Most Common Diseases Of Latinas

2024 Author: Steven Freeman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 08:15

The Latin woman, who is the north of our community, spends her life taking care of everyone and many times she forgets to take care of herself. There are diseases that affect it disproportionately compared to men, so it is important to take them into account in order to prevent or detect them early.

HEART DISEASE

It is an extremely dangerous myth that women do not suffer heart attacks as much as men. In fact, it is one of the main causes of death and many times it is not so easy to identify the symptoms, since they appear atypically. In a woman, it manifests as respiratory distress, tiredness, stomach pain and even upper back pain, instead of the typical chest pain on the left side that radiates to the left arm or jaw.

• Prevention
• Maintain an ideal weight.
• Take at least 10,000 steps a day.
• Sleep 7-8 hours daily.
• Good stress management.
• Get an annual checkup that measures cholesterol, sugar and blood pressure levels. I also recommend that if you are over 40 years of age, you have an electrocardiogram, ultrasound of the heart and a stress test.

BREAST CANCER

This type of cancer is the most common in the female population. It can come in the form of some kind of palpable lump or lump in the breast, although it can often develop without any symptoms. That's why it's important to get an annual mammogram starting at age 40.

Prevention

• Breastfeeding babies reduces the risk.

• Avoid using hormones.

• Consume at least five daily servings of fruits and vegetables.

• Do not carry out unnecessary radiographic studies.

• Exercise at least five times a week.

OSTEOPOROSIS

Osteoporosis is a condition in which the person loses density in the bones, which makes them more likely to fracture. Almost 70 percent of cases are women, as their bones begin to weaken from the third decade of life. There are many risk factors: advanced age, smoking, sedentary lifestyle, excessive alcohol consumption, chronic use of certain medications such as steroids, and low dietary calcium intake.

• Prevention
• Consume around 1,200 mg of calcium daily. It can be achieved by eating foods such as low-fat milk, cheese, yogurt, sardines, green vegetables, and fortified cereals and juices.
• 15 minutes of sunshine a day provide the vitamin D needed for the bones to absorb calcium.
• Decrease caffeine consumption to no more than 2 cups a day.
• Exercise with weights to increase muscle mass, which in turn protects the bones.
• Talk to the doctor about a bone density test.

DEPRESSION

According to statistics, women are twice as likely to suffer from depression compared to men. Constant crying, not enjoying previously enjoyed activities, not being able to sleep, weight gain, and difficulty concentrating are all possible symptoms of this disorder. Unfortunately, in our culture many still think that depression is an invention, an excuse for the person and that the person can and should heal by himself. It's not like that. Depression is an illness like any other and, if not properly treated, can lead to fatal consequences such as suicide.

• Prevention
• Make exercise a habit. The release of endorphins when exercising provides a feeling of well-being.
• NO to alcohol.
• Practice meditation as a measure to control stress and prevent it from accumulating in the body and mind.
• Include foods rich in omega-3s in the diet, such as, among others, avocado, salmon, walnuts or peanut butter.
• See a psychologist if the person feels they cannot cope with the problems alone.

This column appeared in the August 2017 issue of People en Español