Despite obvious differences between women and men — biologically, psychologically, and socially — the concept of viewing the totality of women's health as different from men's health arose in Western medicine only in the last two decades of the twentieth century. As recently as the early 1980s, students in most Western medical schools were taught that, except for issues related directly to reproductive anatomy and function, women were medically identical to men. According to this belief system, medical research could be carried out on men, and the results could simply be applied to women. As a result, only health care providers who specialized in areas related to reproduction were expected to be knowledgeable about issues particular to women.
In order to understand the modern definition of women's health, it is important to understand the history of how women's health care has been viewed by the medical and medical research establishments. Traditionally, the health of women has been seen as synonymous with maternal or reproductive health. Clearly, the Western medical profession's view of women's health as "maternal health" was concordant with societal mores that valued women mainly for their ability to bear children. However, until well into the twentieth century, the major causes of illness and death in women did, in fact, relate to reproductive issues. Childbirth and sexually transmitted diseases, including cervical cancer, have been the most important health issues for women in all ages and places in the 20th Century — except in the West and certain other countries. Prior to 1900, the majority of elderly persons in the United States were men, reflecting the toll that childbearing took on the health of women.
 In 1970, the book “Our Bodies, Ourselves” became a touchstone of the women's health movement. Authored by a group of women participating in a course on health, sexuality, and childbearing, the book emphasizes the importance of women attaining knowledge about their health and being active participants in health care in both an individual and societal sense. “Our Bodies, Ourselves” also considers the social context of health, including effects of sexism, racism, and financial pressures on the health of women. Throughout the 1970s, major focuses of the women's health movement included reproductive freedom, understanding health in a broader social context, and a critical orientation toward the medical establishment.
In the 1980s, women's health advocates began to argue for a broader definition of women's health and increased participation of women in research studies. A major new focus became changing the medical establishment. The reasons for this change in orientation, particularly toward the participation by women in research studies, were complex. They included, but were not limited to, the growing number of women living beyond their reproductive years and the growing number of women reaching positions of influence within academic medicine.
 In 1983, the United States Public Health Service commissioned a task force on women's health. This task force broadly defined women's health issues to include not only reproductive and social issues, but also biological differences between men and women. The modern field of women's health includes the study of illnesses and conditions that are unique to women, more common or serious in women, have distinct causes or manifestations in women, or have different outcomes or treatments in women. Since the 1980s, research on gender differences in health and disease has had important implications for the treatment and prevention of a variety of common serious illnesses, including heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, depression, colon cancer, and dementia. Research in all these areas is ongoing.
Integral to this new expanded view of women's health has been a change in how medical research has been viewed by the public. In the 1970s, the focus of women's health advocates in the United States was on "protecting" women from potential abuses by seeking to avoid their inclusion in medical research studies. It should be noted that women were excluded from medical research during this time because of a variety of factors, and not solely, or even mainly, because of popular advocacy. Medical research was conducted almost exclusively by male physicians, and because most research scientists believed that effects of the reproductive cycle of women might lead to unreliable research results, most supported the belief that research should be conducted on men and then applied to women. Even most medical research on rats during this period was conducted using male rats.
However, by the 1980s, women's health advocates had realized that because women were being excluded from research studies, knowledge about the diagnosis and treatment of a wide variety of common diseases in women lagged far behind knowledge of diseases in men. A major focus of the women's health movement in the 1980s and 1990s was improving knowledge about disease in women by promoting the inclusion of women in research studies, mainly through mandating inclusion of women in federally funded research studies.
A greater understanding of the factors influencing women's health from a biological perspective has been paralleled by a greater understanding of the psychosocial and societal factors that affect women's health status. As an example, research published in the early 1990s showed that because women were more likely than men to require ongoing, rather than episodic, treatment for their health conditions, federally sponsored insurance in the United States (Medicare) actually covered less overall health costs for women than for men. Differences in employment patterns also result in fewer women being medically insured than men, strongly affecting access to health care and health status. Research on domestic violence, which disproportionately victimizes women, underlined the short-and long-term health effects of what had previously been considered either a nonissue or a law enforcement issue.
 Some have suggested that the term "women's health" be replaced by the term "gender-based medicine," in part to reflect that medical research that promotes a greater understanding of the effect of gender on health benefits both women and men. However, others believe that the term "women's health" is most accurate, since it incorporates not only biomedical issues, but also the psychosocial and societal factors that ultimately influence the overall health status of women.
The field of women's health seeks to promote an understanding of the biological and psychosocial factor affecting women's health, and to integrate this understanding into public health initiatives, including training of health care providers. Recognition by the medical research establishment of the need to study health and disease in women as well as men has been essential to this new paradigm. Despite the strong influence of biological factors, psychosocial issues still remain the single most important determinant of health status for many women.
The primary goal of HealthStyles4U is to help bring awareness and education to the forefront on some of the health issues experienced by women through our forum of Health & Wellness information, combined with strategic alliances and affiliations with healthcare providers and organizations throughout the country.
- 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime
- 7 of 8 breast cancer patients have no direct family relative afflicted with the disease
- 70% of women who develop breast cancer have no identifiable risk factors other than age
. . . and younger women face unique issues:
- Breast cancer is the leading cause of death for American women ages 35 to 50.
- Younger women with breast cancer have worse outcomes and more advanced disease than older women.
- Breast cancer diagnosis within two years of childbirth has nearly 50% mortality.
One health issue we address is breast health. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, other than skin cancer, and the second deadliest cancer in U.S. women; lung cancer is the deadliest. Approximately 182,460 cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in 2008, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). Though an estimated 40,480 women will die from breast cancer, there are about 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S., according to the ACS.
