10 Habits of Healthy Women

1. WATCH YOUR WEIGHT
This helps you avoid lifestyle diseases like hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes. While it’s true that heart attacks tend to hit men more than women, that’s no reason not to be on guard. For women, fat tends to accumulate around the hips and thighs, while for men, it accumulates around the belly or the visceral organs (like the heart). When heart attacks do happen to women, they are more deadly and debilitating. In fact, women are less likely to survive a heart attack and are more likely to succumb within a year if they do.

Diabetes is also an increasing problem in the Philippines; women are much more likely to have diabetes than men, and the risk increases markedly as one grows older.

2. STOP SMOKING
There are many great reasons to quit. Stopping smoking is better for the skin and prevents pregnancy complications. Mothers must also remember that children of smokers are at greater risk of developing asthma and ear infections and are more likely to copy the behavior later in life.

3. PRESERVE YOUR FERTILITY
The most common reasons for infertility in women of child-bearing age are problems with ovulation, abnormalities of the uterus, defects in the fallopian tube, and endometriosis. These conditions have symptoms like absence of menses, irregular or short cycles, pain during menstruation, or pain during intercourse. If you experience these problems, see your doctor.

4. PERFORM A BREAST EXAM REGULARLY
Get into the habit of examining your breasts once a month, a few days after your period ends, when your breasts are less likely to be swollen or painful because of hormonal changes.

Inspect your breasts in front of a mirror with arms on your sides and then above your head. Check for any skin or shape changes. Squeeze each nipple and check for discharge—yellow or bloody fluid is something to worry about. Next, examine each breast for lumps while standing, and again while lying down. Be sure to cover the whole area of the breast by starting with the nipples and then moving outward in circles.

If you feel a mass or lump, consult a physician for confirmation. Most of the time, it is something benign, but if it’s not and you’re facing breast cancer, early detection increases the chances of cure, survival, and high quality of life.

5. GO FOR A YEARLY PAP SMEAR
Do this if you are or have been sexually active. The Pap test is a procedure where samples of cervical cells are taken and examined under a microscope to check for abnormalities that might signal cancer.

You will lie on a gynecological examination table, with your feet up on stirrups. A speculum is inserted into the vagina to open it slightly and make the cervix visible, then swabs are taken from the cervix using cotton buds. The process is painless, but may be a bit uncomfortable because of the positioning and use of the speculum, and in general because of the feeling of being exposed. Therefore, go to a gynecologist you trust. Early detection of cervical cancer more than makes up for the discomfort.

6. HAVE YOUR EYES EXAMINED
Yearly eye examinations to guard against conditions that cause blindness, most common of which is vitamin A deficiency. Cataracts are another common cause, with the risk increasing as one grows older.

For many women, however, the most pressing eye problem is error of refraction, causing blurred vision, headaches, and even nausea. This can be easily treated with glasses or lenses. Laser treatments are now also available locally. If you have a family history of glaucoma, or if you have diabetes, it is even more important to have your eyes examined.

7. MAKE SURE YOUR WORK KEEPS YOU HEALTHY AND HAPPY
We spend more than half our waking time at work or traveling to and from work. We have to make sure that during that time our environment is safe; we are not exposed to hazards beyond safe levels; we have a manageable level of stress; we relate well with our colleagues; and at the end of the day we feel we have accomplished something with our team.

You have to help create safe and healthy workplaces, whether you are a full-time mother, homeworker, factory line assembler, sales lady, or office worker. Do not allow your work, or yourself, to be valued less.

8. WORK ON YOUR RELATIONSHIPS
Technology allows us to communicate easily. Send a simple text message to your husband or boyfriend saying "How are you?" It’s simple, but it makes a big difference. It is also important to keep tabs with your friends—college roommates, high school barkada, or even your childhood playmates. Touch base with your roots. Together you will see how far you’ve come. It’s not a competition; it’s more about being in good company.

9. MAINTAIN A HEALTHY BALANCE IN EVERYTHING YOU DO
There should always be a balance in your diet, between work and relaxation, time for yourself and family. So the food pyramid we were taught in elementary school should be as vital now. Say no to crash diets; develop your taste for low-salt, low-fat, high fiber, and unsweetened foods instead. Drink alcohol in moderation.

Work-life balance also means finding time for all aspects of your life. The more hours you spend at work, the more unhappy and anxious you feel. Women tend to report more unhappiness than men, maybe because they feel more pressure to juggle many responsibilities as worker, mother, and wife or girlfriend.

Take responsibility for achieving balance, and speak up when the demands are too much. Prioritize, allot a set time to each task, and do not engage in unproductive activities. Take breaks and relax more. If you supervise employees, make sure to monitor workloads and watch out for signs of burnout like too many sick leaves and absences.

10. RESERVE AN HOUR EVERY DAY FOR DOING SOMETHING YOU ENJOY
It doesn’t have to be complicated—you can write, play a computer game, call a friend, or just lie down. Setting even just one hour for yourself every day will go far in helping you keep your sanity.

We need to have some time for themselves to relax and have fun. Life is short, so enjoy every minute.