Women's Health | Men's Health
Womens Health
Today, in the United States there are over 7 million women in college. Like you, they are striving to create an experience to support their future lives. Being in college is a period of tremendous growth with many exciting opportunities. You will be challenged to maintain a healthy lifestyle, strengthen your self-esteem, address personal safety issues, and prevent illness in the years ahead. During this dynamic transitional period into adulthood, you will be faced with choices about behaviors that will influence your health today and for the rest of your life, such as smoking, nutrition, alcohol and drug use, exercise, and sexual activity. Additionally, some women your age may experience self-esteem and body image problems, eating disorders, substance abuse, and mental illness. Good health is essential to student success.
Knowledge is power when it comes to your health. Become a knowledgeable women's health consumer and use the information found in the websites listed to build a healthier future for you. Good health means having a full measure of physical, emotional, and social vitality. Being knowledgeable of women's health issues is also very important, especially since so much new information is becoming available. The goals of this website are: to help students achieve and maintain optimum physical, mental and emotional health, and to educate students in taking responsibility for their own health.
Surprising Stats and Facts
Did you know...?
- If shop mannequins were real women, they'd be too thin to menstruate.
- There are 3 billion women who don't look like supermodels and only eight who do.
- Marilyn Monroe wore a size 14.
- If Barbie was a real woman, she'd have to walk on all fours due to her proportions.
- The average American woman weighs 144 lbs. and wears between a size 12 and 14.
- One out of every four college aged women has an eating disorder.
- The models in the magazines are airbrushed-they're not perfect!!
- A psychological study in 1995 found that three minutes spent looking at models in a fashion magazine caused 70% of women to feel depressed, guilty, and shameful.
- Models twenty years ago weighed 8% less than the average woman, today they weigh 23% less.
Women's Healthcare Guidelines
Routine activities for women to ensure good health:
| Each Day | Each Month | Each Year | Other |
| Exercise 20 minutes (at least 3 days each week). | Perform a breast self examination. | Have a dental checkup once or twice a year. | After age 20: every 5 years have a full lipid profile test for cholesterol and triglycerides. |
| Protect yourself from the sun use sunscreen and dress appropriately. | Perform an oral cavity self examination gums, teeth, lips, tongue. | After age 50: have a physical examination by your physician. |
Every 3 years after age 30: have a physical examination by your physician. |
| Watch your fat intake no more than 30 percent of your calorie intake. | Perform a full-body self examination for unusual moles or other skin conditions. | After age 50: have a DRE (digital rectal examination). | Every 2 years after age 40: have a physical examination by your physician. |
| Eat 2 - 3 servings of protein (meat, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, nuts) and dairy products. | Be aware of your weight -- check your BMI (body mass index). | Have your blood pressure and cholesterol levels checked. | After age 50: have a flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years, or as recommended by your physician. |
| Eat 6 - 11 servings of grains; 3 - 5 servings of vegetables; and 2 - 4 servings of fruits. |
Get a flu shot. | After age 50: have a colonoscopy every 10 years, or as recommended by your physician. | |
| Be aware of your alcohol intake. | After age 40: have a mammogram every 1 to 2 years. |
After age 50: have a double contrast barium enema every 5 -10 years, or as recommended by your physician. | |
| Be aware of your stress level. | After age 50: have a fecal occult blood test. |
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| Have a pelvic examination and Pap test every 1 to 3 years. | |||
| General Health: Full checkup, including weight and height |
Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. |
| Thyroid test (TSH) | Start at age 35, then every 5 years | Every 5 years | Every 5 years |
| Heart Health: Blood pressure test |
At least every 2 years | At least every 2 years | At least every 2 years |
| Cholesterol test | Start at age 20, discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. |
| Bone Health: Bone mineral density test |
Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | |
| Diabetes: Blood sugar test |
Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Start at age 45, then every 3 years | Every 3 years |
| Breast Health: Mammogram (x-ray of breast) |
Every 1-2 years. Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Every 1-2 years. Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | |
| Reproductive Health: Pap test & pelvic exam |
Every 1-3 years if you have been sexually active or are older than 21 | Every 1-3 years | Every 1-3 years |
| Chlamydia test | If sexually active, yearly until age 25. Ages 26-39, if you are at high risk for Chlamydia or other STDs, you may need this test. | If you are at high risk for Chlamydia or other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) you may need this test. | If you are at high risk for Chlamydia or other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) you may need this test. |
| Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) tests | Both partners should get tested for STDs, including HIV, before initiating sexual intercourse. | Both partners should get tested for STDs, including HIV, before initiating sexual intercourse. | Both partners should get tested for STDs, including HIV, before initiating sexual intercourse. |
| Colorectal Health: Fecal occult blood test |
Yearly | ||
| Flexible Sigmoidoscopy (with fecal occult blood test is preferred) | Every 5 years (if not having a colonoscopy) | ||
| Double Contrast Barium Enema (DCBE) | Every 5-10 years (if not having a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy) | ||
| Colonoscopy | Every 10 years | ||
| Rectal exam | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Every 5-10 years with each screening (sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, or DCBE) |
| Eye and Ear Health: Eye exam |
Get your eyes checked if you have problems or visual changes. | Every 2-4 years | Every 2-4 years |
| Hearing test | Starting at age 18, then every 10 years | Every 10 years | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. |
| Skin Health: Mole exam |
Monthly mole self-exam; by a doctor every 3 years, starting at age 20. | Monthly mole self-exam; by a doctor every year. | Monthly mole self-exam; by a doctor every year. |
| Oral Health: Dental exam |
One to two times every year | One to two times every year | One to two times every year |
| Mental Health Screening | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. |
| Immunizations: Influenza vaccine |
Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Yearly |
| Pneumococcal vaccine | |||
| Tetanus-Diphtheria Booster vaccine | Every 10 years | Every 10 years | Every 10 years |
Women and Health
- 57 topics for Women's Health:
- http://www.bmhcc.org/health/library/women.asp
- Breast Cancer Advice
- http://www.breastcanceradvice.com/
- Womens Health Matters
- http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca/index.cfm
- Cornell College: Womens Resource Page Mental Health
- http://www.cornellcollege.edu/womens_studies/
resources /health/mental.html - Womens Health Subjects Archives
- http://www.estronaut.com/n/what.htm
- Gynecology Womens Health
- http://www.mhbc.org/page.cfm?nav_id=277
- Womens Health Topics
- http://www.4women.gov/topics.cfm
- University of Texas: Your Sexual Self
- http://www.utexas.edu/student/health/yss/index.html
- Young Womens Health: College Health
- http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/collegehealth1.html
- Managing the Special Health Concerns of Women Athletes
- http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/1031002528.html