“Taking care of myself doesn’t mean ‘me first.’ It means ‘me, too.’”
-LR Knost
You’re always there for your family, your job, your friends, and even your pets. What happens when you don’t take care of yourself? Did you know that many common health issues women face are preventable? Here is a look at some of these health problems and five ways to improve women’s health at home.
Why Don’t Women Seek Preventative Care?
Some shocking facts from the National Center for Health Statistics show that adult women in the United States face a health crisis. Per the study:
- 13.9% of women 18 and over are in poor to fair health
- Only a little over 20% of women meet physical activity guidelines
- Nearly 42% of women are an unhealthy weight
- 10% of women report smoking
- 45% of women over the age of 20 have high blood pressure
An estimated 23% of women under 44 years of age haven’t seen a doctor in over a year. Compounding the problem, they make no effort to elevate their health at home, either.
Many women find their health concerns dismissed by their doctors. This practice, called medical gaslighting, affects women more than men.
Women who fear they will not be “heard” are less likely to go to a doctor. If this concern keeps you from seeking medical care, try keeping a logbook of your symptoms, preparing a list of questions before the visit, and bringing a spouse or friend to the appointment.
Making an appointment with a functional medicine provider increases your level of care. Functional providers perform extensive screenings and address each area of a patient’s health concerns.
The Most Common Health Conditions Women Face
From chronic diseases to reproductive health issues, women tend to put their health on the back burner to care for those around them. Without regular screening and preventative health care, minor problems grow into big ones that can no longer be pushed aside or ignored. That’s why we’re big advocates for prioritizing women’s health at home.
1. Heart Disease
Women are more likely than men to blame heart attack symptoms on their daily activities. Since heart disease is the number one cause of women\’s death, screening and preventive medical care should be a top priority.
Signs of a heart attack in women can be harder to detect than in men. Some symptoms, such as chest pain and shortness of breath, are unmistakable, but others, like nausea, vomiting, fatigue, heartburn, and abdominal pain, are more common in women and frequently disregarded—especially by doctors.
2. Diabetes
Diabetes increases the chances of a heart attack four times more in women than in men. Women are also more likely to have diabetic complications such as blindness, depression, and kidney disease.
3. Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is a silent killer of women, with many women experiencing no symptoms before the diagnosis. The American Cancer Society reports a 1 in 8 chance that a woman will have breast cancer, a 13% risk. Since 1989, breast cancer deaths have decreased by 43%, primarily due to early detection and more effective treatments—and improving women’s health at home.
4. Stroke
While heart disease and cancer top the list of significant health threats, strokes come in third place. While both men and women suffer from strokes, women are more likely to suffer a stroke as they age and less likely to recover from it.
5. Mental Illness
Women are twice as likely to suffer from a mental illness, such as depression, throughout their lives, and many women don’t seek help. Many of these women suffer from more than one mental health condition—including alcohol abuse, anxiety, and drug use.
Five Ways to Improve Women’s Health at Home
Taking care of yourself doesn’t mean neglecting everyone else. It means taking a few moments to consciously address your health to stay healthy for everyone and everything else in your life. Here are some of the best ways to improve women’s health at home.
1. Find Your Balance
You have a hard time saying no. You’re busy from the moment you get up to the time you go to bed. Find your work/life/family balance, and include some downtime for yourself. Read a book, take a bath, watch a favorite show, or go for a walk; it doesn’t matter how you relax as long as you do. If you want to improve your health at home, we recommend starting here.
2. Eat Well
It’s tempting to cut corners and eat convenient processed food, but your diet is critical in every aspect of your mental and physical health. Let your functional provider work with you to create a diet that keeps you healthy without taking away all the foods you enjoy. Eating well makes you feel better, more energized, and happier. Another go-to adjustment that functional providers recommend for women’s health changes at home.
3. Increase Your Physical Activity
No time for the gym? Work out with an exercise video, go for a few short walks each day, or exercise while doing housework. Physical activity makes you feel better, builds strength, and decreases cardiovascular disease and stroke risks.
4. Maintain a Healthy Sleep Routine
Most women never see their recommended 8 hours of sleep at night. Whether they find it difficult to relax, are easily awoken, or just wake exhausted, sleep issues affect women 40% more than men. A functional provider can create a treatment plan—including lifestyle changes and supplements—that will have you sleeping the whole night through.
5. Find Your Life’s Purpose
Feeling unfulfilled is a common complaint for women, but finding one’s purpose seems out of reach with today’s hectic lifestyles. When was the last time you did something just for yourself? Embrace what makes you happy and gives you purpose, whatever that may be. Volunteer work, spending time with inspirational people, journaling, and following your passions are all steps you can take to find your life’s purpose.
Make an Appointment with a Functional Provider
A functional provider takes a holistic view of women’s health at home—or in the office. Treatment plans include lab tests and screenings, extensive medical histories, individualized preventative and treatment plans, and herbal medicines and supplements.
To learn more about functional medicine in Sedona, contact Dr. Jenna Blasi, NMD, at 928-282-4559. Register for free webinars, each packed with the information women need to elevate their health at home and take a proactive approach to healthy living.
