Women’s Health
Author: Hannah Hall, Challenge America Program Coordinator
As part of our Healthy Living theme in MSI month, today’s post will talk about Women’s Health.
As a woman, there are vital check ups that can prevent future health problems and very well may just save your life. I did some research and found some tips and guidelines on how to best care for your body and what tests and screenings may be important for you based on age, pre-existing conditions, etc.
To start, here are some basic tips on how to keep your body in its best health:
Be informed - Learn about common diseases and ask your doctor for resources on improving your health!
Move your body - physical activity is a great way to keep your body healthy.
Don’t smoke, do illicit drugs and limit your alcohol intake - smoking is the leading, preventable cause of death in the U.S.
Be Safe - take precautions in life like wearing your seatbelt, having smoke alarms in your home, and wearing sunscreen and sunglasses!
Do things you enjoy - Eat good meals, spend time with family and friends and connect with your community.
Another important tip is to get regular check-ups. Even if you are in tune with your body and do regular check-ins with your body and mind to find any irregularities, there may be deeper problems that only proper tests and doctors can find. Here are some basic guidelines based on age of what regular check-ups you should be getting as a woman.
Please be advised that these are general guidelines and it’s important to talk with your doctor to find the best plan for you.
Once a year - Have your vision, hearing and dental health checked.
Every 3 years - have a pelvic exam and test for HPV
After age 50:
Have a fecal occult blood test every year, or have a flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years, OR
Have a double contrast barium enema every 5 years, OR
Have a colonoscopy every 10 years
Starting at age 45: every 5 years have a full lipid profile test for cholesterol and triglycerides.
Starting at age 40: every 2 years have a mammogram done to screen for breast cancer. You may need to start getting mammograms earlier if you have a family history of breast cancer.
Get pneumococcal and shingles vaccines. Ask your healthcare provider if any other vaccinations are needed or if immunization recommendations have changed. After age 65: get the pneumococcal vaccines; also recommended for those younger than 65 who have medical problems that increase the risk for serious complications and death
Get a tetanus/diphtheria (td) booster every 10 years.
Taking care of your body can lead to a life of better health and can improve your mental outlook as well!
