Three Health Risks That Impact A Woman’s Health

By Kevin DiDonato MS, CES

During my days as a trainer, I got to see many people, of varying ages, come through the door for personal training.

Some were there to rehab from an injury…while others were there to understand how to use the machines and to set up a simple weight routine.

But, there was also a select group of people that came through the door that needed serious help.

They were frail…slow moving…unable to walk without the use of a walker, wheelchair, or cane.

These were the people that needed the most help.

Not because they were old and frail, but because they were unable to do the everyday daily tasks that made them happy.

Now, there were SOME men (maybe two or three) in the group…

…but it was predominately women who came in and took this class!

The truth is: Women have a lot of health issues they face as they get older.  But the good news is: The majority of them may be preventable, if you follow a proper diet and exercise program.

Let’s take a closer look at the top health concerns that women face as they get older:

1. Ischemic Heart Disease

Did you know that one out of every five women believe that some form of heart disease will killthem eventually?

That’s pretty scary to think about, but it may be true!  Statistics show that women are much more likely to die from a heart attack or heart disease compared to men.

And even though ischemic heart disease isn’t exclusive to women, per se, it ranks up there are one of the leading causes of death worldwide.

Ischemic heart disease is caused by narrowing of the arteries, due to natural causes of plague buildup, that prevents oxygen-rich blood from reaching the heart.

This type of heart disease killed 7.4 million people alone (in 2012) and is considered by many to be the number one “silent” killer of adults worldwide.

To prevent ischemic heart disease, you need to exercise regularly, control your cholesterol and blood sugar, and eat the right diet.

This could prevent this silent killer from claiming another victim.

2. Osteoporosis

This condition, where the bones become brittle and weak, may lead to a lifetime of pain, suffering, and worry about falling and breaking something.

Statistics show that 44 million people in this country may be at risk—or already have—osteoporosis, which may cause hunched backs, pain in the hips, back, or even the neck.

Of those 44 million, 68 percent of them may be women!

That’s pretty scary.  But it’s worth noting that eating the right diet could help strengthen your bones, and putting the brakes on osteoporosis.

But diet won’t fix it all!  Doing strength training exercise, where this is pressure on the bones, could help to strengthen the bones and prevent future cases of osteoporosis.

You should start strength training in your 30’s (when the peak bone mass is complete) and continue to exercise for the rest of your life.

3. Depression

It’s sad to think that more women than men experience depression.

But it’s true!  Roughly 12 million women experience depression compared to only 5 million men.

Depression could be a result of altered hormones…a serious life event occurring…or post-partum depression.

Whatever the issue, getting tested and talking to a professional could go a long way to working through the issues at hand,

Take Home Message

There are a lot of health issues that women face today.

Depression, heart disease, cancer, and osteoporosis rank among the top health conditions that women need to worry about.

If you’re worried about the future of your health, making small changes could go a long way to preventing or prolonging some of the more serious health conditions.