Women’s Health Week 2024 “Your Voice. Your Choice.”
It’s Women’s Health Week from 2 – 6 September, and this year’s theme is “Your Voice. Your Choice.”
To me, “Your Voice. Your Choice.” is about the importance of women feeling heard and seen by medical professionals. It’s a call to action for women to advocate for their health and well-being.
The Gen-X Dilemma
Women born between 1965 – 1980 are transitioning into middle age, with all the joys of perimenopause and menopause, managing family responsibilities, peaking in our careers, and often caring for elderly parents too.
Gen-X used to be called the forgotten generation; I think now we ought to call us the burnout generation. We’re exhausted, irritable, hot and sweaty, we’ve got brain fog, and frankly, we’re over trying to be all and have it all.
When we finally seek support from a medical professional, we are gaslit and told “it’s normal,” “it’s just menopause,” or we’re given some drugs that will mask our symptoms but do little to get to the root of the problem.
We end up giving up and thinking “this is it, it’s all downhill from here!”
Top 5 Health Issues for Gen-X Women
And if perimenopause and menopause aren’t enough to keep us on our toes as we try and come to terms with a body we seem not to recognize anymore, we learn that if we don’t pay attention to our health now, we have significant deterioration coming our way in the form of these lifestyle conditions:
Cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of death among women.
Musculoskeletal disorders, like arthritis, back problems, osteopenia, osteoporosis, or sarcopenia.
Hormonally driven cancers like breast or ovarian cancer or other cancers like bowel cancer.
Mental health disorders like depression and anxiety, which we may well have been battling our entire lives but have been overlooked or downplayed by physicians.
Metabolic diseases like insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, or thyroid imbalances (all of which can be made worse when going through perimenopause).
The Importance of Being Seen and Heard
Women often suffer longer because their pain and symptoms are dismissed as “just hormones,” “normal,” or “common.” This dismissal can lead to prolonged suffering and delayed diagnosis of serious conditions. It’s vital for women to feel heard and validated by their healthcare providers.
Advocacy for Women’s Health
As women, we need to be our own advocates. We must choose to listen to and believe what our bodies are telling us. Here are some recommendations for advocating for yourself and others:
Don’t Suffer in Silence: Listen to your body, and if something doesn’t look or feel right, don’t put off getting a check-up. Make an appointment today.
Speak Up: Clearly communicate your symptoms and concerns to your healthcare provider. Don’t downplay your pain or discomfort.
Educate Yourself: Understand your health conditions and treatment options. Knowledge is power.
Seek Second Opinions: If you feel your concerns are not being addressed, don’t hesitate to seek a second opinion.
Prepare for Appointments: Write down your symptoms, questions, and concerns before your appointment. This ensures you cover all important points.
Support Each Other: Encourage other women to advocate for their health. Share your experiences and offer support.
Your Voice. Your Choice.
If you’ve ever experienced medical gaslighting, then you might want to have someone on your side. I see my role as a practitioner (and personal cheer squad) is to educate, encourage, and empower you to own your self-healing process. I will help you to find your voice and make choices that work for you.
As a nutritional medicine practitioner and lifestyle coach, I can support you to achieve greater well-being on your terms. Your Voice. Your Choice.
Regardless of where you are on your personal health journey, I am here to support you. It doesn’t matter if you’re at the beginning of your health journey looking for a kick start or you’ve seen a laundry list of health practitioners and want help with chronic health issues. I’ll work alongside you to develop an integrated plan to achieve full body wellness and coach you to success.
Take Action
A good place to start is by booking an appointment with me or participating in one of my health and well-being programs. Together we can explore your concerns, develop a strategy, and take the steps you need to feel like yourself again.
Let’s take the first step towards a healthier, happier you.