Top Health Concerns for Women

Age and family history may determine what concerns you most.  But one thing is certain—exercising and eating right builds a strong foundation for good health, no matter which challenge you face.

Boning Up

About 30 million people—80 percent of them women—have osteoporosis, the thinning or loss of bone mass density. Bone has a framework or matrix made of trace minerals on which calcium is laid down. Often osteoporosis is a matrix deficiency, leaving little matrix to which calcium can attach.

To prevent or delay age-related bone loss, eat a diet high in whole foods, grains, fruits, and vegetables. Avoid acid-forming foods such as soft drinks, hard fats, and white sugar, as these cause bones to lose calcium.

The most important nutrient for healthy bones is calcium. But researchers are also re-examining vitamin D because it controls phosphorous and calcium metabolism, and a deficiency of this vitamin can lead to osteopenia (thinning of the bones) and worsen osteoporosis. The best source of vitamin D is sunlight, but if you live in an area where winter restricts your outdoor activities, taking a supplement might be worthwhile.

Also consider the following supplements: 500 mg of calcium at meals and bedtime, magnesium (ranging from half as much to equal your calcium intake), and B complex plus vitamins C and K.

If your family has a history of osteoporosis or if you take medications (such as chemotherapy drugs, thyroid hormone, corticosteroids, and anticonvulsants) that can damage bones, get your bone density and vitamin D level tested.

Weight training is ideal for building bone. When you lift weights, cells called osteoblasts increase their rate of bone formation. The result is a stronger skeleton.

Making It Through Menopause

Menopause is a period marked by challenging symptoms including hot flashes, irregular periods, insomnia, anxiety, and digestive problems. A primarily plant-based diet not only eases symptoms but helps keep your heart and bones strong. Plants contain phytoestrogens, which “stimulate estrogen-like effects in the body,” explains Gabriele Kushi, author of Embracing Menopause Naturally.

This may account for the lower frequency of menopausal symptoms among Asian women, who eat a great deal of foods rich in phytoestrogens, like miso and tofu. Most whole grains also offer these compounds, which are found in smaller amounts in berries, broccoli, cabbage, collards, kale, and other leafy greens.

Exercise is key for reducing symptoms. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) reports that physically active women experience milder menopausal symptoms than those who don’t work out. Strength training cuts the incidence of hot flashes and headaches in half, according to ACSM research. Pilates and yoga are also useful in reducing lower back pain.

A recent six-month study of postmenopausal women showed that women who performed moderate aerobic exercise three hours a week experienced an increase in health-related quality of life, whether or not they were undergoing hormone therapy.

Another study of 164 sedentary or low-active menopausal women randomly assigned to a four-month walking or yoga program or no additional exercise, found that women who walked derived the most benefit in terms of decreasing symptoms.

Keep On Ticking

Many people are surprised to learn that the leading cause of death in females is cardiovascular disease. One in three women will develop cardiovascular disease, including heart disease, high blood pressure, or stroke, during her lifetime. Heart disease becomes a significant health factor during menopause, and heart attacks kill six times as many women each year as breast cancer.

Women experience heart attacks differently than men. Men feel chest-crushing pain. Women may experience shortness of breath, unusual fatigue, sleep disturbances, chest discomfort that may come and go quickly, vision problems, anxiety, and indigestion.

Those with suspicious symptoms should schedule an electrocardiogram (EKG). They should also take an exercise stress test along with a nuclear scan known as a thallium stress test. Another tool is electron-beam computed tomography, a fast form of X-ray imaging technology that can measure calcium deposits inside coronary arteries.

Avoid the trans fat found in hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated polyunsaturated oils, margarine, and vegetable shortening. Instead, enjoy healthy natural oils that come from nuts and seeds.

Magnesium deficiency can lead to several heart conditions including irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, and sudden death. Deficiencies of this mineral can hasten hardening of the arteries. Eat foods rich in this mineral, including kelp, wheat bran and germ, almonds, pecans, walnuts, and blackstrap molasses.

Garlic is also good for heart health. Garlic lowers LDL (lousy) blood cholesterol levels and raises HDL (healthy) cholesterol, while also reducing homocysteine (an amino acid linked to heart disease).