By studying the findings of the unique Million Women Study that was carried out at Oxford University between 1996 and 2001 an overall picture has unfolded of the various aspects of women’s health.
Professor Valerie Beral who founded the study is optimistic about the findings because, as she explains, in nearly all cases teenage bad behavior or experimental ways had no effect on the long term health of the subjects.
It is all about the here and now not the different phases that most women will go through.
However what is now obvious is that from birth, our hereditary risk from certain diseases will already be present, so awareness is everything in avoiding serious illness and early death.
A lot of what has been determined is well known and it simply reemphasizes the need to avoid smoking and drinking, maintain a healthy balanced diet and take regular exercise.
Having babies when you are younger and breastfeeding them is a natural protection from developing breast cancer.
Other interesting findings include the risks from taking hormone replacement therapy of ovarian cancer and more often breast cancer. HRT actually doubles the chance of getting either of these potentially deadly diseases, very alarming statistics that the medical world will need to sit up and take notice of.
Another fact garnered for this study, the biggest ever carried out worldwide, is that using the contraception pill when you are young actually provides protection against ovarian cancer and no long term side effects were observed.
Overall the message seems to be moderation and being aware of your risks based on inherited genes, possibly suggesting a routine test performed at birth can be used as a measure for that person’s life.
