Bucks &amp; Oxon

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In the exhausting juggle of everyday life, it’s easy for us women to prioritise work, family and other obligations (hello laundry) while our health and wellbeing takes a backseat. But each stage of our lives brings its own challenges, and making time for regular women’s health appointments is the key to staying in tip-top shape. Whether you’re planning a family or navigating menopause and beyond, these are the six health commandments you can’t afford to ignore.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-understand-your-monthly-cycles">1. Understand your monthly cycles&nbsp;</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/Untitled-design-2024-04-30T103527.797.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-160663" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/Untitled-design-2024-04-30T103527.797.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/Untitled-design-2024-04-30T103527.797-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/Untitled-design-2024-04-30T103527.797-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/Untitled-design-2024-04-30T103527.797-400x267.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



As a starting point, make sure you are familiar with your monthly cycles as this helps you understand your body, recognise when things start to change and spot anything unusual that may indicate that something is amiss.&nbsp;



Historically, women have been expected to deal with a lot, including putting up with problematic periods. But don’t suffer in silence. If your painful periods are affecting your day-to-day life, check in with a friendly GP to suss out what’s going on. As a heads up, bleeding between periods or after sex is NOT normal and should always be checked out.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-arm-yourself-for-menopause">2. Arm yourself for menopause&nbsp;</h2>



The change happens to us all (sigh) – and when your mother started menopause is usually a good indication of when you’ll go through it.&nbsp;In recent years, celebs like Gwyneth Paltrow, Davina McCall and Naomi Watts have lifted the lid on this once-taboo topic and it&#8217;s now all over the media, but many women still suffer in silence. So, when you clock the first rumblings of your reproductive wind-down, instead of keeping schtum, seek medical support to arm yourself with knowledge of how to navigate this *interesting* life stage.&nbsp;



Booking a menopause consultation will assess your symptoms and medical history and sift through the (often conflicting) advice to work out the best treatment plan – including lifestyle changes and alternative therapies.&nbsp;



It’s also helpful to check your hormone levels, as hormone profiling gauges your levels of testosterone, progesterone and oestrogen at a certain point in your cycle. Forewarned is forearmed. But HRT can, of course, help smooth the ride too (and bioidentical HRT has assuaged health scares). Buckinghamshire-based <a href="https://seemegp.doctor/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">See me GP</a>’s HRT prescriptions are personalised to give patients tailored doses of the hormones they need, supported by regular follow-up check-ins to monitor how you’re getting on. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-understand-your-risk-factors">3. Understand your risk factors&nbsp;</h2>



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Our genes, lifestyle and family history all play a part in determining our overall health and our risk of developing anything more serious – including diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s and (gulp) The Big C.&nbsp;



Don’t be scared of looking under the rocks to see what baddies are lurking. The sooner you know which conditions you’re more likely to inherit, the sooner you can take steps to minimize the havoc they can wreak. Even better, you can avoid developing them in the first place.&nbsp;



You can get a snapshot of your overall health by taking a Well Woman screening test. It’s a simple blood test that checks out everything under the sun: from cholesterol levels to blood sugar levels, thyroid and kidney function and more. It also includes an ECG. &nbsp;



Genetic screening is another option. For instance, women with a family history of ovarian and breast cancer can be screened to see if they carry the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes that increase the risk for these cancers.&nbsp;



If you have any concerns about your risk of developing a disease, or spot any unusual symptoms, it’s worth having a private check-up. The NHS will only test for a chronic disease if you have symptoms, but private GPs can test before symptoms emerge. It’s all about being proactive, rather than reactive.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-attend-every-screening-appointment">4. Attend every screening appointment&nbsp;</h2>



Granted, they’re not a walk in the park, but smear tests (the regular screen for the HPV virus that can cause cervical cancer) are literally a lifesaver. So, too, are mammograms to spot breast cancer at the earliest stage possible. Make sure you don’t miss them.&nbsp;



On the NHS, cervical screening starts at age 25 and mammograms at 50. If you have any concerns sooner than this (or just have a sub-ideal medical or family history), a private GP can do a smear test in-house at any age or stage, and can refer patients for a mammogram privately.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-look-after-your-sexual-healt-h">5. Look after your sexual health</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1138" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/08/pixabay-woman-sleeping-in-bed.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-148739" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/08/pixabay-woman-sleeping-in-bed.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/08/pixabay-woman-sleeping-in-bed-800x607.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/08/pixabay-woman-sleeping-in-bed-1000x759.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/08/pixabay-woman-sleeping-in-bed-400x303.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/08/pixabay-woman-sleeping-in-bed-692x525.jpg 692w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



It’s better safe than sorry, so even if you’re very responsible, we recommend regular screening for sexually transmitted infections (STIs).&nbsp;If you’re, er, casually dating, it’s best to have an STI check-up every three months to make sure you haven’t caught any nasties. Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and hepatitis are not a good look, so get them treated pronto to avoid passing them on.&nbsp;



Make sure you have your contraception sorted too. We’re sure you know the options (condoms, birth control pills, patches, injections and IUDs), but your GP can advise which is best for your life-stage and overall health.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-don-t-neglect-your-pelvic-floor">6. Don’t neglect your pelvic floor</h2>



Newsflash: pelvic floor exercises are not just for women post-childbirth; we should do them at any age. You may not know that the pelvic floor can be damaged simply by being overweight, hormonal changes or generally getting older.&nbsp;



So, start paying attention asap because your pelvic floor health is vital to your overall wellbeing (let’s not go into urinary incontinence here), but it’s an aspect of self-care that is often overlooked.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Pelvic floor exercises (the dreaded Kegels) involve contracting and relaxing the muscles of the pelvic floor that support the bladder, uterus, and bowel. Regular practice promotes better bladder and bowel control, enhances sexual function and reduces the risk of pelvic organ prolapse.&nbsp;



Still struggling to fit them in at the supermarket checkout? The NHS has a handy app, called the Squeezy app, to provide motivation. Over to you.



Of course, if you’re struggling with serious issues like pelvic organ prolapse or symptoms like vaginal dryness, it’s essential to seek professional guidance and, in some cases, even surgery to address issues like urinary incontinence. There, we&#8217;ve said it &#8211; now get it sorted.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/image.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-160667" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/image.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/image-800x800.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/image-400x400.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/image-500x500.jpeg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Nicola Cope is Practice Manager at <a href="https://seemegp.doctor/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">See Me GP</a> (above) based in Swanbourne, Buckinghamshire. It offers GP services and women&#8217;s health consultations and can undertake referrals, private prescriptions as well as clinical tests, medical reports and vaccinations. 



<a href="https://seemegp.doctor/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">See Me GP</a>, Place Eight Wellness, Dodley Hill Barns, Station Road, Swanbourne, MK17 0SR. Tel: 01296 252000. <a href="mailto:info@seemegp.doctor" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">info@seemegp.doctor</a>.

Lifesavers! The 6 essential women’s health checks

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