More than 500,000 American women die of cardiovascular disease every year, compared with 44,000 from breast cancer. Estrogen protects your heart before menopause, but afterward a woman's risk of heart disease is just as high as a man's. You can reduce your risk with hormone replacement therapy, a low-fat diet, a careful eye on cholesterol and blood pressure, and regular aerobic exercise. And please, quit smoking. The more you smoke, the higher your heart disease risk.
Colorectal cancer affects women just as often as men.
It's the third-leading cancer killer in women and is sharply on the rise. Routine screenings should begin at age 40. Make sure your doctor takes a fecal blood test sample yearly, and have a flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years. If you have a family history of colorectal cancer, ask about more frequent testing. Research shows that folic acid supplements can significantly reduce your baby's risk of neural defects such as spina bifida.