Schedule more “me” time for a healthier 2015.

by Cassie Richardson

For many working women who bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan, the added pressures of caring for children and aging parents can be overwhelming–even when she has the help of a supportive man.

If given a 60-minute bonus, many busy women would be able to find good use for an extra hour in the day. And chances are she'd spend a portion of that windfall on a few extra minutes of “me” time.

Adding a 25th hour to the day equals an impossible dream, but a woman's need to focus on exercise, healthy eating and de-stressing is real–especially if her focus on taking care of others pushes her own health needs aside.

“It's a more stressful environment [today]. The economy has stressed everybody,” explains therapist Lucille Robbins. “Women tend to have some particular extra stressors, partly because of the roles they play” as caregivers, as breadwinners and as important members of their work teams.

Robbins is a counselor with Methodist Hospital's employee assistance program, which provides professional counseling services to employees and families of participating Indiana businesses.

Stress may cause hormonal imbalances that can negatively impact several systems of the body. The result of prolonged exposure to stress can lead to a variety of conditions, including coronary problems, hair loss, reduced sex drive, ulcers and other digestive disorders. Stress can also lead women into bouts with anxiety, depression and overeating–which can lead to obesity and all the complications associated with that condition, Robbins says.

“Women often spend time taking care of others. It's important that we allow them to take care of themselves as well,” says Ashley Therasse, M.D., who practices internal medicine at Porter Regional Hospital. Everyone “needs to take time to themselves to lead a healthy lifestyle.”

To make sure you and the women in your life make time for a healthy lifestyle in 2015, follow the steps below:

Find time to fend off obesity

It's no secret that lots of women would like to become a few pounds lighter this year. And in light of research that links obesity with heart disease and cancer–the two leading causes of death among women–losing a little weight this year might be a good goal to have. Women carrying too much weight are at greater risk for Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver and osteoarthritis, says Dr. Therasse.

Dr. Therasse, who is specially trained in endocrinology, diabetes care and metabolism issues, says obesity is defined by Body Mass Index (BMI). Women and men with a BMI between 25 and 30 are overweight. Anyone with a BMI greater than 30 is considered obese. In Indiana, nearly 59.5 of Hoosier women are considered overweight or obese, according to the American Heart Association.

Dr. Therasse says there are three reasons why women land in the obese category: “Some of it is genetics. A lot is related to diet and exercise, [and] a lot of people eat too much food.”

By now, most people understand that losing weight requires exercise and eating fewer calories. It's also common knowledge that shedding extra pounds (and keeping them off) is often easier said than done. Because the complications associated with obesity tend to develop over time, Dr. Therasse encourages anyone with a BMI of 25 or higher to talk to a doctor about his or her weight.

In addition to a routine health check, doctors can point patients in the right direction toward lifestyle changes for better health, Dr. Therasse says. These doctors can also help severely ill obese patients explore surgical weight loss options, when they have not been able to lose weight through diet and exercise.

Pencil in breast and gynecological cancer screenings

Making (and keeping) appointments with health care professionals can help women stay in their best shape to power through life's demands. If a troubling health condition is brewing, noticing bodily changes and possible symptoms could make the difference between life and untimely death.

“Early detection is the key,” says Neel Shah, M.D., oncologist on staff at Community Hospital in Munster, St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago and St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart. “Sometimes we can catch [gynecological] cancers earlier if people are getting their mammograms and if they're getting evaluated by their physician, if they're having symptoms.”

One out of every seven women faces the possibility of having breast cancer at some point in their lives. And because more women are finding time to get screened, many of these women will receive treatment early and beat this disease, Dr. Shah says. He explained that Northwest Oncology physicians follow U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines, which recommend patients to start having annual mammograms at age 40. Women with a family history of breast cancer are screened earlier.

“I advocate for every woman in America to get screened because at the end of the day, it saves lives. I tell my own mom to make sure she gets her mammogram every year,” Dr. Shah says, adding that “In our practice, we're finding cancers at stage 0 and stage 1 instead of stage 3 and stage 4.”

Dr. Shah also advises his patients with a family history of either breast or ovarian cancer to have genetic testing to determine whether they have the BRCA gene, which puts them at high risk for either form of cancer. If they are identified as having the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, these women will have the opportunity to discuss and pursue options that could help reduce their chances of getting these types of cancer, Dr. Shah says.

Aside from genetic testing, there is no screening test for ovarian cancer. An annual gynecological exam can monitor ovarian health and test for the presence of cervical cancer. However, women experiencing pain in their abdomen and lower extremities, or bleeding after the onset of menopause should see their gynecologist.

