Everything that has life is bound to age at some point, making it an inescapable part of life. Despite this though, many women aren’t keen on getting older, which is understandable. When people age, they have to deal with wrinkles, fine lines, dry skin, and other conditions that can diminish your beauty. Their health can also suffer. But, this doesn’t have to be the case for you; you can live a healthy life and look your best regardless of your age. The trick is in knowing what often health risks accompany ageing and how you can prevent them from affecting your life. That said, here are a few that could affect you as a growing woman.
- Your bone density is bound to change
Your bones can always be a constant reminder that you are growing old, as it can lose its density due to a condition called osteoporosis. Although this disease can affect everyone in any age group, it specifically has a peculiar preference for women in the older age bracket. And there is a scientific reason for this. Women’s skeletal structure is thinner than their male counterparts, and decrease in oestrogen during menopause can cause bone density to deteriorate. This fact is solidified by the stats indicating that 1 in 2 ladies will develop osteoporosis, while 1 in 5 men have this risk. However, this disease can be sneaky, as a lot of people don’t even know until the damage is extensive.
So, it’s pretty common for women to feel okay about their bones until they break their spines, hips, or wrists. If you find that you’re shorter than your normal height, you are always stoopy, or lower back pain is a constant companion, you may be dealing with osteoporosis. You can prevent osteoporosis from invading your body if you pay attention to your bone health. Therefore, eat meals that are rich in vitamin D, calcium and protein to strengthen your skeletal system. While at it, perform both aerobic and strength-training exercises, and keep away from smoking and excess alcohol consumption.
- Your breasts can also bear the brunt of ageing
The breasts are a part of the body that distinguishes women from men, and they feed your babies with rich milk. But, even they aren’t safe from diseases; cancer can develop in them and threaten your health and life. Breast cancer may not have a definitive cause, but women above thirty have a higher risk of developing it. Also, you may have this disease if your BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are mutated, your breasts are denser than normal, or your family has a history. But various studies also say women can have this condition without any risk factor, which is a scary thing to consider. But thankfully, you can effectively prevent breast cancer from ending your life if you detect it early. It is also not silent, so you have a higher chance of noticing changes in your mammary glands.
That said, you may need a private mammogram if you notice a lump, swelling, dimpling, discharge, or pain. It’s important to treat these symptoms urgently, as delay can cause the cancer to spread, ultimately leading to breast amputation, or even death. As stated earlier, there is no main trigger, but you can reduce your chances of developing breast cancer. You only need to maintain a healthy weight by exercising regularly and ditching the unhealthy foods. While at it, avoid taking alcohol or smoking excessively; eliminating them from your daily diet can also improve your overall well-being beyond reducing breast cancer risks. Don’t be shy to go for regular checkups; this can save your life by detecting this disease early, so keep this in mind.
- You heart can also be at risk
Ageing can also be hard on your heart, increasing your chances of getting coronary heart disease. This condition shouldn’t be taken lightly, as it has a reputation of killing twice as many women than breast cancer in the UK. It’s even more concerning that it doesn’t just target older women, ladies as young as 20 years are also at a higher risk. But what is the cause of this dreadful condition? Again, smoking makes an appearance as a major trigger of coronary heart disease. Other risk factors include high cholesterol, lipoprotein, and blood sugar, obesity, family history, contraception use, early menopause, and so on. Protect your heart by keeping your blood pressure and diabetes under control. Seeing that smoking is a real threat to your health, take the necessary steps to dump this bad habit.