SOMETIMES the biggest health mistakes we make start out as small errors we didn’t realise we were making, until it’s too late. Many of them are obvious — don’t smoke, eat well, and exercise — because there are direct and obvious consequences for not paying attention. Others are not so obvious, and their effects creep up on you, many times without warning.

A few weeks back, some older women shared the health mistakes they made as they encouraged younger women to heed the warnings to protect themselves. Here, other women share the biggest health mistakes they made that they would warn women about.

Jeniffer, 40:

This is more of a precaution — don’t ignore your family history. After the fourth person in my family, on my father’s side, died from an aneurysm, it clicked that maybe my headaches weren’t normal. Four young, seemingly healthy, uncles and cousins had just died and another has a brain tumour. I read that if you have two first-degree relatives (mother, father, siblings) with a brain aneurysm, your risk of having an aneurysm increases from four per cent to eight per cent. I discussed it with my doctor and did an MRI. Though my scan was normal, he has still suggested that based on my history, I repeat it.

Kim, 30:

Your bleeding after giving birth should be getting less, not worse. If it’s getting worse, it means that you’re pushing yourself too hard and might be haemorrhaging. If you’re thinking that you’re not sure if this is OK, chances are it’s not.

Moniece, 37:

There are many issues that come with pregnancy that people won’t warn you about, and one of those is vision loss. I’m not diabetic, was not diabetic during pregnancy, and had no health issues at all. Before pregnancy I had 20/20 vision, but after birth things started to get blurry. The optician suggested a blood sugar test, but it was normal. Basically, I had to get glasses for nearsightedness, and today my child is four and I’ve lost my 20/20 vision, all because of that pregnancy.

Journey, 30:

Pay attention to your body and your reaction to birth control and don’t let gynaecologists, especially male gynaecologists, tell you that what you feel doesn’t make sense. Yes, some types of hormonal birth control pills can give you migraines and make you feel suicidal, depressed, anxious, and homicidal. Yes, the injection can make you bleed for months, leading to anaemia, and, yes, the pill can give you yeast infections, so you have to choose your poison.

Marie, 35:

Don’t follow old wives’ tales and remedies when it comes to your health. Sometimes they work, but sometimes things can go horribly wrong. Garlic inserted to treat yeast can give you chemical burns, I’m testament to that. Same with garlic on the skin to try to treat ringworm.

Julia, 55:

As you get older, and if you’ve had children, know your risk for osteoporosis. Your baby will leach calcium and other minerals from your bones if they are not getting adequate supply from your diet. Older women will start to have mobility issues with osteoporosis. Lifting weights, supplementing with vitamin D3, magnesium, vitamin k2, and getting quality sleep will give you strong bones.