1) I've been hearing a lot about women and heart disease. How do I know if I'm at risk?
This is one of the most important women’s health questions, since heart disease is the number one killer of women (and men) in the United States. We discuss this at length in Women’s Health for Life. To summarize the risk factors for heart disease: having a family history of heart disease; being over age 50; being overweight or obese (having a BMI over 30); having a waist measurement over 31 inches; having a sedentary lifestyle; smoking; having high blood pressure; having elevated cholesterol; having elevated triglycerides; having chronic stress; and having diabetes.
2) I’m in my mid-thirties. Can you tell me the most important things I should know if I’m considering starting a family?
The most important thing to know is that your risks—and the baby’s—increase significantly after you turn 35. The biggest risks are decreased fertility and increase risk of birth defects. To reduce the risks of birth defects, ALL women, regardless of age, should be sure to take Folic Acid supplements, 400 mcg per day, if they’re even thinking of getting pregnant. You probably know that pre-natal visits to your obstetrician are extremely important once you get pregnant, but it’s a good idea to go for a pre-conception visit to discuss any behavioral changes you should make, medicines you may be taking, and to review any potential pregnancy risks. These are all discussed in Women’s Health for Life in our chapter on “Hormones, Fertility, and Menopause”.
3) What are the top 5 things I need to know to stay healthy?
The list will vary based upon your age and individual risk factors, but in general, the top five things for all women to do to stay healthy are: don’t smoke; maintain a healthy weight; get 30 minutes of exercise five times per week; eat a healthy, well-balanced diet (with supplements as needed); and be sure to see your healthcare provider at least once per year for a complete physical, a review of your individual health issues, and important annual screening tests (Pap smear, breast exam, mammogram, and digital rectal exam). We discuss these and many other preventive wellness issues in Women’s Health for Life in the chapter “Understanding the Changes” (organized in a decade-by-decade approach); “Staying Well”; “Knowing the Signs”; and throughout each of the organ system chapters.
4) I'm nearing 50 and starting to wonder about whether I'll need hormones, but I'm confused about all the media attention. Help!
You’re not alone! More than 5,000 women are entering menopause per day in the US & Canada and the media attention seem to change weekly as hot flashes have become news flashes. You’ll only “need” hormone therapy in menopause if you have moderate to severe menopausal symptoms; the good news is that 30% of women do not have bothersome symptoms in menopause. If you do have symptoms, you should discuss them with your doctor sooner rather than later. Many women menopausal symptoms can be managed with non-hormonal remedies. For many other women, some form of estrogen therapy may provide the best option. This is a highly individualized issue for which there’s no “right” or “wrong” answer; there are also lots of options. These are discussed at length in Women’s Health for Life in the chapter on “Hormones, Fertility, and Menopause”.
5) If I don't have any medical problems, why should I read this book?
Women’s Health for Life is about helping women throughout the health and wellness spectrum live their healthiest lives, throughout their lifespan. First, I would like all adult women to read this book to become more familiar with their bodies’ anatomy and physiology; to learn about healthy habits and risk factor reduction; to understand how their bodies may change as they age; to review vitamins and supplements they should consider at different ages and stages of their lives; and to learn about important adult vaccines. While the book contains a lot of great information about various medical problems, symptoms, diseases, disorders and conditions, its strengths are the preventive health advice given in each chapter of Women’s Health for Life. I also anticipate that women will find a great benefit from this book in reading about conditions that may be affecting the other women in their lives: their mothers, sisters, daughters, nieces, friends and co-workers. I hope that women who read this book will be able to turn to it—and return to it—whenever they find a need for credible, women’s health information, for themselves or for others. I want women to view Women’s Health for Life as more than “just” a book, but as a valued reference and resource.
6) I’m worried about nutrition. There’s so much conflicting information out there, what should I be eating and what should I avoid?
Eating a healthy diet is one of the most im
portant things you can do for your health; preparing healthy meals is one of the most important things you can do for your loved ones. Women’s Health for Life not only provides dietary advice and strategies in the chapter on “Staying Well”, but where relevant, we discuss healthy food choices specifically for women with specific health issues, such as menopausal symptoms, bone health, and blood sugar control. In addition, in our chapter on “Understanding the Changes”, we discuss vitamins and supplements which women should consider at different ages and stages of their lives.
7) Is cancer a bigger threat today than it was twenty years ago?
There’s been a tremendous amount of progress in preventing, screening for, diagnosing, and treating many cancers in the past 20 years; Women’s Health for Life discusses many of these advances and how you can benefit from them. For example, the overall trend in the US population to decrease smoking has had the biggest impact on a decline in the incidence of several cancers in certain demographic groups. Disappointingly, however, teenage girls continue to increase smoking. The most exciting cancer prevention news in the past 20 years has been the development of the HPV vaccine (Gardasil) to prevent cervical cancer. Of course, the regular use of Pap smears and the HPV Test have already made a huge impact in identifying pre-cancerous changes and early cervical cancers. Similarly, the increased use of mammography has made a big impact on breast cancer diagnosis and treatment; as with most cancers, the earlier they are detected, the better the chance for a positive outcome. We’ve made great strides in treating several cancers, although new options for treating other cancers remain limited. Because cancer is not one disease, but can affect every organ system, Women’s Health for Life discusses different cancers in the context of specific organ systems rather than in one chapter about cancer. Most importantly, however, we dedicate a great deal of discussion to preventing various cancers, screening for various cancers, and early detection of various cancers by knowing their early signs and symptoms.
8) Why do I need this book? Isn’t all this information available online?
It’s true that you could surf the web and find a tremendous amount of women’s health information on just about any topic. But you might have a tough time finding out how credible that information is. The advantage of owning Women’s Health for Life is that this information has been compiled by several of the top women physicians in the United States and England. The information is well-organized, well-indexed, and highly cross-referenced. The information in Women’s Health for Life is easy to read, easy to find, easy to understand, and easy to use. Most importantly, the information in Women’s Health for Life is easy to trust.