Mindful Monday: Women's Health Issues

Change your fate—starting now

Drastically reduce your risk for  disease 

 It is extremely important that each woman take charge of her health. It is her life after all. It is important to be fully versed in family medical history and learn the subtle nuances that our bodies use to communicate with us. Education and access are also keys to success. Learning about the different health issues that are found in your family’s health history (especially the female lineage – your mom and grandmother) will help in preparation for what your weak links might be health-wise. Finding a medical professional that will talk WITH you and not AT you is essential.

DEPRESSION

22% Average woman's risk
40% Risk if one parent had it

Though a recent study hinted at a genetic marker, there's no concrete test that reveals whether your family health history dictates that you'll get hit with the blues.

Reduce Your Risk

Swig some joe. Women who sipped two cups of coffee a day had a 15 percent lower risk for depression, according to a 2011 study. The key may lie in the caffeine, which could accelerate the release of mood-elevating hormones.

Eat Greek. Sticking to a Mediterranean diet--think salmon, sardines, olive oil, avocados--can lower depression risk by more than 30 percent. Such food is chock-full of omega-3 fatty acids that can help stabilize your mood, says Orlando-based psychologist Alan D. Keck, Psy.D. (Read more about diet and disease risks.)

Break a sweat. Working out can strengthen your mental health. A study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that regular exercise can reduce depression by a whopping 47 percent. Shoot for 30 minutes of jogging five times a week.

HEART DISEASE

The average woman's risk varies. But those whose parents had early heart disease are more than twice as likely to also suffer cardiac woes.

Scientists are currently working on identifying specific gene markers for heart disease, and some DNA tests are now on the market. But there isn't enough evidence yet to show those tests are reliable.

Reduce Your Risk

Leave work on time. Heart disease risk is a shocking 67 percent higher among people who work 11 or more hours a day, according to a 2011 study. Logging excessive hours at the office could heighten stress, deprive you of exercise time, and increase the likelihood of unhealthy eating, which can take a toll on your ticker.

Smile (and mean it!). Research from 2010 shows that moderate optimists have a lower heart disease risk than glass-half-empty folks, says Karina Davidson, Ph.D., director of the Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health at Columbia University Medical Center. Scientists are still figuring out why, but they do know that laughter can reduce levels of stress hormones.

Pump up the jams. Listening to music can increase your blood flow and relax your cardiovascular system, thereby protecting your heart health, says Michael Miller, M.D., director of the Center for Preventive Cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Any type of tunes will do; aim for 30 minutes of uninterrupted music a day

MELANOMA

2% Average woman's risk
4% Risk if one parent had it

There are currently no genetic skin cancer tests widely available. But don't let the low percentages fool you: unprotected sun exposure can exponentially raise your innate odds.

Reduce Your Risk

Indulge in dessert. You tread that right. Munching up to two ounces of dark chocolate a day can shield your skin from oxidative damage caused by UV Ways, slimming your risk for skin cancer, says David Katz, M.D., director of the Yale university prevention Research center.

Read the fine print. If your sunscreen bottle doesn't display the words broad spectrum, it's time to toss it. The FDA recently ruled that only those kinds of SPF lotions protect against both cancer-causing UVA and UVB rays.

Drive safely. Before you get behind the wheel, slather your face, hands, and arms in broad-spectrum SPF 30. Per a 2010 study, younger women are more likely to develop skin cancer on their left sides, since car windows don't block harsh UVA rays.

BREAST CANCER

12% Average woman's risk
24% Risk if one parent had it

Women who inherit the BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation have an increased risk of around 60 percent. If you have a family history of the disease, ask your doctor about taking a genetic test.

Reduce Your Risk

Go virgin. As few as four alcoholic drinks a week can raise breast cancer risk by 15 percent; more than two a day shoots your chances up to 55 percent, says oncologist Wendy Chen, M.D., of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. To reduce your risk, stick to three (or fewer) boozy beverages each week.

Snack smart. Ditch the chips and go nuts: Eating two ounces of walnuts a day can reduce your odds by 40 percent because they're packed with cancer-fighting nutrients such as antioxidants and vitamin E, says researcher W. Elaine Hardman, Ph.D., of the Marshall University School of Medicine.

Go on the D-fense. Ask your doctor to check your vitamin D levels. If they're below 50 ng/ml, start taking a supplement. Getting enough of the stuff can slash your breast cancer risk in half, according to a 2009 study in the Annals of Epidemiology.