5 Medical Conditions That Impact Women More Than Men
Being a woman comes with so many blessings. Our bodies can do unique and amazing things — like growing life. But if you’re a woman, you’re also at greater risk for a number of diseases and conditions that are less common in men. We’re here to spread awareness about 6 of them, what they are and where to find help.
Autoimmune Diseases
There are more than 80 autoimmune diseases, and more than 75% of patients who have them are women. Autoimmune illnesses occur when the body’s immune system goes into overdrive and mistakenly attacks its own healthy cells. A few of the most common autoimmune diseases are lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease, Type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis. Eating well is key to staying well if you have an autoimmune disease.
Breast Cancer
Breast cancer in men is a possibility, but it’s 100 times more common in women. The average risk of a woman developing breast cancer in her lifetime is about 12%. You can reduce your risk by living a healthy lifestyle — eating a balanced diet, choosing not to smoke, limiting alcohol intake and staying active.
Depression
Like anxiety, which is often comorbid with depression, women are also twice as likely as men to have depression. Depression can be caused and influenced by biological factors like fluctuating female hormones during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, the postpartum period and menopause. Environmental factors like stress, pain, medical problems and level of family and social support also come into play.
Osteoporosis
In osteoporosis, the bones become weak and more likely to break. Of the 10 million Americans estimated to have osteoporosis, 80% of them are women. The older you are, the higher your risk gets when menopause sets in. Estrogen levels drop and bone loss increases as a result. To slow bone loss, get plenty of vitamin D, calcium and exercise.
Stroke
Strokes block the blood flow to the brain and kill more women than men. While risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking and family medical history apply to everyone, women have some unique risk factors for stroke. These include pregnancy, taking birth control pills, using hormone replacement therapy and having frequent migraines.
Comprehensive, Compassionate Women’s Care for Every Need
From annual wellness visits to guided prenatal care to finding solutions for your most sensitive health concerns, the dedicated team at AdventHealth delivers care that’s as individual as you are. Whatever your age and stage of life, and however complex your medical condition, we’re here to help you feel whole.
Let us care for you in body, mind and spirit. Visit us at HeartOfFloridaWomen.com.
