Common Behavioral Health Disorders In Women

Behavioral health disorders can affect men, women and children. Many people suffer from behavioral health disorders for years without proper diagnosis and treatment. Although these disorders do not discriminate between men and women, and occur to people of all ages and ethnic backgrounds, there are significant differences in the risk for developing certain disorders between men and women. Women are at high risk for developing disorders like substance abuse, depression and anxiety, while men are more likely to suffer from disorders such as schizophrenia and PTSD.
Most Common Behavioral Health Disorders in Women
Panic Disorder
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), approximately 2.4 million people in the United States suffer from panic disorder. In addition, women are twice as likely as men to have panic disorder. Panic disorder often accompanies other disorders, such as depression and can prevent a woman from living a healthy normal life. Depression is a serious disorder that can affect every aspect of a woman's life. It can make it difficult for a woman to maintain healthy relationships or experience the joy in her life. Women in general are more likely than men to experience depression, although the reasons are unknown. Studies show that one in eight women will experience some form of depression during her lifetime. Certain behavioral health disorders, including postpartum depression can affect only women.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Post-traumatic stress disorder is in a class of disorders known as anxiety disorders. It is estimated that 5.2 million adults in the United States have PTSD. Although commonly associated with men, women are also at high risk for developing PTSD. PTSD normally occurs as a result of a traumatic event - including abuse, violence or danger to a loved one.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Often anxiety occurs for no apparent reason. When this happens it is often referred to as Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Women are two times more likely to develop this disorder than men. Approximately 4 million adults in the US suffer from this type of anxiety disorder.
Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are particularly dangerous to a woman's health. These behavioral health disorders can have seriously debilitating long-term health effects on a woman's body. Many women seek help from eating disorders every year, most commonly anorexia, bulimia and binge eating.
Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse
Between 30 and 40 percent of Americans suffering from alcoholism are women. In fact, alcoholism in women is on the rise. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) reports women face a higher risk of alcoholism than men do.
Many women struggle with making the choice to commit to themselves and seek treatment for behavioral health disorders. Some women find that goal setting is helpful and milestones can help them envision their achievements and make the path to sobriety more manageable.

Determining The Best Supplements For A Woman's Health

As a woman's health requirements change during the different stages of life it is important to consider supplementation as a way to receive the needed vitamins and nutrients required to maintain a healthy lifestyle. We all realize that supplementation can be expensive so it is important to know exactly which can offer women the most benefit thus getting the most bang for the buck from your supplementation dollar. The first thing that needs to be done is to take a look at your diet and lifestyle in order to determine which nutrients that you may be lacking in. With that said let us take a look at five of the best and most effective supplements that can help to maintain good health in all stages of life.
CALCIUM
Calcium plays an important role in many functions that the body completes each day. It is also the most abundant mineral that we have in our bodies. We all know by know that it is critical for good bone health. We need to take care of our bones and teeth over the course of our lifetime not only as we age. Dairy products along with green leafy vegetables are very good dietary sources of calcium. If your diet is lacking in calcium rich foods and you choose supplementation calcium citrate will offer you the most benefit.
VITAMIN D
Recent studies have shown that up to 70% of people are deficient in this important vitamin. This is basically due to the fact that we spend much more time indoors coupled with the overuse of sunscreen. Vitamin D is also a nutrient that is involved in many daily functions in the body. It helps to boost our immune system and protects us from disease and illness as well as aiding in bone health by being critical in the absorption of calcium. Even if you are eating a diet rich in calcium or taking supplements you may not be getting the full benefit if it is not being absorbed properly. The best way to get adequate levels of vitamin D is from sunshine. If you decide to use a supplement vitamin D3 is best.
B VITAMINS
This is actually a group of eight water soluble vitamins. These vitamins are not stored by the body. We use what we need and the balance is flushed out in the urine. For this reason they need to be constantly replaced. They are essential in controlling levels of stress, mood swings and the production of energy. Meat, dairy products and vegetables are all excellent dietary sources of B vitamins. If you choose supplementation you can get B-Complex multivitamins which will provide you with adequate supply of each in one capsule.
MAGNESIUM
Along with being critical to the proper absorption and metabolism of calcium magnesium also plays a major role in controlling mood swings. Green leafy vegetables as well as nuts are high in magnesium. If you are supplementing choose a magnesium calcium citrate combination for the best results.
OMEGA 3
These are known as essential fatty acids and offer many health benefits. Oily fish such as mackerel and salmon are very good sources. If these foods are not part of your normal diet a high quality fish oil will provide adequate supplies.
In conclusion, if you have a good understanding of which are the best supplements to assure good health and their dietary sources you can make a better informed decision as to which supplements you actually need to be concentrating on. This will provide you with a healthier lifestyle for many years to come as well as leave more money in your pocket.

