Women’s Health 2020: What to Know

In most cases, it can be easy to put everyone and everything before yourself. Between a personal and professional life, you can get wrapped up quite easily, putting your own wellbeing on the back burner. Your health is critical, and you should make a conscious effort into maintaining it. If you’re unsure where to begin, here are some tips to help you start.

Own Your Femininity

As women, we deal with periods for the majority of our lives and simply accept the inconveniences. But what about the changes your body experiences as you get older? No matter if you’re over 50 with a period, in the middle of, or post-menopause, or even experience incontinence, there are ways to make these situations a little more bearable and own your female power.

For example, if you find tampons or pads uncomfortable, or maybe you’re trying to find more suitable period products, consider a reusable menstrual cup. Products like this are not only beneficial to you—since they’re made of high-quality silicone and prevent leakage— but can also give back to the world around you due to being a more sustainable option. Additionally, silicone doesn’t make a good home for bacteria to grow, so the chances of experiencing toxic shock syndrome decrease with the use of a cup as opposed to a tampon, making it a healthier option as well.

Change Your Mindset

For some women, the thought of menopause might be nerve-wracking as it can bring along many changes to the body. Symptoms of hot flashes, weight gain, or vaginal dryness aren’t uncommon and can leave you feeling less than your best. Instead of flooding your mind with negative thoughts, change your mindset as it can make your experience more positive.

If you experience bladder leakage, you may feel as though it runs your life. Whether it prevents you from participating in activities with your loved ones, to simply leaving you uncomfortable, you’re not alone. According to Pamela Fairchild, M.D., approximately half of all women over the age of 20 experience some degree of incontinence. You might be thinking to yourself, okay, but now what? Instead of letting this negative experience run your life any longer, look into various treatment options. You can begin by speaking with your doctor, and from there practice bladder training, or a sling procedure.

Practice Sun Safety

It should come as no surprise that the sun emits dangerous rays, and exposure to these rays can damage your skin in as little as fifteen minutes. To reduce the risk of skin damage, or even something more harmful such as skin cancer, consider the ways you can protect your skin. You can begin with a simple task such as opting for more shady areas to remove yourself from direct sunlight. For the sun lovers out there, you can take other precautions and still enjoy your time in the sunshine. It’s important you wear protective clothing, such as hats or sunglasses to shield both your face and eyes and even more importantly, be sure to apply sunscreen every two hours to provide your skin with maximum protection.

Exercise Often

The importance of exercise should not go unnoticed. Aside from the typical reasons you may decide to work out—weight loss or muscle toning and building—it can bring you many health benefits as well. One of which is balancing out your hormones and mood swings. Due to the menstrual cycle, the body experiences changes in estrogen and progesterone, and exercise can release endorphins that can leave you feeling happy and relaxed.

Did you know that exercise can help to reduce your risk of various diseases? For instance, staying active can boost brain function and in turn decrease the risk of dementia. Additionally, working up a sweat can reduce stress, depression, and anxiety, enhance productivity, and even help your skin. If you’re interested in the other surprising benefits of exercise, check out this article here!

Establish a Relationship with Your PCP

It’s crucial that you maintain regular office visits with your primary care physician to ensure you’re in good health. This is largely due to the fact that your PCP is responsible for being an expert in your general wellness and health goals but can only do so if you trust them and provide them with the necessary information. Developing a relationship with your doctor is an investment in your health, and your body will be sure to thank you for it.

Know Your Family Health History

You and your loved ones share a lot more than your looks or mannerisms. While you’re able to see whether you have your mother’s eyes or grandfather’s curly locks, it’s harder to tell that your grandmother passed down an increased risk for breast and ovarian cancer. That’s why it’s important to do a little digging and know your family’s health history. Your family members can carry traits that can increase your risk for hereditary diseases including cancer, diabetes, asthma, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, dementia, arthritis, and high blood pressure.

To ensure that you have the correct information, begin by speaking with your family members to ensure you’re all on the same page. Some things to keep in mind while you’re gathering your information are:

• Major medical issues
• Causes of death
• Age of onset
• Ethnic background
• Environment

Be sure to record all of your findings and relay them to both your family members and your doctor.

Follow a Sleep Schedule

A lack of or improper sleep can impact your daily life more than you realize. Not getting an adequate amount of sleep can impair your thinking, lead you to be more accident-prone, and can significantly affect your overall mood. What’s even more concerning is that the national sleep foundation discovered that the average woman between the ages of 30 to 60 sleeps only six hours and forty-one minutes each night. If this sounds anything like the sleep you’re getting, consider implementing new ways to achieve a better night’s sleep.

Begin by creating a routine for yourself both in the morning and the evening to help your body adjust to a natural sleep cycle. If you force yourself to fall asleep and wake up at the same time, you’ll feel much more refreshed each day. You can also make an effort to control your exposure to light whether it’s natural or blue light that’s emitted from your phone. Of course, there are plenty of ways to sleep better, and ultimately what’s most important is what works best for you.

No matter if you’re familiar with these tips, or they’re fresh information for you, it’s vital you take your health seriously. Find ways to implement positive changes in your life to ensure that you will always feel your best!

How do you take care of your health in 2020? Let us know in the comments at the bottom of this page?

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