There are three major diseases that threaten the livelihood of black women: Heart Disease, Cancer and Stroke. According to Lorraine Jones of Hello Beautiful there are ways to minimize the risk of all three, however many black women are unaware.
Take a look below and arm yourself with the information for a long-lasting life!
1. Heart disease
Heart disease isn’t just a man’s disease — it’s also a major women’s health threat. Take charge of heart health by making healthier lifestyle choices. For example:
How to save your heart…
• Don’t smoke. If you smoke or use other tobacco products, ask your doctor to help you quit. It’s also important to avoid exposure to secondhand smoke.
• Eat a healthy diet. Choose vegetables, fruits, whole grains, high-fiber foods and lean sources of protein, such as fish. Limit foods high in saturated fat and sodium.
• Manage chronic conditions. If you have high cholesterol or high blood pressure, follow your doctor’s treatment recommendations. If you have diabetes, keep your blood sugar under control.
• Manage stress. If you feel constantly on edge or under assault, your lifestyle habits may suffer. Take steps to reduce stress — or learn to deal with stress in healthy ways.
2. Cancer
Various types of cancer are of particular concern to women, including breast cancer, lung cancer, skin cancer and colorectal cancer. To reduce the risk of cancer, consider these general tips:
How to reduce your cancer risks…
Don’t smoke. Using any type of tobacco puts you on a collision course with cancer. Avoiding exposure to secondhand smoke counts, too.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Losing excess pounds — and keeping them off — may lower the risk of various types of cancer.
• Protect yourself from the sun. When you’re outdoors, cover up and use plenty of sunscreen.
• Limit alcohol. If you choose to drink alcohol, do so only in moderation. The risk of various types of cancer — including cancer of the breast, colon, lung, kidney and liver — increases with the amount of alcohol you drink and the length of time you’ve been drinking regularly.
3. Stroke
You can’t control some stroke risk factors, such as family history, age and race. But you can control other contributing factors.
How to prevent stroke…
• Manage chronic conditions. If you have high cholesterol or high blood pressure, follow your doctor’s treatment recommendations. If you have diabetes, keep your blood sugar under control.
• Don’t smoke. If you smoke or use other tobacco products, ask your doctor to help you quit.
• Make healthy lifestyle choices. Eat a healthy diet, being especially careful to limit foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol.
• Include physical activity in your daily routine. If you’re overweight, lose excess pounds.
• Limit alcohol. If you choose to drink alcohol, do so only in moderation — for women, no more than one drink a day.
Prevention Starts NOW!
Read more at Hellobeautiful.com
