Do you know the major women’s health risks? Nasties like heart disease, cancer and stroke top the list. Although there are some scary statistics about mortality rates, there’s good news too. Healthy lifestyle choices – such as eating a nutritious diet and integrating exercise into your routine – can make a big difference. Today, International Women’s Day, we take a top-to-toe look at the major female health offenders and find out how women can fight back.
STROKE
A stroke happens when the brain cells suddenly die from a lack of oxygen. This can be caused by an obstruction in the blood flow or the rupture of an artery that feeds the brain. “Although women are usually older when they have strokes, they are more likely to die of them than men,” says Dr Ahmed Gabroun, specialist cardiologist, Canadian Specialist Hospital, Dubai. This is because the symptoms females present when suffering a stroke tend to be less obvious than men’s, so there is less chance of getting them to a doctor within the crucial three-hour window.
Women are also at a higher risk of suffering a stroke than men, as certain female-specific factors, such as taking oral contraceptives, increase women’s risk of blood clots, which can cause strokes. In the UAE, as in the rest of the world, the risk factors increase with age: 1 per cent of UAE female nationals aged 30-39 suffer stroke each year and the figure rises to 5 per cent for those aged between 60 and 69, according to the Health Authority – Abu Dhabi.
Habits that can further increase your risk of stroke include smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, an unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, obesity and medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, says Dr Gabroun.
Symptoms
Signs of stroke vary but common ones for both sexes are feeling numb, weak or paralysed on one side of the body, slurred speech, loss of sight or blurred vision. Women may also present with unique stroke symptoms such as face and limb pain, palpitations, nausea, shortness of breath, hiccups and general weakness.
Prevention
- One of the most important things you can do to reduce your risk of stroke is to keep your blood pressure under control. Do this through lifestyle changes such as managing stress levels, reducing your salt intake and sticking to a healthy and balanced diet. Adding more potassium, which can be found in bananas, to your diet also may help.
- Have your blood pressure, sugar and cholesterol levels checked regularly.
- Maintain a healthy weight (your BMI should be between 18.5 and 25).
HEART DISEASE
Coronary heart disease is a disorder of the heart’s blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack. Contrary to popular belief that heart disease is a male problem, women are also at high risk, although they tend to show symptoms approximately ten years later than men. Studies have shown that female hormones can help stave off heart issues by preventing white blood cells from sticking to the insides of blood vessels, a process that can lead to dangerous blockages. However, as oestrogen reserves deplete after the menopause, women’s risk of heart disease becomes the same as that of men’s – and the consequences can be more serious, says Dr Gabroun. “Although women are less likely than men to develop heart problems before the age of about 50, when they do, the figures show that they tend to fare worse than men,” he says.
Non-gender-specific risk factors are smoking, diabetes, high cholesterol and stress, but there are also some female-specific risk factors, which include taking hormone replacement therapy and suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome.
Symptoms
Women don’t tend to report the classic symptoms of a heart attack such as feeling severe chest pain. For women chest pain is often mild or not present at all. Instead they experience atypical symptoms like back pain, fatigue and nausea, making a heart attack more difficult to diagnose.
Prevention
- Quit smoking. Although this is always healthy advice, studies have found that women who smoke are at higher risk of heart attack compared to male smokers.
- Limit your intake of junk and food fried in unhealthy oil as it is high in artery-clogging fat. Use olive and sunflower oils instead.
- Get at least 150 minutes of exercise each week.
- Twenty- to 30-minute sessions of walking, biking or swimming are recommended. Stick to your regime – it’s easy to lose momentum a few weeks down the line.
- Limit stress, which can increase your risk of heart disease by exacerbating other risk factors such as increasing blood pressure and bringing on symptoms like angina. Try to manage your stress levels and if you cannot cope on your own, seek professional help.
- Women who are at risk – especially those with a family history of heart disease – are advised to go for annual health check-ups from the age of 50 to have their blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar levels checked.
BREAST CANCER
Breast cancer accounts for around 458,000 deaths globally. Risk increases with age – it’s usually diagnosed in women over the age of 45 – however in the UAE it is often seen in the 35-45 age group, says Dr Shanthala Yashas, specialist obstetrics and gynaecology, iCare Clinics, Dubai. This is due to lifestyle habits common in the country that make women susceptible to breast cancer, such as being overweight and smoking. Worldwide, excessive alcohol consumption in women damages the liver – an organ that is key to controlling oestrogen levels, which are associated with breast cancer. Other risk factors are early onset or late cessation of the menstrual cycle, which gives the breasts prolonged hormonal exposure; oral contraceptive use and hormone replacement therapy post-menopause.
