women's health tips

Patricia Carroll, RN,BC, CEN, RRT, MS

This is a time when everyone is feeling stress. But women tend to be "stress magnets" and absorb the stress of their family members and people around them. Here are some suggestions for women to manage their health during this stressful time.

Keys are:

• Replenish
• Refresh
• Relief
• Revive
• Recharge
• Responsibility

Replenish

Along with reducing the effectiveness of our immune systems, stress can also deplete the body's essential nutrients. We simply use them up so much faster. And as women, we have unique nutritional needs. Be sure and start your day with a healthy breakfast that will replenish nutrients -- not just a cup of coffee on the run.

Quaker Oats has developed a new product called Quaker Oatmeal Nutrition for Women. This hot cereal starts provides the health benefits from rolled oats we've known about for years.  Rolled oats are whole grains, and they have been clinically proven to reduce cholesterol and lower the risk of heart disease.

In addition to the heart-healthy soluble fiber found naturally in oatmeal, Quaker Oatmeal Nutrition for Women is fortified with:

• Calcium and vitamins A and D for bone health
• Iron and B vitamins for energy
• Folic acid for healthy child-bearing years and
• Soy protein for hormone balance

To learn more about the health benefits of whole grains like rolled oats in hot oatmeal, click here. I have a bowl every morning -- honest!

But a healthy breakfast doesn't end here. Add berries to that bowl of hot cereal, and you will get the benefits of antioxidants, which are linked to reducing the effects of aging. The brighter the color, the better -- blueberries, blackberries and strawberries are not only healthy, but tasty, too!

Top it off with a glass of skim milk, so you'll get the benefits of milk without the fat, or a glass of fortified orange juice, perhaps with added calcium. Or, add a grapefruit half.  Citrus fruits are loaded with vitamin C and potassium.

Refresh

If you're like many of us, your motor’s probably running from the minute your feet hit the floor in the morning. You shower, get dressed, and (hopefully) grab a quick, nutritious breakfast. But how do you get refreshed during the day?

Don't forget to keep drinking water. Six to eight eight-ounce glasses a day will give your cells the fluid they need to function properly. If you're in a dry home or workplace (particularly during the winter months), the water will keep your skin hydrated and will reduce the dry, chapped skin many of us suffer through each winter, too. 

Some women are afraid to drink water throughout the day. In fact, new research shows that more than 11 million American women suffer from urinary incontinence. It can be improved, if not cured, in 8 out of 10 cases, but fewer than half of the women affected mention the problem to their doctors. Many women think that losing urinary control is a normal part of aging, but it isn’t. So, if you have this problem, talk with your healthcare provider. You may be surprised to learn there is an effective treatment for you! Then, you can drink all the water you want and gain the benefits water provides.

Relief

Women are more likely than men to get urinary tract infections. One in five women will get an infection during her lifetime, and some women have infections more frequently. One of the contributing factors is ignoring your body’s signal that you need to empty your bladder. When women are stressed and running around, this happens a lot. As an ER nurse, I can attest to that! Getting quick relief is important.

AZO has an over-the-counter product every woman should know about. It is a test strip that can help you determine if you have a urinary infection. Common symptoms are an urgent need to go to the bathroom, burning, and cramping in the lower abdomen. If you have symptoms, you can just dip this test strip into the urine. If the pads on the strip turn color, it means it’s likely you have an infection, and you should contact your healthcare provider right away for an evaluation and treatment. I prefer the AZO self-test strips because they are the only ones I've found that test for two signs of infection instead of just one, so the test is more reliable.

Revive

Whenever we’re under stress, our immune systems feel the brunt. We aren’t as able to fight off infections such as urinary infection, and with fall and winter coming, colds are at the top of the list. 

Shaklee has developed Shaklee DR (for defend and resist), an herbal and mineral supplement that can help boost and revive the body’s immune system. It contains 4 key ingredients:

• Echinacea
• Black elderberry
• Larch tree
• Zinc

Shaklee based this formula on medical research that has shown that each of these substances can help support the immune system, particularly during times of stress and when you’re more likely to get sick, such as during the cold season. 

Check with your healthcare provider to determine if this is an appropriate supplement for you, particularly if you have any chronic health conditions or are taking any medications regularly. To learn more about herbal and mineral supplements, visit Dr. Andrew Weil's Web site for reliable information.

Another way to avoid colds is to wash your hands frequently. Medical research shows that the common cold is transferred hand-to-hand, not by sneezing or coughing into the air. People with the cold virus touch their nose, and then shake your hand. If you touch your nose, mouth, or eyes, you can transfer the virus to your system. Polite people who cover their face with their hand when they sneeze or cough are just putting lots more virus on their hands, where they can transfer it more easily! Wash your hands whenever you think about it. 

I carry a little bottle of hand sanitizer in my purse, so I can "wash up" whenever I need to when I am away from home.

Recharge 

When you’re stressed, it’s easy to forget what’s important to you. Take time to recharge and reset your priorities. I'm working on it. I now take a photo of my family with me when I travel that reminds me of my number one priority. When you get home and try to decompress, you might want to light a scented candle. The part of our brain that processes aromas is large; feed it with good scents. Research shows that pleasant scents affect on our mood. So pick fragrances you enjoy, and change your environment to one that is more pleasant and calming for you.

Some women find that exercise is a great way to escape from the day's stress and allows them to recharge. Others may promise themselves a chapter in a good book every evening. What's most important is to know yourself, listen to your body and make time every day for YOU!

And, the final RE is Responsibility

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. But, that doesn't mean that breast cancer screening isn't a 12 month program! Women need to be active participants and take responsibility for their own breast cancer screening. It’s really a 3-step process:

• First is monthly breast self-exam. To get a card that reminds you of the right technique, click here
• Second is an annual exam by a healthcare professional
• Third is a mammogram -- when you start and how often you get one is something to discuss with your healthcare provider

But, women's health is more than breast and gynecological screening. Don't forget to have your cholesterol checked at least every five years, have your blood pressure checked regularly, and to talk with your health care provider about when you should have other screening exams such as sigmoid- or colonoscopy. And, if you smoke cigarettes, do all you can to quit. 

Here's to YOUR good health!

Written:  October 2001

Reviewed: May 2003, May 2004