NCTV Episode 37
Continuing with the series of bitesize health tip videos which can be found here on my YouTube Channel, this episode, includes:-
- Top 5 Women’s Health tips
- Best nutritional advice for women
- The type of exercise to take
- Screening advice
- Chanting Buddhas
Transcript
If you’d prefer to read the content within, rather than watch the video, then feel free to read the transcript, as follows:-
Hello and welcome to NCTV Episode 37. As the previous episode was all about Men’s Health, it only seems fair and fitting to talk to you, this time, about Women’s Health.
Believe it or not, protecting your health is gender neutral so much of the advice for Men’s Health can also be applied to Women’s Health.
So just to recap on what some of those implementable tips for men were, that can also apply to women:-
- Firstly, stop smoking, if you do, to reduce your risk of lung or heart disease
- Secondly, stay on top of your health screening checks to help detect anything early
- Third, don’t skimp on sleep. This will help fight the signs of ageing, promote mental alertness and it keeps your stress in check
- Fourth, Make physical activity an important part of your life. Try to aim to do something every day even if it’s just for 10-20 minutes. The weekly target in the UK is 150 hours a week. Creating a lifelong habit of regular activity benefits your heart and helps you stay on top of your weight and stress.
- And Fifth, make good nutrition a priority. Avoid crash diets or overindulgence in favour of healthy eating that features plenty of fruit, vegetables and wholegrains.
Just to go into a few of those in more detail:-
On the topic of nutrition, when it comes to specific foods for women, regardless of age, in addition to fruit & veg, nutrition experts generally recommend fibre and protein to go along with that.
Women of childbearing age also need foods with folic acid (like leafy green vegetables, beans, and citrus fruits) to help prevent birth defects.
For women who have gone through menopause, it’s recommended that you increase your intake of foods with calcium and Vitamin D (such as seafood, fruit, dairy, and egg yolks) in order to prevent bone disease. Due to the hormonal changes that come with menstruation, childbirth and menopause, women’s mineral needs are much higher leaving you with a higher risk of anaemia and weakened bones. Therefore higher intakes of other nutrients such as iron, magnesium and vitamin B9 can also be beneficial either direct from the food source or through supplements.
With physical activity this could be anything from walking, running, swimming, hiking, or even cycling. As you get older, it’s particularly beneficial to supplement your exercise routine with weight lifting or other strength training activities that help prevent loss of bone density and muscle mass. The great thing is that it’s never too late to start. Even if you’re past 50 and don’t have much of a history of physical fitness, you can still start small and work your way into a regular routine of exercise that helps you improve your overall health.
When it comes to NHS health screening, women can get Cervical Screening between ages 25 and 64, Breast Screening 50-70 and Bowel Cancer Screening home testing kits for ages 60-74. It’s also recommended women over 65 get a bone density check to screen for osteoporosis. Also, if there’s a family history of anything like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, colorectal or skin cancers – it’s a good idea to ask your doctor about screening for these. The reason it’s worth taking these tests is because ultimately it could help save your life by detecting any problems before they manifest into symptoms.
One final recommendation is to cut down your stress, I realise that telling a stressed person to chill out can be like adding fuel to the fire but it really is essential for your health. A few ways you can deal with stress are through Deep Breathing, Meditation, Yoga, Massage, Exercise again or Talking to a friend, family member, or professional counsellor.
Without going into too much detail as it’s a whole n’other topic, which will be its own episode at some point, activating the Vagus nerve will also send messages throughout the body for it to relax which can lead to long term improvements in mood, wellbeing and resilience. As the Vagus nerve is connected to your vocal chords you can activate it through singing, humming, chanting and gargling for example, weird maybe but the monks of society will definitely attest to this.
So there you have it for this week’s bitesize bit to help your health flourish, bye bye for now.