21st Century health hazards for women

Saw this on the MSN site which, I found was interesting. Thought it might be informative as well to share here. For those who didn't give a read or have not come across. It is a little too long to read but worth it.

So this is the exact article:

The way we live and work and the planet we inhabit have all changed massively in the last 61 years and the health dangers that threatened women when the World Health Organisation was set up in 1948 are very different from those that pose a risk to today’s generation.
Today is World Health Day and we've taken a look at some of the issues posing a risk to your health and happiness and how to avoid them.

21st Century health hazards for women

Back pain
A massive 80% of adults experience back pain at some point according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and for some people the problem can be severely debilitating. Our immobile modern lifestyles and the spreading obesity epidemic are merely exacerbating the problem. Back pain, unfortunately, is different for everyone and there are hundreds of potential causes, so you need to see an expert to find out what treatment is best for you. Go to http://www.backcare.org.uk/ to find out more and find a practitioner to help you.

Insomnia
Do you wake up regularly throughout the night or take forever to get to sleep? You are not alone. Most of us experience sleep problems every now and again, but there is worrying evidence that the global financial crisis is giving us more sleepless nights. So-called ‘credit-crunch insomnia’, according to a poll by health website NetDoctor.co.uk, is keeping about half of people in the UK awake at night. Almost 50% of 1,000 men and women surveyed said they were sleeping worse than a year ago and one-fifth of these are getting less than five hours sleep a night. Stress and money worries were cited as the main factor. The Sleep Council (http://www.sleepcouncil.com/) is full of tips to help you sleep better.

Depression
Depression is also on the rise, with one in ten adults in the UK affected at some point according to the mental health charity Mind. The charity also estimates that the recession and rising unemployment is making things worse and the number of people affected by mental health problems is expected to rise even further. If you feel down and struggle to shake it off (depression tends to last longer than the normal periods of unhappiness we all experience from time to time) then you should visit your GP straight away to discuss the problem and you should also open up to friends and family, who will be able to provide much needed love and support.

Sexually transmitted diseases
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to spread like wildfire, particularly amongst those in their 20s. The Health Protection Agency found that STIs rose by 6% in 2007, with rates of Chlamydia and genital warts particularly high. They are easily avoided, however – always use a condom and be careful who you get naked with.

Infertility

Health experts have been warning of an infertility time bomb for some time now, with some predicting that rates in Europe could double in the next decade. Lifestyle factors are to blame, with sexual infections and obesity the main contributors to the rise. Chlamydia, the most common STI which often has no symptoms, is known to cause infertility while overweight women sometimes do not ovulate as efficiently. All the more reason to live a healthy lifestyle then...

Obesity
The UK population is growing – at the waistline. According to BBC health experts around 27% of children are now overweight while a quarter of adults are considered obese. The health implications are far reaching and recent research by Oxford University found that being severely obese is as hazardous to health as a lifetime of smoking. In fact obesity can shorten life expectancy by a decade. The main cause is simple – worsening dietary habits and a decline in the number of hours per week spent exercising.

Cancer
Modern life has also raised cancer rates. Too much food, booze and sun has caused a huge rise in some forms of the disease. Cases of skin cancer have gone up 40% in a decade according to Cancer Research UK, while mouth and kidney cancer – linked to alcohol – were also up. Again the answer is clear – live a clean, balanced lifestyle and do not spend too much time in the sun. Women should also be aware of the dangers of breast and cervical cancer; checking themselves regularly for signs on the former and undergoing a regular cervical smear test (if you are between the ages of 25 and 65 then you will be contacted about this via the NHS Cervical Screening Programme).

Drugs
According to DrugScope, the UK has one of the worst records for drug-related deaths in Europe (especially in Scotland) while drugs are one of the biggest sources of crime in the country. There is also a misconception that some drugs such as cannabis are harmless, however The Royal College of Psychiatrists says that there is growing evidence to suggest links between smoking cannabis and mental illness. If you need advice or support on drug use visit http://www.talktofrank.com/

Binge drinking
Figures from the Office for National Statistics now show that, since 1979, alcohol-related deaths have almost tripled among men and doubled among women. The World Health Organisation has linked drinking to around 60 medical conditions, including liver disease and cancer. It is recommended that women do not regularly drink more than two to three units of alcohol a day and you should also allow yourself a break from drinking every now and again to let your body fully recover.

Osteoporosis
Poor diet and lack of exercise are also thought to be the major causes behind the rise of osteoporosis, otherwise known as ‘thinning bones’. One in two women over 50 will develop the disease according to the National Osteoporosis Society. Alarmingly, this rate is increasing by around 10% every year. It might not take hold until later in life, but prevention starts in youth so you can maximise peak bone mass before you reach 30. Experts recommend a diet that is rich in calcium (found in a wide-range of foods including milk, cheese and some vegetables) and take regular exercise to strengthen your bones.

Climate change
Warmer summers may sound like a good thing, but many scientists claim that a hotter Britain will be a sicker Britain. Scientists argue that milder winters will mean that bacteria are not killed off by cold weather, thus contributing to the spread of disease. The World Health Organisation says it could also mean that diseases that would not have survived here in the past, such as malaria, could thrive.

Diabetes
Diabetes is one of the UK’s fastest-emerging health problems, with over 2.5 million sufferers in this country according to Diabetes UK. Around 90% of all people with diabetes have type-2 diabetes, which in most cases is linked to being overweight. Worryingly, there are over 500,000 people with diabetes in this country who do not even know they have it. To rule out being one of them, ask your local pharmacist or GP for a simple diabetes test.