Women’s Health is a complicated issue in Beaver Dam and Watertown. There are some that are often discussed, like cancers and heart disease, and some that are quieter, with more obscure symptoms. Thyroid disorders, reproductive issues, osteoporosis, gut health and urinary tract issues are just a few that women face more often than men. Even mental health issues such as anxiety and depression seem to be more prevalent in women. In this article I can only scratch the surface of a couple of topics. We dig deeper at the classes and have time to answer questions. And Men, I am not ignoring you, November is about Men’s health.

Common Womens' Health Issues

Thyroid disease is fairly common and can be tricky to diagnose. Symptoms can include brittle hair and nails, sensitivity to cold, fatigue, digestive issues and muscle weakness. Another symptom can be high cholesterol. These symptoms can be easily overlooked, or some people will treat the symptoms without looking for the cause of the problem. What is the thyroid? The thyroid is a gland that secretes hormones to help regulate the body’s temperature, impacts growth and development, and even plays a role in our metabolism. Any time the hormones from the thyroid gland get even a little bit out of normal range, it causes chaos in the body. If you are experiencing symptoms, make sure to see your medical doctor to get your thyroid levels tested. The test is a simple blood test, and treatments can be medication or they can be lifestyle and nutrition based. Gluten free diets seem to have a positive impact on thyroid disorders. This may be due to the fact that a large amount of thyroid hormone receptors reside in the gut.

Urinary tract infections also are more likely to occur in women than men. Symptoms can present as burning and pain with urination, discolored urine due to blood, and increased need to urinate. In older people it can present slightly differently with people experiencing confusion or being delirious. One of the big ways to avoid a UTI is to drink plenty of water. This includes about ½ your body weight in ounces of water. If you have a UTI, drinking cranberry juice can help as well. Make sure it is 100% pure cranberry juice and not a cranberry cocktail which may have more sugar and additives that will make the UTI worse. If you suspect you may have a UTI, you can easily test with a urine sample with an at home kit or by going to your medical doctor.

Infertility is not necessarily just a women’s problem, but it does affect roughly 15.7% of women in 2019 according to the National Center for Health Statistics. There are many reasons women struggle to conceive including unbalanced thyroid and reproductive hormone levels, being overweight, and having an inflammatory diet full of sugar and processed foods . Any medical reasons for infertility should be ruled out by a medical doctor. In the meantime, I encourage you to take a look at your overall health. Are you getting enough sleep? Are you managing stress well? Does your diet include multi-colored fruits and vegetables? These are all things that can affect your fertility. Another thing to consider is doing a detox before you try getting pregnant. Doing a detox helps eliminate toxins from the body and decreases inflammation. All making the body healthy and more likely to conceive.

Dr. Stephanie graduated in December 2016 with her Doctorate in Chiropractic at Logan University. She continued on at Logan University to receive her Masters in Nutrition and Human Performance. She is also certified as a Digestive Health Profession through the Loomis Enzyme Institute. She currently works at Tyjeski Family Chiropractic and Wellness Center.