Most women give priority to the health and well-being of their family members while forgetting to take care of themselves. This is a major reason why women begin to suffer many health problems as they get older. Dr. Gurpreet Kaur, senior consultant at the Manipal Hospital in Patiala urges women to be cautious about certain diseases after they turn thirty. This International Women's Day weekend, learn about these diseases and take the necessary steps to stay away from them:

Heart Ailments
Women’s hearts beat faster than men’s as their body size is smaller than the latter’s. So, women are more likely to get diagnosed with severe heart ailments including heart attacks that may even lead to death. Women need to take care of their heart’s health by following a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Diabetes
Obesity, hormonal changes, family history and gestational diabetes are some of the reasons that cause diabetes in women. Infections in the cervix, yeast infections, fluctuation of sugar levels during menstruation and complexities due to menopause could make controlling diabetes difficult in women. So, women should try staying away from diabetes by maintaining fitness and following a healthy diet.

Cancer
Numbers show that around 23 million women around the world were diagnosed with various types of cancer and seven hundred thousand women died due to cancer last year. Women should check for lumps or discolouration on their breasts a few days after their periods. Meanwhile, women who are above forty should strictly do breast cancer screening at least once in two years. Dr. Gurpreet says that a pap smear test would rule out the risk of cervical cancer.

Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a condition when the bone strength weakens and becomes brittle, leading to fracture. This is mostly seen in women who are heading to menopause. The decrease in the estrogen hormones may lower the bone density, making it susceptible to breakage and fracture. Calcium deficiency, arthritis, being bedridden due to accidents or other injuries, smoking and alcohol consumption could cause osteoporosis in youngsters too.

Thyroid
Compared to men, women are more likely to get thyroid-related problems. Iodine deficiency or autoimmune diseases could attack the thyroid glands. Thyroid issues could be controlled to a certain extent by reducing stress, following a healthy diet and keeping the mind and body fit.

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