We girls are usually a bit better at taking care of our health that the boys, but with all the stresses of study, it can be easy to put our health on the back-burner. Here's a list of some of the things that girls often face, and a few tips to help keep you in tip top shape.

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)

This is a collection of symptoms that occur in the second half of your menstrual cycle. They usually disappear soon after your period has started.

Physical symptoms include abdominal bloating, pelvic pain, breast soreness/tenderness, fluid retention, headaches, backaches, acne, nausea, clumsiness, and an irritable bowel. Not fun.

Other symptoms can include irritability, aggression, a craving for sweet foods, anxiety and exhaustion. Even less fun.

But there are things you can do! Exercise is always good but is particularly helpful in relieving the symptoms of PMS. It might not seem like much fun when you'd rather be curled up on the sofa watching Desperate Housewives, but even going for a walk can help.

Avoid anything with caffeine, even tea. Have a nice mug of herbal tea instead, or a nice cup-a-soup. Reduce your salt intake too, and try to eat lots of fruit and veg.

If you find you're bad enough to take a painkiller, try one with ibuprofen. Evening Primrose or Starflower Oils are helpful in relieving some of the other symptoms, like breast soreness.

And after your walk, do sit down with a couple of episodes of Desperate Housewives! Reducing stress can help with PMS.

If your PMS is so bad that it's interfering with your normal lifestyle, then do contact your Student Health Centre or GP. They might prescribe the pill for you, as it can help with a lot of the symptoms.

Breast Cancer

Cancer is a disease of the body cells. In a healthy body, cells replace or repair themselves when they become worn out or damaged, but in a body with cancer, cells just keep on multiplying and growing. They begin to form clusters, which are known as tumours. These can be benign or malignant. Benign tumours do not spread to other parts of the body, but malignant ones do - these are the cancerous ones.

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women and about 1,700 women are diagnosed with it in Ireland every year. It is more common in women over 30.

Men can get breast cancer but it is one hundred times less likely than in women.

It is not known what exactly causes breast cancer but some women seem more at risk than others. These include women who have had several close family members with breast cancer or with certain other cancers, especially cancer of the ovary and colon.

The symptoms of breast cancer include:

• constant pain in one part of the breast
• changes in your breasts' size or shape
• changes in, on, or around your nipple
• changes in the skin on your breast, like dimpling, redness, puckering, or an 'orange peel' type appearance (caused by enlarged pores)
• a lump or swelling
• constant pain in your armpit

Breast cancer is very treatable when it is found early. It can be detected in mammograms (breast screening) but most women discover any lumps by performing regular self examinations.

Performing regular self checks is super important! Your boobs can look and feel a bit different just before your period, so try not to do your self exam then.

How to do a self exam: keeping your fingers flat and together, move them over the entire surface of each boob, including the nipple and armpit.

If you notice any changes, remember not to panic! Just make an appointment to attend your Student Health Centre or GP to make sure everything's okay. Remember, 90% of lumps found are not cancerous.

Smear Tests

Abnormalities in or around the cervix can be discovered with a smear test.

All women between 25 and 60 years should have regular smears, whether married, single, heterosexual or lesbian. Having regular smear tests makes it much easier to detect any changes in your cervix.

What does a smear test involve? It takes about five minutes, and while it may be uncomfortable, it isn't painful. You lie on the couch, and the doctor or nurse inserts a speculum into your vagina. A small sample of tissue is taken with a soft broom and then sent to the lab to be checked.

If you have unusual symptoms, such as bleeding between periods or after sexual intercourse, you should make an appointment at the Student Health Centre or with your GP immediately.

Remember that these symptoms usually have causes other than cancer, but having regular smears alerts your doctor to changes that might become cancerous if left untreated.

A smear test is free at your Student Health Centre.

Contact Information

Check out: www.icsp.ie/publications/leaflets.470.html

See the directory for contact info, and check out:

Dublin Well Woman Clinics 35, Lower Liffey St, Dublin 1. Tel: (01) 872 8051 E:info@wellwoman.ie W: www.wellwoman.ie

www.irishhealth.com