases, headaches, nose bleeds and shortness of breath could be the telling signs.
A recent study conducted by the Women’s Heart Alliance noted that more women above the age of 60 were being hospitalized due to hypertension than their male counterparts.
Prevention & Cure for Blood Pressure
It is important to keep blood pressure under control because it could often be the root cause or the starting point for many serious conditions. Moreover, having unregulated blood pressure could result in inaccurate pathological readings.
Bringing about changes in one’s lifestyle is a good way to lower your blood pressure risk.
Dr. Holly Anderson of Women’s Health Alliance suggests, “eating a healthy diet full of colourful fruits and vegetables, being physically active, doing things to get your heart rate up, avoiding salt, not drinking too much (alcohol), not smoking, getting a good night’s sleep, stress reduction.”
Women’s Checkup Package
Biocity Healthcare is India’s Leading Pathology Lab that provides a set of preventive healthcare packages and diagnostic tests with unmatched accuracy.
The Biocity Women’s Checkup package includes more than 86 parameters to offer a detailed and comprehensive assessment of your health. Inclusive of a free health and diet consultation, this package covers:
- Lipid profile
- Liver function test
- Kidney function test
- Diabetes
- Thyroid
- Vitamin D
- Cancer
- Hormonal tests
- CBC
- Bone profile
- Iron
- Urine tests
You can request a free home sample collection or read more about this and other packages on our website here.