Lower the risk for heart disease

The risk factors for heart disease are similar for women and men. People with close relatives who've had heart disease, as well as those who smoke, or have hypertension, high cholesterol or diabetes, are at risk. Obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, and a lack of regular exercise can also contribute to heart disease in everyone. Yet the symptoms of heart disease may look different in women compared to men.

“Women do have some unusual challenges in terms of symptoms. They can have atypical symptoms,” says M. Shakil Aslam, M.D., an interventional cardiologist at Memorial Hospital in South Bend.

According to Dr. Aslam, chest pain may not always alert women to undiagnosed heart problems. Some women with heart conditions may experience neck pain or discomfort in their jaw, upper back, abdomen or arm. “If every time they exercise, they start to have arm pain, that could be a warning sign for heart problems,” he says. And if lightheadedness, dizziness, fainting or a sudden outbreak of sweat accompanied by an uneasy feeling in the chest appear, then a trip to the doctor's office may be a good idea.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD), a condition that affects younger women more than men, may appear suddenly with or without these symptoms. “Sometimes it could present with symptoms of chest pains. Sometimes it could present with heart attack. Sometimes people could have cardiac arrest, and that could be presenting the first warning signs that [SCAD] has come up,” Dr. Aslam says.

SCAD is caused by tiny tears in the heart's arteries that suddenly interrupt blood flow. Some studies attribute its higher incidence among younger women–who are otherwise healthy–to hormones associated with childbirth and menstruation.

A growing number of post-menopausal women, on the other hand, are more susceptible to Takosubu cardiomyopathy, also known as Broken Heart Syndrome. Typically, these patients come into the emergency room reporting sudden chest pains and shortness of breath after exercising or experiencing emotional stress. Although they appear to have suffered a minor heart attack, closer examination finds that only one portion of the heart is working and the rest of the heart has ballooned in size.

“The good news is it does get better if you catch it at the right time and you start the right medication. In a few months the heart does get better,” Dr. Aslam says. Still, the best way for women to address the complications of heart disease is to lower their risk by not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and finding time to exercise.

Prevent or reverse

Like heart disease and cancer, obesity is a major risk factor for Type 2 diabetes. High blood pressure, a sedentary lifestyle, and middle age are also characteristics of men and women most likely to get diabetes. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome are also at high risk.

“Diabetes is a sneaky disease. A lot of times people don't have symptoms, and if they do [the symptoms] are so vague that they kind of creep up on [on patients] without them being aware of them,” says certified diabetes educator Cynthia Mako, R.N., who teaches groups and individual patients with diabetes at Franciscan St. Anthony Health in Crown Point. However, excessive thirst, frequent urination, overwhelming fatigue and slow-healing wounds could be signs of diabetes.

If a doctor diagnosis a woman with the condition, or determines that she is borderline, she may be able to take proactive steps, exercising and making healthier food choices, to reverse or prevent the onset of diabetes. In fact, she says that losing 5 to 7 percent of body weight can make a significant difference.

When it comes to better food choices, Mako says a good rule of thumb is to eat 90 percent of the time for health and 10 percent of the time for pleasure. She says eating from an 8-inch plate, replacing high-calorie items with low-cal fruits and veggies, and eliminating junk food and sugary drinks, can go a long way toward improved health. She also suggests leveraging technology, such as free mobile phone apps to count calories.

Take a break for mental health

Although men and women both experience depression, hormonal imbalances can be linked to a higher instance of depression and anxiety in women. In fact, women are twice as likely to suffer from depression.

“Everybody has some blue days, for whatever [reason]. That's how it comes,” Robbins says. There may be cause for concern, however, if the sadness lasts longer than two weeks. “If it's lasting, if it's interfering with your ability to function … if it's having a negative impact on your life,” then seeking professional help may be advised.

One of the key symptoms of depression is sorrow. “When we talk about depression, that's usually sad plus some other symptoms,” Robbins explained. Along with sadness, women can also experience feeling hopeless and helpless to change their situation. Depression also often brings insomnia, appetite changes, inappropriate feelings of guilt, and the inability to plan and set goals.

In severe cases, depression can lead to suicide, Robbins explains. So if a friend, family member or other affected individual believes her depression could lead to suicide or the harm of others, then it is appropriate to seek professional help immediately at an emergency room such as Methodist Hospitals' Northlake Campus Emergency Department, which is Northwest Indiana's only level III trauma center.