Introduction

Life expectancy for American women is 78 years. I believe that the number of years actually matters less than the quality of your life.

Advances in medical science mean that, unlike past generations, today's Americans are no longer dying of infectious disease, and childbirth is no longer a mortal risk for women and their new babies.

The leading causes of death in the U.S. for men and women are cardiovascular disease and cancer. Studies have shown over and over that the risk of these diseases is related to lifestyle.

Your risk for cardiovascular disease and cancer is much lower if you have a positive mental attitude, eat a low-fat, high-fiber balanced diet, exercise regularly, use alcohol only in moderation, and do not smoke tobacco.

As I've learned by making them part of my own lifestyle, the marvelous thing about these habits is that there's no extra financial cost. But making them part of your lifestyle takes determination and knowing how to get started.

To complete the "Healthier Me" picture, also include regular consultations with a health-care professional.

The impact of cancer on a given population can also be lessened by prevention and effective treatment. Regular visits to a health-care provider and routine tests can detect diseases at an early stage, even when there are no symptoms, making the chance of recovery even greater.

The 10 Steps to Your Better Health

This online guide will show you the 10 easy steps anyone can follow to create a healthier lifestyle that includes self-help and appropriate medical advice from a family physician, obstetrician/gynecologist, nurse practitioner or other trained health-care provider.

I've tried to make this online guide as simple and easy to follow as possible.

Ancient wisdom says that a healthy mind and healthy body go together. Today we use the terms "self-esteem" and "positive mental attitude," but the meaning is the same.

Modern medical providers now believe what philosophers have long known -- that health and illness have both physical and mental aspects.

Your own good health starts from deep within your mind and your body.

Step 1 of this publication is a guide for overcoming stress and improving your self-esteem and general mental well-being.

Step 2 explains what you can do to prevent or greatly lower your risk for cancer, heart disease and other illness.

Step 3 tells how to get off the "I've got to lose 10 pounds" roller coaster and onto a more nutritious and healthful eating pattern that leads naturally to weight loss.

Step 4 shows how exercise relates to better short-term and long-term health.

Step 5 describes the comprehensive physical examination and its role in diagnosing and treating "women's diseases."

Step 6 explains how monthly breast self-examinations and regular medical checkups can maximize early detection of breast cancer and its successful treatment.

Step 7 gives you the basic information about birth-control methods  so you can discuss birth control with your own health-care provider and make an informed decision about the type that's best for you.

Step 8 describes sexually transmitted disease (including HIV and AIDS), how it is detected, what steps women and men can take to prevent or reduce the chance of becoming infected, and how you teach these precautions to your children. The birth of a healthy baby depends mostly on the mother's health and care before and during pregnancy.

Step 9 explains how a woman can have a successful pregnancy.

Step 10 discusses menopause -- what it is, how it affects a woman physically and emotionally, and how to minimize its signs and effects for an active later life.

I hope this online guide answers many of your questions about a woman's health. If so, I will have achieved my purpose in writing it.

My best wishes for a healthy, joyous life

Carolle Jean-Murat, M.D., F.A.C.O.G

Step 1

Staying Healthy: 10 Easy Steps for Women
Ordering Information

Copyright 1997 by Carolle Jean-Murat M.D., F.A.C.O.G. All Rights Reserved.

No part of this online publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without the express written permission from the publisher: