Lifestyle Gynae Problems

Amenorrhea is a common period problem that can be primary- when periods don t start by the age of 16; and secondary, when periods stop for three months or more. Secondary amenorrhea can be due to lifestyle issues like severe stress, heavy exercises, anorexia, thyroid dysfunction or hormonal disturbances, amongst others. Women should turn to alternative healing modalities like Tai Chi, yoga and meditation to reduce stress and stay away from period problems.

Breast cancer has been linked to the paradigm shift in women s lifestyle in a number of studies. Lifestyle choices like late marriage, delay in having a first child, not breastfeeding, obesity and genetic factors, all predispose a woman to breast cancer. Regular check-ups of the breasts are critical and so are breast home exams to detect breast cancer at an early stage before it spreads. Breast cancer is a leading cause of mortality in a woman because it spreads very fast to the nearby lymph nodes, lungs and bone tissue. There is also the need for lifestyle modification like more breastfeeding, regular exercise to maintain weight, veggie and fruit loaded diets that produce antioxidants.

PCOD is a hormonal condition in which women produce a surplus of male sex hormones like testosterone which leads to irregular ovulation or no ovulation at all. And this affects a woman s fertility. PCOD s most likely cause is genetic. So, if a woman s mother or sister s been diagnosed with PCOD, she is at high risk of getting it too at some time of her life. Timely check-ups to diagnose PCOS and early treatment can ensure that it doesn t increase and the affected woman can conceive naturally.

True, as infertility can be due to hormonal imbalances that are heavily dependent on our lifestyle, diet and stress. Stress can skew hormone levels in a woman s body. A skewed hormone environment can affect her period, ovulation, her uterus as well as her sexual response. These factors taken together can make her infertile. Balance is important. Women wanting to have babies in the near future should include 30 minutes of regular exercise, have a balanced diet, cut down on junk and processed foods and stay away from the stress that suppresses libido, fertility and orgasms.