Go to the doctor: May is Women's Health Month. Here's what women should know
May is Women's Health Month, but so many women don't prioritize their health. I talked to a physician about cancer, heart health and overall wellbeing to find out what women need to know.
Dr. Anita Skariah, an internist with UNC Health who treats women at various stages of life, calls women master multitaskers.
Skariah said most women she sees all have one thing in common -- they put their health on the back burner.
"Typically we become so busy that we're not considering our own health," Skariah said. "Often times [women] are caring for children, grandchildren, partners and elderly family members while running households and managing careers outside of the home. So it's not surprising there's little margin for self care."
Taking care of yourself is the best things women can do for their minds and bodies -- and for their families. Here's how.
Listen to your body and practice self care
First and foremost, listen to your body.
"If you feel like something is out of the norm then you should have it checked out," Skariah said. "Even if you think it's such a small issue, it’s worth discussing with your provider to see if this is a sign of a bigger problem.”
There are so many ways to keep yourself healthy, which include seeing a doctor, staying active, eating well, getting a good night's rest, reducing stress, talking with friends and loved ones and carving out "me time."
"I think the biggest issue for women is self care," Skariah said. "We give out of overflow, and when your cup is dry you cannot give further."
A key practice women can put into effect immediately is exercise -- even just increasing your number of steps a day is huge.
"Make sure you're carving out time for yourself; exercise is key," Skariah said.
Preventative health: Go to the doctor
It's extremely important to schedule an annual well visit with your primary care provider or OB/GYN. Depending on age and risk factor, women should be screened for different diseases and cancers, which your doctor can recommend each year. Find a guide at the bottom of this story.
Skariah said, even though they save lives, preventative screenings have gone down since before the pandemic.
According to the American Cancer Society, cervical cancer screenings or pap smears dropped by 4.4 million women between 2019 and 2021. Breast cancer screenings, or mammograms, dropped by 1.1 million.
Both women and men need to get an annual checkup. A well visit is also a great time to talk to your doctor about stress level, activity level, medications, family planning, nutrition and mental health concerns.
"It's a time to prioritize you," Skariah said.
Commonly undiagnosed conditions
According to Skariah, high blood pressure, pre-diabetes and mental health disorders often go undiagnosed in women, especially if they skip doctor's appointments.
"These conditions are not always very obvious," Skariah said.
Regular bloodwork can help providers track things like cholesterol level, which could indicate pre-diabetes, and other markers that could lead to problems in the future.
"There are strategies we can employ now to modify that risk and completely take you off that trajectory," Skariah said.
Heart disease
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women, but most women don't know that.
At home, women should know if their blood pressure is in normal range and pay attention to symptoms like feeling overly tired, being out of breath, or inability to exercise as well, which could be symptoms of cardiovascular disease.
"Heart attacks in women are not always obvious," Skariah said. "For women it can be very subtle. It can be symptoms of just feeling tired all the time or mild chest pain, decreased exercise tolerance -- not doing what you were able to do before -- nausea, vomiting ... all of these can manifest as symptoms of heart disease in women."
Eating fresh foods, incorporating fruits and vegetables into your diet, exercise and managing stress all contribute to heart health. Skariah also recommends keeping sodium intake to under 2,000 milligrams daily.
"Walking, getting steps in, eating healthy ... these are actions that protect the body from conditions that can show up later," Skariah said. "It's a lifetime of maladaptive strategies that get us to a point of disease, so if we can identify these early and get you on the right path you'll be in a better position as you age."
Cancer
Cervical cancer, breast cancer and colon cancer are three cancers that are often seen in women.
The first and best step to protect yourself is to schedule a checkup every year so your provider can schedule or perform preventative cancer screenings.
Cervical cancer screening or pap smears should start at age 21 and will be done every three years until age 30, when guidance switches to every five years.
New guidance recommends mammograms begin at age 40 for women with an average risk for breast cancer (women with a family history may have a different screening strategy).
The starting age for colon cancer screening has decreased to 45, since doctors are seeing earlier cases.
Mental health
Don't be afraid to see your provider for feelings of sadness, hopelessness or anxiety, even if you think it isn't a big deal. Providers can recommend mental health experts, lifestyle changes and sometimes medication to help women who don't feel like themselves.
It's never silly to seek help, even for something small.
"I think a lot of women struggle with anxiety and depression and aren't even aware of it. The signs and symptoms are very subtle ... sometimes you just feel tired," Skariah said. "You chalk it up to being busy but there may be something else going and you're just not aware. Your body's trying to tell you but you just haven't had time to think about it."
A guide to health screenings by age
According to Skariah, the following screenings will usually be incorporated into annual exams based on the patient's age.
"Each decade we add or take away screenings," Skariah said. "There are unique factors for individuals that adjust the timelines of these screenings. We treat the individual and not the guideline, which is why it is important to have this discussion with your primary care provider."
This is not an exhaustive list of screenings that are expected but can help you understand what to expect at these visits.
In your 20s
Pap smears every 3 years starting at 21
In your 30s
Everything above plus prediabetes screening and pap smears every 3 to 5 years, depending on whether HPV is assessed
In your 40s
Everything above plus:
- Breast cancer screening is started with mammograms at 40 every 2 years
- Colon cancer screening begins at 45, unless there are risk factors to start earlier
- Assessment for cardiovascular risk to see if cholesterol medicines are necessary
In your 50s
Everything above plus lung cancer screening with low dose CT scan if there is risk from tobacco usage
In your 60s
As above, but:
- Cervical cancer screening (pap smears) stop at 65
- Osteoporosis screening begins at 65 for post-menopausal women (sometimes start earlier depending on risk factors)
- Screening for the risk of falls and discuss physical therapy assessment for balance training if needed
In your 70s
As above but:
- Colon cancer screenings stop at 75
- Breast cancer screenings stop at 74
