Top Health Risks Women Are Facing Today And How Coffee Can Help

One in four deaths among women in the United States can be attributed to heart disease.

This is a staggering statistic on its own, but what makes matters worse is the fact that nearly half of all women in the US do not realize this disease affects them as much as men.

Traditionally we think of heart disease as a threat for men, but many unique factors complicate this risk in women.

During her reproductive years, a woman can be at a greater risk for developing high blood pressure, due to hormonal contraceptives, fertility treatments, and pregnancy-related disorders, later increasing her risk of heart disease.

And, while a woman’s body does possess a protective measure regarding this threat - estrogen - the problem here is these hormone levels change throughout the course of a woman’s life, at times diminishing this effect and making her more susceptible to poor heart health.

Over time, a woman’s estrogen levels drop, specifically during and after menopause, making her more likely to develop high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

During this time, it’s also more difficult for women to maintain a healthy weight and increases in body weight (specifically obesity) can also contribute to heart disease.

Thankfully, women can reduce their risk of heart disease exponentially by incorporating the following:

Regular physical exercise or activity (150 minutes of moderately intense physical activity per week is recommended)

Stop or avoid smoking (smoking greatly increases your risk of heart disease, cancer, etc.)

Healthy nutrition (fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and healthy fats are recommended as part of a healthy diet)

Reduce stress (take time for self-care, practice mindfulness, deep breathing, journaling, etc. seeking to find 15-20 minutes per day to reduce overall stress levels).

2- Alzheimer’s Disease

Roughly 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s Disease, and of those 6 million, nearly two thirds of this number are women!

This statistic is commonly attributed to the fact that women generally live longer than men; however, recent studies are focused on genetic factors, attempting to pinpoint how these may influence the onset of the disease in women.

While scientists are still searching for more than length of life as a cause for the disease, protective recommendations are few (stick around though, because there is one habit which we’ll soon discuss, proven to decrease your risk of this disease).

3- Cancer (Breast, Ovarian, Cervical, Uterine)

Each of the cancers listed above, with the rare exception of breast cancer, are specific to women.

Some are more easily detectable than others, but most begin with abnormal changes and growth in cells.

There are many contributing factors to these cancer-causing cell changes in women, including:

• Obesity
• Smoking
• Diet
• A lack of physical activity
• Sexually transmitted diseases
• Long term use of oral contraceptives
• Weakened immune system
• Multiple full-term pregnancies
• Family history

Regular screenings can aid in early detection and optimal treatment in most cases with these cancers, but managing your risk by living a healthy lifestyle (specific to those items listed above) is considered the best advice for risk reduction.

4- Diabetes

Diabetes may be the anomaly in our discussion today as this disease isn’t necessarily specific to or more prominent in women.

However, we’ve included it here as women are more likely to develop complications from the disease.

The risk of heart disease in women with diabetes increases by four times.

Blindness, kidney disease, and depression are also more common in women with diabetes.

And, in pregnant women, diabetes may contribute to miscarriage and birth defects.

Avoiding smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and being physically active are all known to reduce the risk of diabetes.

5- Stroke

Stroke and heart disease risks are often linked, as the same issues that contribute to heart disease can affect a person’s likelihood of suffering from a stroke.

A stroke occurs when the brain cannot receive adequate blood flow due to one or more blood vessels being blocked (obstructing normal, healthy flow).

Statistically, more women die from a stroke than men, and this is likely due to many risk factors that solely occur in women.

For instance, a link has been found between pregnancy and stroke, as late in pregnancy a woman’s body produces more of a substance that allows her blood to clot.

While this protects women during birth, preventing excessive blood loss, it also increases a woman’s risk of stroke.

Preeclampsia can also occur in women during pregnancy, a condition noted by high blood pressure, which increases her risk of stroke.

Then, aside from pregnancy, women tend to live longer than men, and this increase in lifespan, unfortunately, means she is more likely to have a stroke in her lifetime.

As with heart disease, keeping blood pressure levels healthy is one of the main recommendations to avoid this risk.

6- Autoimmune Diseases

Women account for 78% of those individuals suffering with autoimmune diseases.

Such conditions occur when the immune system essentially malfunctions, causing it to attack healthy cells.

Much research is still being conducted surrounding autoimmune conditions, primarily focusing on why women are at a greater risk here.

Thus far, experts believe female sex hormones and gender specific microbes are at the root of why women are more prone to autoimmune diseases, though genetics, environmental factors, and infection also play a role.

Inflammation is often a culprit in the symptoms associated with autoimmune disorders, specifically in the most common types affecting women - lupus, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis, each of which can be debilitating.

7- Depression And Anxiety

Women are twice as likely to suffer from depression as men.

This disease is commonly associated with negative effects to one’s emotional health, but the truth of the matter is depression affects physical, mental, and emotional health equally.