Fortunately, the number of deaths caused by breast cancer has declined significantly in recent years, with the largest decreases in younger women — both Caucasian and African American. These decreases are probably the result of early detection and improved treatment. Routine Breast Self-Exam (BSE) care is the best way to keep you and your breasts healthy. Although detecting breast cancer at its earliest stages is the main goal of routine breast care, other benign conditions, such as fibrocystic breasts or cysts, are often discovered during routine self-examinations.
According to the National Cancer Institute, when breast cancer is found early and is still localized (restricted to the site of origin, without evidence of spread), the relative survival rate, when measured at five years, is 96 percent. When breast cancer is found at a late stage (cancer that has spread to distant parts of the body), the survival rate at five years is 21.3 percent.
Although the incidence of breast cancer is increasing, with one out of eight women developing invasive breast cancer at some point in their lives, mortality rates have decreased over the past several years due to early detection and improved treatment. The National Cancer Institute found a very significant drop in the rate of hormone-dependent breast cancers among women in 2003. In a study published in late 2006, researchers speculated that the drop was directly related to the fact that millions of women stopped taking hormone therapy in 2002 after the results of a major government study found the treatment slightly increased a woman's risk for breast cancer, heart disease and stroke. The researchers suggested that stopping the treatment prevented very tiny cancers from growing into tumors large enough to be identified by mammogram - or touch - because they did not have the additional estrogen required to fuel their growth.
A woman should begin practicing breast self-examination by the age of 18 and continue the practice throughout her life - even during pregnancy and after menopause. BSE should be done regularly at the same time every month. Regular BSE teaches you to know how your breasts normally feel so that you can more readily detect any change. Changes may include:
- development of a lump
- a discharge other than breast milk
- swelling of the breast
- skin irritation or dimpling
- nipple abnormalities (i.e., pain, redness, scaliness, turning inward)
If you notice any of these changes, see your healthcare provider as soon as possible for evaluation.
A Global Problem
Breast Cancer
- 1 in 8 Women Will be Diagnosed with Breast Cancer
- The Primary Cause of Cancer Deaths Among Women
- Kills Almost 400,000 Women Worldwide Each Year
- The World’s Most Common Cancer
Given the tools and information on how to properly perform monthly breast self-exams, and be breast aware, potentially many thousands of lives can be saved through early detection. The Breast Check Self-Examination Kit provides every female age 18 and over with the right tool at their finger tips to perform the most important procedure of their life.
Why Perform a Monthly Self Exam?
Finding a lump at stage one offers better than a 95% chance of full recovery.
As part of a Three-Step Breast Health Approach, Susan G. Komen for the Curerecommends that beginning by age 18, women become familiar with the look and feel of their breasts through monthly breast self-examination.
 “Breast awareness is about encouraging women to become more aware of their bodies generally and to get to know their own breasts. This is an important issue for all women in their mid-twenties and onwards, as learning how their breasts look and feel at different times will help women know what is normal for them and to recognize any irregular changes.” Breast Awareness, U.K. National Health Service
What is the Breast Check™ Kit?
The Breast Check Kit consists of a non-toxic lubricant sealed between two layers of special polyurethane. The bottom layer remains stable while the top layer moves freely over the breast tissue. The encased lubricant allows the user’s hand to glide smoothly over the entire breast area and chest wall.
Like a Magnifying Glass For Your Fingertips . . .
Highly effective, Breast Check Self-Examination Kit
Greatly enhances the user’s sense of touch during their breast self-exam. 
Comes complete with:
- The Breast Check Self-Exam Kit
- Directions for Use with Personal Exam Journal
- Resealable Foil Storage Pouch
- DVD
Dr. Spencer’s Breast Cream
This luxuriant ALL NATURAL formulation is based on 20 years of research and testing by one of the world’s leading Spirulina pioneers, Dr. Gregory Spencer. The formula includes his proprietary Spirulina technology and the natural powers of Aloe Vera, Bulgarian Rose (Otto) and French Lavender extracts.
1) Gentle massage of the breasts on a daily basis acts as a way for women to be in touch with their breasts. In doing so, they will be more aware of any changes that may be taking place in the breast tissue. Daily massaging is also a reminder to conduct a thorough breast self-exam (BSE) at least once per month.
2) Daily massage of the breasts is believed to promote increased circulation and facilitate lymphatic drainage of breast tissue. A recent study of 4,700 women found that women who wore brassieres demonstrated a statistically significant increase in breast cancer. This study found the highest rate of breast cancer in those who wore bras 24 hours a day, and the lowest rate in those who never wore bras. The study suggested that women should try to avoid wearing a bra for more than 12 hours per day.
Presently the most accepted explanation for this finding is that constant pressure on the breasts by a bra limits the flow of toxins that otherwise would be removed, resulting in an increased cancer rate. Any more than a gentle amount of pressure can potentially flatten lymphatic vessels and stop the outflow of toxic material from breast tissue. Toxins are further limited in their removal when antiperspirants prevent elimination via perspiration. Gentle regular massage of the breast tissue is believed to increase circulation and promote lymphatic drainage, so, if this explanation is correct, it is speculated that daily massage of breast tissue could potentially reduce breast cancer incidence in women who wear bras. In addition to non-specific gentle massage of the breasts, there are massage techniques that have been devised to be more efficient in promoting lymph drainage of breast tissue. A video of such a technique can be viewed at our web site: http://www.BreastCheck4U.org
3) The cream contains Spirulina algae. Spirulina, when taken orally, is considered a natural detoxifier; thus, if any of these qualities take place when applied in a topical form it could only be viewed as potentially beneficial to the health of breast tissue.
If you have any breast related medical conditions consult your physician prior to initiating any regular self massage program.
Purple titles are links
General Health
Mental Health
Pregnancy and Childbirth
Reproductive Health
Contraceptive Options
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