May 12, 2005

Thanks to the images of attractive, glamorous, skinny, slender women being promoted by the media, women are now becoming conscious about their looks and figures.

Though it’s a positive trend, a greater need still exists to create mass awareness about the constructive role a woman can play in society and to break the taboos on the issues concerning their special health and medical needs.

Being part of a conservative society, women often feel embarrassed to discuss problems related to their sexual and reproductive life. Their knowledge about their health is limited and, by and large, influenced by myths and old wives’ practices.

A majority of them lack basic information about their specific bodily functions and their various abnormalities, effects of menstrual cycle and hormonal changes. Fewer even know that if a woman has a heart attack she is more likely to die than a man; they are twice as likely as men to develop gall stones and women who have never smoked but are married to smokers, have about 20 per cent higher lung cancer death rates than women married to men who have never smoked.

Realizing the need for an initiative to help women understand their potentials and special health needs, a programme was recently organized at a local hotel. A social development endeavour, All About Eve, was exclusively for women.

It comprised a two-day informative and interactive workshop designed to cover all aspects of a woman’s life such as home, family, work place, social circle or her personal health and hygiene.

Attended by women from all walks of life, the programme was addressed by over a dozen experts including doctors. The first day was dedicated to subjects such as building relationships, oral hygiene, money matters and importance of civic participation.

The programme presenter as well as the first speaker, Sofia Shahid, spoke about the ways that could help a woman strike a balance in her life between her roles as a mother, sister, mother-in-law, wife and her professional life.

Explaining dental care, Dr Ayesha Khan said, “Women can end up losing their teeth if they don’t take care of them while experiencing hormonal changes, pregnancy or if they are diabetic. Pregnant women are more likely to develop bleeding or inflammed gums. Also, proper oral hygiene and early diagnosis can save lactating mothers, women experiencing menopause and elderly ladies from undesirable situations.”

Sharing herbal remedies for everyday use, Dr Sukaina, who specializes in homoeopathic, Unani, Auyervedic and other alternative treatments, surprised everyone with simple tips that do wonders to solve common health problems. She advised women to consult at least three competent doctors before deciding on having an operation.

Dr Sukaina said she had treated many women with various cysts and fibroids with 100 per cent success. “These problems have become very common nowadays and have no complete cure in allopathy. Surgery should be the last option and women should give alternative treatments a chance. Stress, lack of exercise and low water intake make the body vulnerable to diseases,” she said.

The second day of the workshop attracted more attention as women got the opportunity to interact and ask questions from Rukhsana Khan and Wajahat Yogi. Both are popular through their programmes on physical fitness on different TV channels. While Khan’s session focussed on weight reduction exercises, Yogi briefed on body variations that could help alleviate stress, pain, depression and aging.

“As parents, we never bother to check our children to correct their postures while they do routine work,” Wajahat said.

It was equally interesting to know that there are many simple techniques in yoga, which have about 48,000 variations, that can serve as first aid in times of emergencies. For instance, if the blood pressure (BP) suddenly shoots up, close your right nostril and breathe from the left one, and in case of low BP, reverse the action. This technique, Wajahat claimed, significantly affects the blood pressure and could save a life.

Dr Shela Kamal of the Aga Khan University Hospital emphasized on the need of mass awareness on health issues and regular medical check-ups for early diagnosis and treatment. There are many diseases unique to women as they experience hormonal changes and pass through different stages of life, and thus need extra care.

“Women should have an annual gynaecological exam and a pap smear to ensure general reproductive health, check for sexually transmitted diseases and the early signs of cancer. If necessary, laboratory tests or radiology exams can be done. Calcium supplements are a must, too,” Dr Kamal said. The programme was organized by Hotel PC and National Foods

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