Brain Health is Women's Health

Brain Health is Women’s Health

This International Women’s Day the theme is #breakthebias. One of the key focuses of this is around health care and empowering women to make informed decisions about their health.?When I started looking into brain health a few years ago following my own diagnosis, despite being an experienced GP, I was shocked by what I discovered, especially for women.?

It is actually all in your head

Two out of every three people with Alzheimer’s Disease are Women?

Women are twice as likely to have anxiety and depression as men

Women are 3x more likely to be diagnosed with auto immune diseases including those that attack the brain like MS

Women are 4x more likely to suffer migraines and headaches than men

Strokes kill more women than men

Why??We don’t know… yet. But what we do know is that hormones, specifically oestrogen, have something to do with it. Oestrogen is recognised to be neuroprotective and as we age and experience changes due to menopause, the way our brains work will change too. However, like most things, it’s complicated.?

Everyone’s Talking About Menopause And rightly so. But when we talk menopause and its complex, life altering, challenging array of symptoms that can affect women, let’s also talk brain health. The hormonal changes associated with menopause and the years before and after have lasting effects our brain function and our vulnerability to other diseases, specifically Alzheimer’s disease and depression.?

Are we doomed?The good news is that while we wait for science to give us more answers, we can do things now, today, this minute to help care for our brains both now and in the future. We know that changes in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease occur decades before the recognisable symptoms are visible to the patient and those around them. Making changes to our routines and habits in midlife can make a big difference both to how we feel now and reduce our risk of developing disease in the future.

Your most important to do list There is power in simplicity when it comes to looking after the health of our brains and the brains of those around us, so let’s start there.

?Know your normal: In my opinion and experience this is the most important point when it comes to health. Take note of how you feel and when things feel ‘off ‘or ‘not quite right’ wherever that is - be it in yourself, somewhere in the middle,?or ‘down below’. Seek professional if you are concerned or if things are not improving. If you don’t feel listened to, persist. If you are not getting better, go back, it is your health. In parallel pay attention to your own routines and behaviours in the process. There may or may not be an underlying diagnosis but rarely is there just one thing causing you to feel the way you do.

Focus on the good stuff: Prioritize aspects of your life that are good for you- sleep, movement, what you feed yourself with, downtime.

Time: Consider both who you spend your time with and what you spend your time doing and how these interactions make you feel.?

Do what you want: Find a way to spend at least a few minutes every day doing something you really enjoy-regardless of whether it is running or watching reality TV.?

Research to benefit populations and guide interventions and treatments is challenging and can be slow. But we have the power and the ability to know our own health and look after ourselves and those we care for. Let’s use it.?

“Communities and countries and ultimately the world are only as strong as the health of their women.”

Michelle Obama??

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