Symptoms
Symptoms include a lump in the breast or armpit and developing a rash on the nipples.
Prevention
- Regular self-examination to check for lumps or unusual changes in the breasts helps detect cancer at an early stage. If detected early, treatment can begin earlier – hopefully before the cancerous cells spread.
- Regular screening is recommended as it can help reduce the number of deaths from breast cancer. It can involve a clinical examination by your GP during your annual medical check-up and a mammogram once every one to two years for women aged 40 and above.
- Physical activity is beneficial as it reduces the risk of breast cancer. Try to do the recommended 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week.
OVARIAN CANCER
Dubbed a ‘silent killer’, the lack of early symptoms and screening tests means that in most cases ovarian cancer is only discovered when it has progressed to an advanced stage. “Early symptoms of ovarian cancer are often mild, making this disease difficult to diagnose,” says Dr Koulshan Mohammad, specialist gynaecologist, Canadian Specialist Hospital. Unlike cervical cancer, there are no specific screening tests to detect ovarian cancer early (cervical cancer mortality rates are now 70 per cent lower than they were 30 years ago due to the effectiveness of pap screening and increased awareness according to Cancer Research UK ). “A screening process called transvaginal ultrasound only detects ovarian cancer at a later stage,” says Dr Mohammad. On the other hand, screening procedures such as CT scans and MRIs are very expensive and cannot be done on a regular basis. Pelvic examinations by your doctor can help to detect enlarged ovaries or signs of fluid in the abdomen. Clinical trials are currently looking into blood tests for ovarian cancer that could help to detect it earlier.
Symptoms
Although these are usually mild and easily mistaken for other conditions, when they do present they include an unusual feeling of fullness or discomfort in the pelvic region, unexplainable indigestion, gas, or bloating that is not relieved with over-the-counter antacids, abnormal bleeding, swelling and pain of the abdomen.
Prevention
Although uncontrollable factors such as genetic history of ovarian cancer, age at menopause and infertility are associated with the disease, studies have shown that lifestyle factors such as cigarette smoking, obesity, and diet may also affect ovarian cancer risk. Therefore it is important to follow a healthy diet and exercise routine.
Even though there are no specific screening procedures, women who have a family history of cancer are advised to check with their physician on a regular basis.
OSTEOPOROSIS
This is a common disease of the bones that increases the risk of bone fracture or breakage, even when subjected to minor trauma. Although osteoporosis does not cause death on its own, it is the consequences of breaking a bone – particularly the hip – that contributes to people dying. Broken hips often require major hip surgery, and anaesthesia for the operation carries risks for elderly people. They can also develop other complications in hospital, which can lead to death. Prolonged bed rest can lead to chest or other infections developing because the broken hip leaves them people to move easily. Of osteoporosis sufferers, 80 per cent are women, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Menopausal women are at higher risk for osteoporosis because when oestrogen levels fall, the rate at which bone is broken down increasingly outstrips the production of new bone. Although osteoporosis mainly affects women who are over 60 years, research shows that in the UAE onset can be as early as 50-55 years. Dr Abdulameer Rasheed, specialist osteoporosis, Canadian Specialist Hospital, Dubai attributes early the onset of the disease to the kind of lifestyle women in the UAE lead. “In the Gulf most women have calcium and vitamin D deficiency due to poor diet and because they lead sedentary lives and don’t get enough exposure to the sun,” says Dr Rasheed.
Symptoms
Osteoporosis is a silent disease, meaning there are no symptoms. Most people only discover they’re suffering from it when they have a fracture. According to Standard European guidelines women who are over 65 years should go for tests, but Dr Rasheed advises women who live in the Middle East to check at the time of the menopause.
Prevention
- Vitamin D is important for preventing thinning of bones as it helps increase absorption of calcium in the body. Get your dose from the sun – you only need 20 minutes of exposure per day – or take supplements; 400 international units per day are recommended.
- Increase your intake of calcium. Rich sources include green vegetables like broccoli, and dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese. You can supplement your diet with a 1,200mg tablet per day.
- It is important to exercise at least 30 minutes five days a week. A brisk walk is recommended as it makes bones strong and is good for improving balance, which prevents falling.
