Women are movers and shakers – they lead both professional and personal lives while always trying to find balance - but one thing they may overlook is their health. All women should understand what preventive healcare options they have, and actually put it to use. Without playing an active role in their health, they could pay a huge price.
Women are busy little things – they climb the ladder at work while getting dinner on the table, cleaning the house, rearing children and making time for their spouse – sounds exhausting, doesn’t it?
Well, it can be. Women can become so wrapped up in everything else around them that they may forget to pay attention to an important part of life’s equation – themselves.
This is especially important when considering a woman’s health. There are several pieces of the health puzzle that women should be in tune with in order to keep up the hustle and bustle of life.
Fitness
Energy is a required characteristic in a woman’s life, but few of us make time to actually focus on what we are doing to maintain a fit mind, spirit and body. Here are a few things a woman should have in their lives, or implement as soon as possible:
Exercise. Women should get moderate exercise every week – at least 30-minutes three times a week. Find a local gym that supports your schedule, find a nice park to take brisk walks or purchase a treadmill to make sure you get your exercise. Regular exercise not only keeps your body fit, but helps reduce stress as well.
Diet. Eat a diet low in fat, cholesterol and sodium and rich in fruits, vegetables and grains.
Weight maintenance. Find your healthy weight and maintain it by eating well and exercising regularly. You may have to drop a few pounds to get there, but your body will thank you for it.
Calcium. Make sure you are ingesting 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day if you are premenopausal, or 1,200-1,500 milligrams a day if you are postmenopausal. This will ensure strong bones and ward off osteoporosis.
Folic acid. If you plan on becoming pregnant, take at least 400 micrograms of folic acid a day in a vitamin form. This can prevent birth defects – specifically spina bifida.
Teeth. Be sure you are brushing and flossing regularly – this is the only way to prevent dental disease – which is not only very painful and expensive to treat; it is also incurable. Prevention is the only way to ensure gum health.