Health Tips for Pregnant Women

Pregnant women have special health and nutrition needs. They are eating for two people, for themselves and for the new baby that is growing inside their womb. So they want to be sure they are eating healthy foods. It is important for pregnant women to watch what they eat and drink. For example, doctors advise the strict avoidance of all alcoholic beverages during pregnancy.
It is also recommended to take a folic acid supplement. Folic acid is included in any good quality brand of prenatal vitamins, as are other important nutrients such as B vitamins, minerals like calcium, etc.
If you are trying to conceive, experiencing some symptoms of pregnancy, or are now pregnant, you will want to eat a balanced and healthy diet. Your body will experience many changes as the months go by. Be sure to get plenty of rest. Fatigue is a common complaint of pregnant women. Your body is going through a lot of stressful work to create a human life. You are doing something totally amazing. And you deserve a rest, don't you think? Of course you do. So take plenty of breaks, sit down, even take a nap every day if you can.
You and your baby will need more calories during the pregnancy stages. Some doctors estimate that you will consume round 300 additional calories each day. Just make sure the added calories come from healthy foods, not junk food. It is normal to have some cravings, because you need extra nutrients, but these cravings can be lessened by taking prenatal vitamins. You body wants and needs added nutrition, to help your baby grow, so eat plenty of health foods such as yogurt, fruit, bran muffins, veggies, etc.
Stay away from cigarettes and from people who smoke them. Second hand smoke can be bad for you and for your developing baby. Also avoid chemicals of all kinds. Don't use, inhale or be around any paint, harsh cleaning compounds, bug sprays and pesticides, weed killers, or any serious chemicals such as those.
Get some mild exercise every day. Going for a walk is the best form of exercise. This gets your blood flowing and increases oxygen levels in your body. Don't do any sit ups or crunches or tummy exercises. And avoid doing any heavy lifting.
Talk to your nurse or doctor on a regular basis. Pregnant women are going through a special time in their lives and they have special needs, special eating habits, special vitamins, etc. Take extra special good care of yourself so you will have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.

Some Common Yet Ignored Factors That Can Maintain Women's Health

Since centuries women are seen as the focus point of every family. She runs the home, she takes care of her husband and children and she ensures that everything in the house is managed properly. Even today, when women have also started going out to work and earn money, they run the family and take more efforts than men in the management of the house. Because of all these, health of a woman is very important and has a strong impact on the health of a whole family. Ironically, the person whose health is least important in a house is also that of the woman there.

Women's health is an issue that women themselves give secondary priority in their rush to manage their career along with their family. What they forget is that if they are caught by a minor disease or sickness it can affect the running of the whole house. One has to remain healthy to ensure others are healthy. So what are some ways in which a woman can take care of her health? Here are a few tips for you. You must have come across them many times yet you take them for granted.

Ensure the intake of adequate nutrients

A normal person requires various nutrients that can ensure the healthy functioning of the body. These nutrients include proteins, vitamins, iron, carbohydrates and a lot more minerals that take care of the various processes inside the body. Deficiency of any of these nutrients can create long-reaching effects, which appear often in the form of fever, lethargy, pain, etc. As all nutrients are not included in a single food item, it is important that you take different food items so that all nutrients reach your body. In the busy lifestyle of today, it might not be possible to get all food items, cook them and have them on a daily basis. You could therefore try out the different health supplements that ensure the sufficient and proper intake of all necessary nutrients.

Have a balanced diet

A balanced diet is very important in maintaining the health. While some women, in their wish to keep themselves slim, overdo their dieting and give up on food, some fall for the tastes of the food and overeat, which result in obesity and related health problems. Both these habits are extremely dangerous to the body and can create issues later in old age. What you need is a balanced diet that includes all the necessary nutrients and yet keeps you fit and healthy. Today, this is not a difficult task as you can refer to hundreds of websites that give you valuable information related to healthy diets. You can also approach a dietician to get suggestions on what you need to do to keep yourself healthy.

Do regular exercise

Exercise is as important to the body as food. The intake of calories has to be balanced by the adequate burning of it, and this can be possible by regular exercise. There was a time when people used to live in huge mansions or large farms where doing the daily chores was enough to burn these extra calories. However, today things are different and we stay in small apartments or work before computer for hours, both of which can affect the health, especially that of eyes and brain, increase the weight and make you sick very soon. Keeping some time apart to do some physical exercises or yoga is therefore highly necessary to ensure prolonged health and fitness.

Allow some time for yourself

Happiness and peace of mind are two important prerequisites for physical health. Running behind the household errands and needs of your husband or children can often make you get nervous and remain tense the whole day. While it is definitely important that you provide time for your family, it is equally important to provide time for yourself as well. It is not important that you should do something great during this time. The main point is to find some time to do something that you enjoy doing, whether it is reading a book, listening to music or meditating. Relaxation to the mind makes a huge difference to the relaxation of the body and keeps you active and cheerful.

It is true that doing all these would not keep away your problems in life. In fact, life is complex and dynamic and problems are a part of it. However, doing these can definitely make you strong enough to face these problems and come out successfully. In fact, contrary to the popular belief, the well-known saying that 'health is wealth' applies to women much more than men.