07, May 2024
With the advent of summer and the weather heating up, and Mother's Day celebrations, the month of May marks Women's Health Awareness Month.
Women's Health Month reminds you to prioritize your overall health, seek medical help when needed, and engage in preventive care to keep you healthy, like scheduling routine checkups, getting vaccinations, living a healthy lifestyle, and much more.
Women's Health Month paves the pathway to educate women on the most common risks to their health, the warning signs and symptoms, and when to seek medical attention.
Women are at a higher risk of developing certain conditions and diseases than men. These conditions can include anxiety and depression, osteoporosis and urinary tract infections.
Women should be aware of some of the most important health concerns.
Breast Cancer is the second most common type of cancer in women in the United States. Nearly 240,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in women each year.
About 42,000 women in the U.S. die each year from breast cancer. It is important to have routine self-monthly breast examinations as well as mammograms.
Each year, about 14,000 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed. About 4,000 women die of this cancer.
Cervical cancer is mainly caused by a sexually transmitted common virus named human papillomavirus (HPV). It can take years for cervical cancer actually to develop, so it is important to know the symptoms, get vaccinated against HPV, and schedule routine PAP smear screenings.
Each year, about 19,000 new cases of ovarian cancer are diagnosed with 2 out of 3 cases occuring in women 55 years and older. It would help if you got regular pelvic examinations to check for the disease.
Safe sex practices can limit your risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases and help avoid many of the symptoms and issues that come with them.
Women who are pregnant or planning to be pregnant must take proper prenatal care and continue to prioritize their health throughout pregnancy.
Two major health concerns are anxiety and depression. It is important to be aware of the potential signs and symptoms of mental health problems and seek immediate attention when you notice changes in the way you feel.
Lack of physical activity leads to other health concerns, like obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and more.
It is recommended that women get around 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise each day (such as brisk walking).
Eating a well-balanced diet will help keep all parts of your body healthy and prevent other health problems.
Osteoporosis is a condition that makes your bones fragile by thinning them, thereby reducing bone density. Some tips to prevent osteoporosis are to eat a calcium and vitamin D-rich diet, quit smoking, and perform daily weight-bearing exercises regularly, such as walking, jogging and running.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women in the U.S., resulting in more than 800,000 deaths each year.
Taking proper steps to reduce the risk of developing heart disease is crucial. The risk factors include high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking, obesity, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and excessive alcohol use.
Women's Month empowers and engages individuals in their well-being and reproductive health. It reminds you to schedule an appointment with your primary care provider for a complete well-woman exam.
Talk to your providers about measures to live a healthier life. Take the first step today and schedule an appointment with your primary care physician.
Dr. Sue Mitra and her staff strive to offer their patients the best care, advice and services available in the medical field with the goal to keep patient healthy & happy.
Dr. Sue Mitra is board certified in international medicine. She is seen here with a Cologuard, which is a noninvasive colon cancer screening test. (Photo by: Tim Shortt/Florida Today)