Lifestyle Choices

Osteoporosis is a common condition in South African women. It is a progressive disease in which the bones gradually become weaker, and is associated with loss of bone density and thinning bone tissue. It is a silent and painless disease, primarily affecting women after menopause when the hormone oestrogen begins to decline. The lack of oestrogen triggers an increase in bone resorption, i.e. bone loss. The average woman begins to lose bone mass from about age 35; those who have been physically active are far less prone to osteoporosis.

1. The risk factors for osteoporosis include a thin body frame, women who smoke and drink alcohol, and lack of exercise. While osteoporosis causes no specific symptoms until it is advanced, some early warning signs include a gradual loss of height and a stooping of shoulders. Eventually the bones will fracture, causing significant problems in many areas from the spine to the wrists.
2. Did you know that osteoporosis is almost entirely preventable? But don’t only start thinking about it at 45! The earlier you think about it, the better. Eat calcium-rich foods and engage in regular weight-bearing exercise.
3. For good self-care, especially while you are younger, make sure you are taking sufficient calcium, exercising regularly and eating a well- balanced diet. It is best to take calcium in a formulation, together with magnesium in a dosage of at least 800 micrograms of calcium daily. and eat good quality low-fat dairy products. Cut back on coffee and alcohol. They both leech calcium from your bones.

Pain

Everyone experiences pain throughout their lives for different reasons. You have pain receptors in every part of your body. You accidentally touch a hot stove and in a split second, you pull your hand away. How? The pain receptors send electrical messages through your spinal cord to the brain. In this case the pain is useful. It sends a message of danger. It begins suddenly and doesn’t last long.

Chronic pain, however, is persistent and disturbs your daily function. It is usually due to injury and inflammation to any part of the body. It usually lasts a month or more, and could last years. Chronic pain can come and go many times or remain constant and it can disturb sleep patterns, decrease appetite and cause depression.

The most common chronic pain is that of the musculoskeletal system, especially back or neck pain, joint pain or arthritis. Other causes are severe headaches or migraines and gut and stomach pains.

People 50 and older are twice as likely as those under 50 to have been diagnosed with chronic pain. Women are more likely than men to be chronic pain sufferers.

Take charge, take care, take action

1. Different people tolerate different degrees of pain but you should never ignore pain. Consult a doctor if you cannot determine why you are experiencing pain, especially if it continues relentlessly or if it doesn’t respond to simple treatment.
2. Once the cause of pain is diagnosed, it may be possible to prevent it from coming back. For example, people diagnosed with gastrointestinal disorders can change their diets to help prevent pain.
3. Taking medication is still the most commonly used method of relief from pain. Over-the-counter medications, such as paracetomol, are the most commonly used analgesics (painkillers). Aspirin and antiinflammatories such as ibuprofen (brufen) work by interfering with pain messages, and by reducing inflammation, swelling and irritation that can make pain worse.
4. Sometimes prescription medication such as stronger antiinflammatories or higher schedule painkillers, may be prescribed by your doctor. Other meds such as anaesthetics, antidepressants and corticosteroids, may work against certain types of pain. Sometimes medications are injected directly into the region of pain or near a nerve to interrupt the pain signal. Narcotic pain relievers, such as codeine, are among the most powerful pain treatments and are only used for short periods for severe, intense pain as they are highly addictive. Morphine is reserved for the most intense pain associated with cancer.
5. It is important that you only use what is recommended by your doctor and are aware that many painkillers are habit-forming and have significant side effects.
6. Taking excessive amounts of painkillers can often make pain worse, for example, rebound headaches.

Non-drug treatments for pain

More and more people are using non-drug modalities to treat pain, many of which are highly effective. If you suffer from chronic pain, try one of these different therapies:

i. Acupuncture

ii. Relaxation and meditation

iii. Exercise and physiotherapy

iv. Psychotherapy

v. Massage

vi. Herbal remedies.

In some cases, these treatments may stimulate natural painkillers, called endorphins, which are created within the body. In other cases, non-drug treatments work directly on nerves to interfere with pain messages.

Pap smear (cervical health)

Cancer of the cervix is a totally preventable disease. With the use of Pap smear results, any abnormal cells can be treated right away and cancer prevented.

This simple screening measure should be done every year from the time that you are sexually active until your later years.

Take charge, take care, take action

i. Go to your family doctor, gynaecologist or local clinic for this simple investigation which can save your life.

ii. The latest breakthrough news is the discovery of a vaccine against HPV (human papilloma virus) which is the cause of cervical cancer. This is a remarkable milestone but it will take quite a while until it is routinely offered to all women. Up until that time you must continue to go for yearly Pap smears.

Pregnancy care

From conception to the delivery of a healthy baby, there is a great deal that you can do to ensure optimal health. Most women do not even think about achieving best health until after falling pregnant, but it is important to begin to take extra care as soon as you decide to start trying to conceive. Good preconception care can significantly improve the quality of the pregnancy and ensure a happy outcome for both the infant and mother.

Take charge, take care, take action

Preconception

Make sure to optimise your nutrition and stay physically fit. If you are extremely overweight, consider trying to shed some extra kilos beforeconception. It is wise to have a chat and a check-up with your doctor to ensure that your blood pressure, urine and general health is good. It is highly recommended that you take folic acid supplementation (400 micrograms daily). This has been shown to have a protective effect on the very early brain and neural tube development in the foetus.You are also advised to avoid all medications, unless they are necessary and recommended by your doctor, and to avoid all alcohol and drug use. Research shows that occasional alcohol consumption is not problematic but keep it to the occasional glass of wine. Stop smoking. Even herbal preparations and common over-the-counter medications may interfere with normal development of the foetus so first check everything with your doctor.

Trying to conceive

It takes a healthy fertile couple an average of six and often up to twelve months of trying, before conception takes place. Obviously there are lucky couples who conceive in the first month or two. But do not get distressed if nothing has happened immediately. If nothing happens after 612 months, consult your doctor. Even then it does not necessarily mean there is an infertility problem. You may just need some reassurance.

Monitor your fertile days

If you are willing to take some extra steps, you can monitor two body functions to pinpoint your most fertile times, maximising your chances of getting pregnant. The changes in the consistency of your cervical fluid and your body temperature are the two indicators of fertility.

1. The cervical fluid comprises the normal physiological discharge from your vagina.You will notice through your cycle that it changes in colour, amount and consistency. It will be slippery and stretchy on your most fertile days. At the beginning of your cycle, there is almost no discharge at all. Then it may become sticky or gummy, and then creamy and white. Finally, as ovulation approaches, it becomes more clear and stretchy, almost like egg white. Your cervical fluid actually gives you advance notice that you are about to ovulate. Another sign on fertile days is the wet sensation felt inside the lower end of the vagina.
2. Body temperature. This is not completely accurate but does provide a guideline. Use a thermometer to take your temperature. Create a chart and write down your temperature every day. From one day to the next, your temperature will fluctuate a little. These small temperature changes will seem random at first — ignore them. Take your temperature at the same time every morning before you get out of bed and keep the thermometer in your mouth for five minutes. After you ovulate, your body temperature will rise and stay at an elevated level for the rest of your ovulation cycle. At the end of your cycle, it falls again.
3. Ovulation predictor kit. This tests a hormone in your urine called Luteining Hormone (LH) and is very accurate.You can buy these kits from many pharmacies.

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