The Doctors on Women's Health: New, lifesaving advice on smoking, exercise, fiber, phones and, um, the bathroom from our resident health experts.
Split peas pack a lot of fiber and can help you lose weight. / Image Source/Getty Images
Keep your cell phone out of the bedroom to improve your rest. / John Fedele/Getty Images
Walking just 20 minutes a day can cut risk of heart disease. / David Roth/www.jupiterimages.com
More
What is one of the most, if not the most, important things a woman can do for her health? Stop smoking. That’s because smoking raises the risk of cancer, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and Alzheimer’s — those are Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5 on the list of top killers of women. Heart disease is No. 1 — and a huge, new study that included 2.4 million people found that women who smoke have a 25% higher risk of developing heart disease than male smokers, despite the fact that women on average smoke fewer cigarettes. Researchers don’t know for sure why women are more strongly affected, but the bottom line is the same: Quit.
Here are more ways science shows women how to stay in top shape:
Stand up (and move a little).
Canadian researchers found that women who spend most of their time sitting (defined as more than 41 hours a week outside work) were twice as likely to develop a pulmonary embolism, a potentially deadly blood clot that forms in the deep veins of the legs and travels to the lungs. The study also linked physical inactivity to high blood pressure and heart disease. But new research shows that small amounts of moderate exercise (about 20 minutes a day of walking, for example) can reduce the risk of heart disease by almost 15%.
Eat split peas.
One cup contains more than 16 grams of fiber; women who consume more fiber are 11% less likely to develop breast cancer, says a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Though the results don’t prove that fiber by itself protects against breast cancer, we do know that following a high-fiber diet can help you lose weight, which lowers your risk. Fiber also helps reduce cholesterol (and heart disease) and keep blood sugar steady (to protect against diabetes). The daily recommended fiber intake is 25g for women under age 50 and 21g for women over 50. Most women average about 15g a day.
Turn off your cellphone before hitting the sack.
About four in 10 Americans chat or text from bed — a habit that makes it harder to fall asleep. The artificial light from your cellphone can suppress the release of the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin, and doing something active makes you more alert. To fall asleep faster, give yourself time to wind down and keep your bedroom dark and quiet. Getting a good night’s rest can help boost energy and immunity, control your weight — and improve your marriage, according to a small, preliminary study. Researchers also discovered that when women don’t sleep well, it triggers tension between spouses. What’s interesting: When men don’t sleep, it appears to make no difference.
Practice your Kegels.
Studies show that these exercises — in which you squeeze and relax the muscles that cut off urinary flow — can help prevent accidental leaks when you sneeze, cough, laugh or lift something heavy. That condition, called stress incontinence, is the most common type among women, and often is caused by physical changes from pregnancy, childbirth and menopause. A new study shows that more and more women deal with incontinence: A scientific survey of nearly 20,000 adults found that 53% of women over 20 had problems with bladder control.
Hold the bacon.
That’s one way to help protect you from type 2 diabetes. According to new research from the Harvard School of Public Health, eating about 1.75 daily ounces of processed red meat — equivalent to two slices of bacon or one hot dog — was associated with a 50% increased risk for type 2. Consuming twice the amount of unprocessed red meat raised risk by about 20%. Substitute red meat for a healthier protein, however, and you can offset those odds, say scientists. For example, if you swap one serving of red meat for whole grains, you lower your chances developing of type 2 by up to 23%.
Know the symptoms of depression.
Women are 70% more likely than men to suffer from it, and learning to recognize signs so you get proper treatment is even more important, as new research links depression to stroke and Alzheimer’s disease. One study of more than 80,000 women found depression upped the risk of stroke by almost 30%. Researchers speculate depressed women tend to smoke and weigh more and exercise less; they’re also more likely to have uncontrolled medical conditions, like high blood pressure and diabetes, which can increase stroke risk. Another study published in The Lancet Neurology says depression has a greater impact on Alzheimer’s risk than smoking, hypertension, and obesity. Talk to your doctor if you: feel persistent sadness or anxiousness; hopeless or helpless; irritable or exhausted; if you lose interest in things you used to like; can’t sleep; overeat or lose your appetite; think about suicide or have pains that don’t go away even with treatment.
Work out to build bones.
The same moves that strengthen muscles also make bones stronger. Scottish scientists found that strength training for the legs, like lifting weights, can improve bone density in the hips; and combinations of exercise helps strengthen the spine. Hip and spine fractures are especially common in people with osteoporosis. Experts recommend weight-bearing exercises like using stair-step machines and walking; good muscle-boosting moves besides lifting weights include pulling on elastic bands. However, higher-impact activities like running, tennis, and hiking and may not be good for people with osteoporosis. Talk to your doctor before starting any exercise routine.
Get tested for COPD.
According to the most recent statistics, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease now effects more women than men, and replaced stroke as the third leading cause of death in the US. More than 12 million people are diagnosed with COPD, and 12 million more likely have it, but don’t know it. There’s no cure for COPD, and generally symptoms don’t appear until significant lung damage has occurred. Get diagnosed, and you can take steps to keep the disease from getting worse. All it takes is a simple breathing test. Talk to your doctor if you have trouble doing simple daily tasks like climbing stairs, grocery shopping, or laundry; are over age 40 and currently smoke or used to smoke; or have worked or lived around chemicals or fumes.
Reconsider some hot flash supplements.
To ease this common midlife symptom, many women turn to natural remedies, but a series of recent studies on the effectiveness of certain supplements yielded disappointing results: Soy supplements did nothing to ward off hot flashes, night sweats, and other uncomfortable menopausal symptoms, according to a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Another study showed flaxseed failed as well. Consult your physician before trying any others: All supplements have potentially harmful side effects, and may interact with certain medications.
POWERED BY USA WEEKEND Magazine & more than 
