Four Top Health Concerns For Women

Women in the United States are living longer than ever. In 2014, the life expectancy of American women reached an all-time high of 81.4 years. Compare this to just 20 years earlier in 1994 when the life expectancy of women was at 72.3 years. Just because women are living longer, however, doesn't mean they are in perfect health.

Here are four of the top health concerns that women have today:

1. Heart Disease

Combined with stroke, cardiovascular disease causes a woman in the United States to die every 80 seconds. When it comes to having certain risk factors for heart disease, 90% of women have one or more of them.

Some of these risk factors include:

• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Being overweight
• Sedentary lifestyle

In order to prevent heart disease, it is highly recommended that women stop smoking, maintain a healthy weight, and eat heart-healthy foods including salmon, oatmeal, citrus fruits, and broccoli.

2. Cancer

According to the most recent statistics, over 25 million women in the United States die from cancer each year. The types of cancers that are the most fatal for women include:

• Breast cancer
• Lung cancer
• Colorectal cancers
• Uterine cancer
• Thyroid cancer

While these cancers affect different parts of the body, there are some things that women can do to reduce the risks of getting cancer. Some of these things include avoiding tobacco, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding risky behaviors.

3. Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's is a deadly form of dementia that is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. Of the 5.3 million Americans who have been diagnosed with dementia, two-thirds of them are women.

While there is no cure for this disease, doing the following things can decrease their chances of getting it:

• Getting regular exercise
• Maintaining a healthy diet
• Managing stress
• Getting enough sleep

It's also important for women to stimulate the mind, which can be done by learning new things and practicing memorization.

4. Diabetes

More than 13 million women in the United States have diabetes. One of the best things women can do to manage their diabetes is to control their blood sugar levels. This can be done with the help of eating the following foods:

• Fatty fish
• Leafy greens
• Eggs
• Nuts

If you're a woman who is concerned about getting one of these types of condition or diseases, it's important to see a women's health physician to help with managing your healthcare. You can contact the experts at Johnson  City Ob-Gyn for more information.