Most physicians believe that too many Canadians eat too much and exercise too little. There are other health risks faced by women in particular. US gynecologist Jennifer Young put together a list of five female risks that can be avoided . It's been one of the most popular items on the Ivanhoe News Wire for the last couple of weeks.
Dr Young's Top Five
1) 50% of women with abnormal pap smears don't follow up.
2) Many avoid birth control pills believing they increase the risk of cancer. Dr Young suggests they actually reduce the risk of ovarian cancer by half. She asserts that studies done in the 1980s that linked breast cancer with the pills turned out to be wrong.
3) Quitting antidepressants cold turkey. Young advises lowering the dosage by ¼ a week for four weeks to mitigate the effects of sudden withdrawal.
4) Drinking too much. Women are smaller, have less body water and lower amounts of an enzyme that breaks down alcohol. She asserts that women who get drunk just once a month increase their risk of heart attack by one third.
5) Not taking folic acid regularly until they become pregnant. She recommends taking the vitamin for six months before pregnancy begins.
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