Fresno City College kicked off women’s history month by holding a panel discussing women’s health in the Old Administration Building (OAB)-251 on Mar. 11.
The panel featured three speakers, FCC Allied Health Instructor Brandie Martinez, Nurse Practitioner Elizabeth Yost and Breast Nurse Navigator Andrea Kosiyangkakul for Saint Agnes Hospital.
Each speaker discussed the importance of staying up-to-date with personal health as well as the struggles that women face daily regarding health and how to navigate them.
The panelists noted When it comes to women’s health a lot of times, things can be brushed under the rug or dismissed. A lot of misdiagnosing and just not getting the help they need can be linked to not self advocating.
Dysmenorrhoea is a condition in which you experience extreme cramping. Some of the side effects are vomiting, headaches, extreme pain, and, in extreme cases, fainting.
“About 60% of women report self reporting, while the remaining 40% simply suffer without seeking help.” Yost said.
Martinez, the first speaker, talked about her struggles with chronic pain at a young age and the consequences that came with it.
“I ran track and cross country, and at times would miss out on meets because the pain was just way too severe,” Martinez said.
Yost, the second speaker, talked about how women’s health is one of the most critical issues facing our society.
“If we don’t have a healthy mama, we don’t have a healthy family,” Yost said.
Yost also expressed the importance of a healthy diet and the positive impact it has on women’s health.
“A low inflammatory diet, and consequently not only do we have better periods, we have shorter periods, minor periods, and just generally better health because these low inflammatory diets tend to be very high in estrogen as well,” Yost said.
Kosiyangkakul talked about how younger women need to be alert of their health especially at a young age.
“I have a lot of younger women who say it took me months to convince somebody to let me go in and have an ultrasound. So be an advocate for yourself and get yourself in there,” Kosiyangkakul said.
The speakers also discussed mental health and provided guidance for FCC students on how to cope.
Yost talked about the resources provided for students to get help.
“I would say the first place to start would be your Student Health Center, it’s a great resource,” Yost said.
Yost also stressed the importance of recognizing your mental health on your own, as it is internal and other people can’t see it.
“When you’re looking at something like a mental health condition, I can’t see it like I can see someone’s broken arm,” Yost said.
“The shame is not speaking it out,” Yost said.
