Woman’s Health-Taking Charge and Staying on Top

Even in today’s gender-sensitive world, women’s health is still sadly relegated to the backburner. It is no longer necessarily a problem of unfair policies regarding women’s health care but more and more about the women themselves and the choices they make regarding their health.

Women are great at multi-tasking. Women now take on demanding jobs that require great physical and mental effort. Women do field work and go on duty at odd hours. Working moms juggle the demands of career and family life. Often, this leaves very little or no time at all to sit down and take care of women’s health issues. Aches and pains are often dismissed as simple stress and medical checkups are often delegated to the bottom of things to do especially when there are kids that need to be taken to the doctor and piles of deadlines to be met at the office.

Every year, more and more women die of heart disease, diabetes and hypertension – generally preventable diseases when given prompt medical intervention. Sadly, more often than not, women seek medical help only when the symptoms become too severe so as to actually keep her from the office and housekeeping. Ironically, women’s health and fitness is a priority agenda in most government and civic programs.

Information on women’s health issues is readily available in various media. Pro-women policies make health care for women more accessible. The remaining hurdle now is for women to stand up, take the time, and actually take charge of their own health.

So how does the modern woman take a more proactive role in her healthcare?

First, she should take care of her own health as she would her children’s or her spouse’s. She should schedule regular medical checkups, be mindful of symptoms, and promptly seek the advice of health care professionals. Stress can cause a variety of symptoms but aches and pains are the body’s warning signs that all is not well.

Second, she should stop feeling guilty about spending for health care needs. A woman’s health requires its own slot in the family’s budget. Do not forego taking important medical procedures advised by professionals. Scrimping on medications is a no-no. Take pills just as they are prescribed.

Third, she should find and share information about options involving women’s health and health issues. Be well aware of modern, scientific advances in women’s health care. There are now available vaccinations for diseases like cervical cancer that used to cut short the lives of otherwise healthy women.
And finally, she should take time off from the daily rigors of career and family life and spend time for self pampering to relieve stress and address medical needs. A woman’s health and fitness deserves equal attention.

The health of the family and the society in general is, to a large extent, rooted on women’s health. It is imperative for women to be more judicious about their physical and mental well-being. A healthy mother can take better care of her children. A healthy employee provides more inputs for the company. It is time for woman to take stock of her own health needs and fulfill her many roles in a healthy new light.