20 GoodLifeFamilyMag.com JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2019 HORMONES AND HOT FLASHES KEEPINGHEALTHYFOR YOURGENERATION W omen have very specific healthcare needs, and some- timesit’sdifficulttosiftthroughalltheinformationto know what steps to take and when. Dr. Katrina Walsh, M.D., has been practicing for 27 years, and she helps us break down what women need to do and what to watch for at every stage of life. “The #1 thing I want to stress is a healthy diet and fitness,” she says. “As a mom (of three grown daughters), I wish I had done a little better with that – and I’m a doctor!” Ultimately, eating right and exercising are important at every age and will do the most to keep you on the right track for a long and healthy life. FOR THE IGEN’ERS: Dr. Walsh recommends young women be- gin monthly breast self-exams by age 18. Look online to make sure you’re doing them correctly. This is also the time to consider a base- line gynecological exam. FORTHEMILENNIALS: Continuebreastself-exams,andabase- line mammogram should be performed by age 35. Dr. Walsh has had a patient diagnosed with breast cancer as early as age 25, and she reminds young women to “be safe, not sorry.” Women ages 21-35 should also begin having bloodwork done every 2-3 years, depend- ing on their health, to identify any concerns. FOR THE GEN X’ERS: By age 40, women should have a mam- mogram annually. “The U.S. has the highest incidence of pre-meno- pausal breast cancer of industrial nations,” Dr. Walsh shares, so this is especially important. This is also the time to begin having annual dermatological skin checks to look for any signs of skin cancer. FOR THE BABY BOOMERS AND THE SILENT GENER- ATION: Dr. Walsh suggests that by age 50 women should begin monitoring their bone density and have a colonoscopy. “Colon can- cer is the 4th leading cause of death for women after 50,” she says. Women are at higher risk of heart attack and stroke at this time as well. Dr. Walsh reminds us that diet and genes can greatly affect cholesterol levels and increase the likelihood of stroke. Since metab- olism drops 30-33% with menopause, women need to be even more careful with their diet. Your doctor can also discuss with you how to address problems associated with menopause and other risks that come with aging. HORMONESAND HOTFLASHES A Pinterest board recently had a very funny meme that read, “When I asked for a smoking hot body, menopause was not what I had in mind.” The fact is menopause is unavoid- able, but obstetrician/gynecologist Dr. Katrina Walsh, says, “This is the time of life to be enjoying yourself.” She does admit, however, that “the change” has its fair share of challenges. Dr. Walsh says the average age of onset of menopause is 52 to 55, although perimenopausal symptoms can begin up to a decade be- fore. This is the period of time when women begin to have hormon- al fluctuations but still have a monthly cycle. The factors which most influence when it will start for you are a) your diet, b) how much exercise you get, and c) when your own mother went through it. Eventually, all women will go through that season of life, and many of the symptoms are not “fun.” “I see a lot of women with decreased libido, vaginal dryness, weight gain, hot flashes and irritability when they feel like they’re often ‘short’ with people,” says Dr. Walsh. The big question is, what can we do to make it as smooth as possible? “It all comes down to how we handle it,” Dr. Walsh believes. Part of that is attitude, but medically there are a lot of options available. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the most popular route. “The #1 thing I want to stress is a healthy diet and fitness.” – Dr. Katrina Walsh