More Reasons for Women to Connect: Socially Isolated Women have Increased Stroke Risk
How closely the body and mind are connected!
Doctors still don't know exactly why more socially isolated women suffer strokes but they do.
A study was conducted by the VA San Diego Healthcare System in California that analyzed women, their health and their relationships with the outside world.
According to Reuters Health, "...the researchers examined the relationship between social networks and stroke in a cohort of 629 women who were evaluated for cardiovascular disease risk factors as part of a 6-year study. The participants completed the Social Network Index, which measured the presence or absence of 12 types of social relationships." http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_64371.html
The results showed that older women, with fewer social ties and who were more isolated than their peers, experience strokes at 2.7 times than women who have an active social life and support network.
Researchers suggest that people with strong social ties have lower stress levels and smaller blood pressure fluctuations that leads one to think that women with good social lives are often healthier!
Doctors also note that isolated women may be less compliant with taking medication, face depression more often, and may be less physically active.
Hopefully a study like this will encourage older women to form walking groups, take a swim class or join a community center and remain active- both socially and physically.
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An article by Julie K. Silver, MD with Harvard Medical School offers these tips for lessening loneliness.
· Become a volunteer – choose a cause you believe in and look for opportunities to help; you may be improving your health as well
· Get a pet – the social interaction you have with your pet may have far-reaching benefits; for example, walking your dog is a way to increase your physical activity and it's likely your dog will bring you into contact with other dog owners
· Get an exercise partner or joining a gym – having one or more exercise partners may increase the chances you'll stick with an exercise program while also reducing social isolation
· Organize a weekly book club, card game or other activity you enjoy
She also mentions a book called "Bowling Alone" about how people are becoming disconnected from their family, friends and communities and how we can all reconnect.
For more, visit Bowling Alone.
And as Susan pointed out, being around others is not only more fun, it's good for our health.
That's it? Your only "advice" is form a "walking group"? So that women who are already stigmatized for being old, or single, or too fat, or not rich, or whatever other reasons led to them being on the bottom of the pecking order get even further reenforced? Yet another reason why "public health" is ridiculous.