The Top Women's Health Tips

So many women are superwomen, juggling countless tasks, acting as the family’s all-around go-to person, and making sure that everybody stays as happy and healthy as possible.

That is, everyone except themselves.

Women are generally so busy doing so much that they often forget that their needs and their health are just as important as everybody else’s.

Thankfully, there are many different things that these superheroes can do to make sure they stay around for a long, long time:

Make Yourself A Priority

Women take care of others, but they should also take steps to be healthier themselves. Many times, women feel (or are told) that they’re being selfish if they make themselves a priority. But this is not true for two reasons:

• A woman, all by herself, is valuable and worthy of outstanding care.

• If a mom gets sick because she’s not taking care of herself, her family suffers. Studies show that if the lady of the house isn’t happy, nobody is.

So never feel guilty about making your own health and well-being a priority…you deserve it.

Eat Healthy

“Eat your fruits and vegetables!” Sound familiar? Well, don’t forget that this is great advice for the women saying it, too!

Women need a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein to help their bodies stay vital.

Exercise

One of the best things you can do to stay healthy and feel great is exercise. There are almost countless benefits to staying active:

• It reduces your risk of certain diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes
• It helps you stay slim, as well as look and feel sexy
• It boosts your mental health
• It helps you perform daily activities and chores more effectively
• It strengthens your body

What type of exercise should you do? Whatever you like to do: go for a run, a bike ride, a swim in the pool, take a gym class, dance…there are SO many options. Just make sure you get it in for no less than 30 minutes, 5 times a week.

Lose Weight

You already know that being overweight isn’t good for your health. According to the National Cancer Institute, being overweight in midlife increases your risk of death between 20 and 40 percent.

The best way to lose weight is to be sensible about it: don’t swear you’re going to give up cake forever (unless you really want to), and vow to only eat 1,000 calories a day. Steps like this won’t last. Instead, cut out a couple hundred calories every day (for example, stop mindlessly snacking as you cook dinner), and exercise regularly. It may also help to talk to a professional about a weight loss plan that will work for you and your goals.

Make Doctor’s Appointments A Priority

According to Dr. Tyese Gaines, Health Editor of theGrio, moms should follow a head-to-toe checkup guide to help them stay strong and healthy:

Eyes. It’s not just about vision — eye doctors can tell early signs of high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes just by looking at the back of eye. Vision can also change with pregnancy or after birth. And around 40, seeing things close up becomes more difficult. Early screening for diseases like glaucoma and problems with the retina can prevent or delay blindness.

Sleep apnea. Snorers with daytime sleepiness should discuss the possibility of sleep apnea with their doctors. Typically classified by hundreds of moments of apnea — where a person stops breathing during sleep — the brain doesn’t get enough oxygen during these episodes. The condition can raise the risk of high blood pressure, stroke and mental health disorders. Obese men with certain types of nose structures are most affected, but women are not exempt.

Teeth. A new statement from the American Heart Association says that, while there’s a link between gum disease and heart disease as previously stated, there is no current proof that troubled gums cause heart attacks and stroke. There is still, however, a link between poor dental care and preterm labor — not to mention the cosmetic aspects. Regular dentist visits are even important for those with dentures: dentists can screen for signs of tongue or mouth cancers.

Thyroid. The thyroid gland, located in the neck, controls metabolism. Women are more likely to have difficulties with this organ, causing their metabolism to either speed up or slow down, and, in some cases, cause infertility. As the thyroid speeds up metabolism, women tend to be thin despite eating a lot, feel anxious with a fast heart rate, and have an intolerance to heat. When it’s slow, women tend to be overweight, with menstrual irregularities, frequently cold and sometimes depressed. Thyroid screening involves blood tests and a physical examination looking for lumps in the gland that signal a deeper problem.

Breasts. Many physicians and medical practitioners still encourage their patients to perform them. The best time to check is after each monthly period. If you don’t check faithfully, at least see have a physician check at your annual exam. That same task force suggests that the first mammogram should wait until age 50, but discuss your particular case with your doctor. If you have risk factors such as strong family history of breast cancer, the first mammogram could be indicated as early as your 30s.

Heart. At least once a year, have your blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol checked for the three main risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure, also called hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol. If you already have one of those three conditions, keep your regular appointments and follow your doctor’s treatment plan. If you disagree, discuss it; don’t suddenly stop or start taking medication without guidance. Depending on your age or risk factors, your doctor may schedule a “stress test” to look for any major heart blockages or existing damage.

Get More Sleep

Being a woman (especially a mom) and not getting enough sleep often go hand-in-hand. However, insufficient sleep is associated with a number of chronic diseases and conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and depression. How you feel and perform during the day is related to how much sleep you get.

Here are a few simple ways to get more sleep:

• Stick to a sleep schedule: Go to bed and get up as close to the same times as possible each day.

• Keep your room dark and don’t bring electronic gadgets to bed or keep a TV in the bedroom: The light from screens has been associated with insomnia and poor sleep.

• Prioritize sleep: If you have to leave some chores undone until the next day, then that’s okay. In fact, you may get them done faster after getting proper rest.

Watch That Stress

Stress can be beneficial by helping you develop skills to cope with and adapt to new and potentially threatening situations throughout life. However, the beneficial aspects diminish when the stress is severe enough to overwhelm your ability to take care of yourself and your family.

How can you reduce your stress? Take time to relax, meditate, do yoga, practice deep breathing, ask for help when you feel overwhelmed, and/or talk about your problems with someone you trust.

Don’t Ignore How You Feel

Many women experience depression. Also, depression can mimick the symptoms of other conditions, such as stress, fatigue, exhaustion, or even pain. It is important to tell someone, particularly a doctor, about your concerns. Don’t ignore them. If you are thinking about harming yourself or know someone who is, tell someone who can help immediately. Also, be sure to reach out to loved ones so that they can help support you.

Stretch

Take some time throughout your day to give your body a nice stretch. Extend your arms up to the sky or towards the ceiling. Reach down and toes your toes. Angle your neck  to one side, then the other. Feel your muscles relax and your mind calm a bit  as you do.

In addition, consider taking a yoga class. The benefits of starting your own practice not only include stress-relief, but improved flexibility and muscle tone, and an overall sense of well-being.

Reward Yourself

You’re a wonderful person and you deserve to be happy. Try to find a way to reward yourself every day for all the amazing things you do. It doesn’t have to be anything epic, necessarily: treat yourself to a pedicure, make time to watch that new movie you were meaning to, or buy yourself something new.

As you begin to treat yourself more like the great person you are, you’ll be in a better mood, feel more confident, and will find it easier and easier to take better and better care of yourself. You’ll also become an even greater superhero than you already are!