This week's focus: Women's Health

Note: This brochure discusses diet and lifestyle changes that research and other evidence has shown may support general health. Talk to your healthcare provider to learn more about your options and before making changes to your everyday nutrition and self-care practices.

Overview

Women's health interests and concerns are constantly evolving. Staying healthy, energetic, and fit requires an awareness of the specific issues that impact both body and mind during the different phases of your life.

A lot of progress has been made when it comes to preventing and treating conditions that affect many women, such as osteoporosis, breast cancer, heart disease, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), yeast infections, and menopausal symptoms--and, fortunately, the key risk factors can often be changed. Much of it comes down to basic healthy diet and lifestyle choices. Being proactive about your health can significantly improve your quality of life, both now and in years to come.

TOP TIPS FOR A LONG, HEALTHY LIFE
Eat Right

• Eat healthy foods--Emphasize low-fat, high-fiber foods and plenty of fruits and vegetables. This can help improve hormone metabolism, helping with premenstrual syndrome symptoms. Add plenty of fiber, tomato and soy products, and fish to your diet to reduce risk of diseases like breast cancer. Daily servings of vegetables and fruits, grains, milk and other calcium-rich products, and meat, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts protect bones against osteoporosis. Limit solid fats, sugar, salt, sodium, and alcohol.
• Focus on the good fats--For a healthy heart, choose mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which can be found in foods such as fish, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and nonhydrogenated vegetable oils. Choose fat-free, low-fat, or lean meat, poultry, beans, milk, and milk products.
• Be sure to get your fiber--Choose grain products and prepared foods that are low in saturated fats and trans fats. High-fiber diets are associated with reduced risk of many chronic diseases, including cancer, heart disease, certain gastrointestinal conditions, and perhaps even obesity. As each has different benefits, both fiber sources should be included in the diet: soluble fiber (found in beans, oats, and fruits) and insoluble fiber (found in vegetables, whole grains, and fruit skins).
•  Add the antioxidants--Antioxidants are the body's armed forces, working to prevent free-radical damage to the body's cells, which is associated with premature aging and disease. Foods rich in vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, vitamin B2, coenzyme Q10, and cysteine (an amino acid) provide powerful antioxidant protection for the body. These nutrients can be easily and effectively obtained by eating a wide variety of produce and whole foods.
•  Get your isoflavones--To reduce osteoporosis risk, make tofu, soy milk, soy protein, and other sources of beneficial isoflavones a regular part of your diet. Also be sure to get foods high in phytoestrogens, such as flaxseed, tofu, soy milk, tempeh, and roasted soy nuts. (Exception: if you are pregnant, talk with your doctor about the right amount of flaxseed and soy.)

Live Right
A study conducted by a team of researchers that included doctors from the National Cancer Institute and the National Institutes of Health and Human Services, looked for risk factors that affect women's longevity by analyzing data collected from 18,000 women (average age 68) who answered questions about their health, dietary habits, and medical histories.

The study results, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, found that the most important risk factors that could be changed were smoking, being in poor physical shape, having more fat concentrated in the abdominal area, and having high blood pressure.

• Keep moving--Regular aerobic exercise decreases the chances of diabetes, heart disease, and being overweight. It also helps balance blood sugar levels, lowers blood pressure and LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels, and raises HDL ("good") cholesterol levels, and it reduces symptoms of conditions like premenstrual syndrome and menopause. Regular weightbearing exercise increases bone density and helps prevent osteoporosis. Workouts do more than help you shed pounds; they can give you extra energy, enhance your mood and boost your immune system.
• Maintain a healthy weight--Especially aim to lose that tummy fat, as studies have shown that this type of fat distribution leads to heart disease.
• Keep tabs on your blood pressure--By getting regular exercise, not smoking, and eating a healthful diet, you can help keep your blood pressure at an optimal level.
• Don't smoke--By not smoking, you could drastically reduce your chances of dying from cancer or heart disease.

Of these factors, smoking stood out as particularly hazardous. Smoking causes lung cancer, which accounted for more than 25% of cancer deaths among the women. It also causes chronic respiratory illnesses like emphysema and contributes to heart disease.

Other health experts suggest supplementing with a good multivitamin when the diet isn't supplying everything the body needs. Additionally, along with calcium, research continues to demonstrate the importance of vitamin D for bone health. While most doctors recommend people use sunscreen with an SPF of 15 all or most of the time, some feel up to 20 minutes of early morning or late afternoon sun helps the body get the vitamin D it needs. However, the American Academy of Dermatology suggests instead that people rely on supplement and diet sources of vitamin D and that they protect the skin from damage and more serious skin conditions by covering up with sunscreen at all times.

A final note: Your body needs rest and relaxation just like it needs food and water. Keep your body, mind, and spirit in balance with stress-reduction and relaxation techniques, like meditation. So, remember to make time to relax!

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Disclaimer: The information in this page was prepared by Aisle7 for educational purposes only; it is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Health claims are based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications, diet, or exercise habits. Aisle7, Walmart, and Pierce Promotions make no representations concerning the information contained in this article and disclaim any liability for such information and the decisions you make based on such information.