Hormonal factors and the potential for carrying additional stresses in life are considered to be the greatest causes for women suffering from this disease (at a greater rate than men).

Women are also at risk after giving birth and as they enter into menopause.
Concerning anxiety, while disordered anxiety is said to be genetic, this is also most commonly found in women.

Anxiety is technically your body’s normal response to stress. However, exposure to immense stress and an increase in negative life events (or environmental events) can contribute to disorder or disease, causing those normal anxiety responses to increase, interrupting or interfering with everyday life.

Coping mechanisms, therapy, and medication are traditional treatments for anxiety disorders.

Coffee And Women’s Health

The health concerns we’ve covered today are serious issues. However, many of the scientifically proven health benefits of coffee serve to combat some of these same threats!

Coffee may be a fabulous way to start your day, a tasty treat to keep your brain focused and your energy levels up, but it’s also a health powerhouse, serving to boost your body in a variety of ways.

So, let’s revisit each health risk discussed above, this time exploring all the ways coffee works to reduce these threats.

1- Coffee And Heart Disease

Studies have shown the caffeine component of coffee to be effective at lowering proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9, and when these levels decrease, LDL cholesterol (or bad cholesterol) levels decrease as well.

Additionally, as the polyphenol content of coffee serves to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation throughout the body, the risk of heart disease lowers as well.

2- Coffee And Alzheimer’s Disease

While protective recommendations regarding Alzheimer’s Disease are few, studies have found coffee to be a hopeful habit.

Scientists have discovered an association between drinking 3-5 cups of coffee each day and a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease.

In this study, participants that drank 3-5 cups of coffee daily in midlife were 65% less likely to develop this disease, a benefit likely connected to the caffeine component of coffee.

3- Coffee And Cancer

Multiple studies have shown regular coffee consumption to reduce the risk of many types of cancer, including breast cancer.

This is thought to be linked to coffee’s antioxidant content, as this component serves to combat free radical damage and inflammation, both of which may contribute to the cell changes which are thought to cause cancer.

4- Coffee And Diabetes

The antioxidant content of coffee swoops in for the win again, here in the battle against diabetes.

Chronic inflammation is one of the greatest risk factors associated with multiple diseases, including diabetes.

Antioxidants, by fighting the damage caused by free radicals, reduce inflammation and thereby reduce the risk of disease.

Here, coffee serves your body by boosting anti-inflammatory hormones while also decreasing levels of c-reactive proteins and leptins known for causing inflammation.

5- Coffee And Stroke

With blood pressure being the primary contributing factor to strokes, coffee may save the day here as well.

Studies have found that moderate coffee consumption (2-3 cups per day) may reduce blood pressure levels.

While some note that caffeine may raise blood pressure in some individuals, coffee’s antioxidant content has been found to counteract this effect, causing blood vessel walls to dilate and lower pressure, providing a potential protective measure against strokes.

6- Coffee And Autoimmune Disease

In the grand scheme of things, pertaining to autoimmune diseases, coffee’s role is a bit conflicting.

In some regards, as coffee is considered a seed, and seeds are typically removed from a person’s diet on an autoimmune protocol (diet plays a significant role in managing autoimmune symptoms).

On the other hand, many of the studied antioxidants in coffee have been found to possess multiple benefits to the immune system and its responses.

For instance, the caffeine component of coffee was found to suppress the proliferation of Th1 and Th2 cells, thereby reducing damage caused by the release of cytokines in overactive T and B cells.

As a result of these effects, researchers have concluded that coffee may reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune thyroid disease, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, systemic lupus, IBD, and more.

Additionally, autoimmune diseases have been linked to gut health, specifically gut barrier dysfunction, and studies have found coffee to improve the health of your gut.

A small 2019 study, for instance, found the gut microbiome of those individuals who drank coffee to be significantly healthier than those participants who did not drink coffee.

Within these findings, experts believe coffee consumption to have protective and autoimmune disease risk reducing factors, though advice centers around limiting intake to less than 400 mg per day.

7- Coffee And Depression/Anxiety

“According to one review of seven studies, each cup of coffee people consumed per day was linked to an 8% lower risk of depression.”

Low levels of dopamine can contribute to feeling unmotivated, tired, and moody, but caffeine (a prominent antioxidant in coffee) serves to stimulate dopamine, bringing feelings of pleasure and motivation.

Other studies support these findings, even amplifying them, with results showing a significant risk reduction (concerning depression) when participants consumed at least 4 cups of coffee daily.

And, other studies have shown a correlation between drinking coffee and a reduced risk of death by suicide.

Concerning anxiety, coffee’s benefit here comes with a caveat, namely there is a fine line to helping and hindering.

Researchers have found that caffeine, when consumed in high amounts, may increase anxiety.

However, coffee, when consumed in low quantities has been found to both reduce anxiety and elevate mood.

In other words, moderation is key and listening to your body to know what’s best for you is key as well.