Three Things You May Not Know About Women

Women are amazing creatures – strong, smart, beautiful, and capable of doing just about anything. And there’s certainly no shortage of diversity among us. Neither is there a shortage of complexity in our health and wellness issues, which are multi-faceted and very different from men’s. There are a few facts women tend to hold in common in terms of their health and well-being. Here are 3 things you may not know about women as featured in my article with @womenfitnesscelebrities.

Women can’t handle alcohol as easily as men can. And this isn’t just because of size! Women produce less of the stomach enzyme that breaks down ethanol – the principal ingredient in alcoholic beverages. After drinking the same amount of the same alcoholic beverage, women will have a higher blood-alcohol level than men, even when compensating for size differences.

Women are twice as likely as men to develop an anxiety disorder. *Hormonal fluctuations, brain chemistry and upbringing all play a part in this discrepancy.* Women have naturally higher levels of the hormones progesterone, cortisol, and estradiol. This is also why women are more intuitive regarding predicting threats and dangers. Women more often feel responsible for the happiness of others, such as their children or their spouse.

Women use both sides of the brain. Studies run with men and women at the Indiana University School of Medicine concerning language and the use of the brain have found that women’s brains show a more bilateral activation than males do. Males are more prone to using the left side of their brains – typically associated with listening and speech. Women show equal activity on the right side – associated with creativity and expressiveness. While it certainly isn’t easy being a woman, it’s definitely an ongoing adventure. We’re constantly changing; therefore it’s important for us to stay educated about our bodies and overall health and well-being.