While health is something women and men should be concerned with all year round, the California Office of Women’s Health, in collaboration with national partners, observes May as National Women’s Health Month. The objective is to raise awareness of health issues that affect women and girls, while celebrating state, local and community efforts to enhance awareness of women’s wellness and take proactive steps to safeguard their health.
Kaiser celebrated Women’s Health Month last week with a “Women’s Night Out” event held at the Pleasanton Medical Offices. Dr. Janis Kahn, associate chief of women’s health for Kaiser’s Pleasanton and Livermore offices, said it’s important to focus on women’s health because many women forget to take time for themselves and instead worry more about their families.
“In general, women are responsible for many of the health care decisions in the family, so when we can get women to make changes about their own lifestyle, it translates to changes in the family, as well,” Kahn added.
Women have very specific health issues that are distinct from men and are usually tied to pregnancy, menopause and the menstrual cycle. But even with these differences, the main thing women can do to ensure a life of good health is the same thing as men: Maintain a nutritious diet and exercise.
“Nutrition is the foundation of anyone’s health,” said Dr. Bettina Zatuchini, a gynecologist with ValleyCare Health System. “At least walk 30 minutes daily, and be sure to schedule preventative medical appointments.”
In addition to the usual health risks associated being overweight, being obese can have dire ramifications for women, Kahn said.
“There is a strong association between obesity and cancer of the uterus, as well as breast cancer,” Kahn said. “When a woman is obese, her body produces more estrogen, and that increases the risks for those cancers.”
Zatuchini and Kahn agreed that one of the biggest misconceptions is that women are not affected by heart disease when in fact it is the number one cause of death in women.
“Heart disease is the number one cause of death in women, but when you ask most women what they think it is, they’ll say breast cancer,” Kahn said. “That has changed over the past few years with the ‘Go Red for Women’ campaign, but there are still a lot of women who don’t think it affects them.”
Often times, doctors who may not be familiar with women’s health ignore signs of heart disease because they don’t associate it with women, Zatuchini said.
“Because most people think itÃs a men’s disease, if a women in her 30s complains of chest pains, doctors may overlook it,” she said.
Signs of heart disease in women may be presented differently than in men with many women not having chest pains, but demonstrating vaguer symptoms such as fatigue and gastrointestinal problems, Kahn said.
Dr. Dolores Musco of San Ramon Regional Medical Center said that, although it is getting better, many people think that women tend to exaggerate their health problems.
“While women do seek attention faster, it’s usually because they know something is going on, and it may be early in the disease process,” Musco said. “If somebody’s worried, they’re worried, and you shouldn’t label it as hysterical. That’s annoying.”
In fact, seeing the doctor early and for regular check-ups is one thing women do well when it comes to health.
“Women really seek medical attention more than men do,” Musco said. “They always come in for annual physicals, which means we can catch things earlier with women.”
“I just think education is the main thing,” Zatuchini said. “That’s why it’s important for women to come to the doctor, so we can educate and answer questions for them. Through knowledge you can learn what to avoid and what to do to maintain good health.”
Breast cancer screening
San Ramon Regional Medical Center is hosting a free screening for breast cancer June 7 at its offices located at 6001 Norris Canyon Rd., San Ramon. Call Sandra Ryan at 275-8365 for more information.
