Alcohol abuse
According to Marla Ahlgrimm, men are more likely to succumb to alcohol dependence than women. Alcoholism, however, often has more devastating consequences for females. In addition to an increased risk of breast cancer and heart disease, women who drink while pregnant may give birth to an infant with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome – brain damage caused by alcohol passing through the developing fetus’ brain tissue.
Heart disease
Heart disease is the #1 killer of both men and women in the United States, but women are more likely to die following a heart attack than their male counterparts. Women also have a tendency to delay emergency medical care due to family and work obligations.
Mental health
Women are diagnosed with mental health conditions far more often than men. Marla Ahlgrimm says this could be explained several ways – by women seeking affirmation of their feelings more than men or a greater social acceptance of depression and other psychological disorders in women.
Stress
Though everyone experiences stress at some point in their lives, Marla Ahlgrimm reports that a recent study by the American Psychological Association found that women seem to feel stressed more often than their husbands, brothers, and fathers. Stress affects the entire body and, in women, may be a leading factor contributing to unexplained infertility.
Stroke
Women have a number of unique medical influencers that may lead to stroke. Along with family history and high blood pressure, women’s risk factors include the use of birth control, pregnancy, HRT therapy, frequent migraine headaches, and a having a waist greater than 35 inches. Marla Ahlgrimm reports that high triglyceride levels are even more closely linked to strokes in women.
