12. Spontaneous Combustion: How and Why Women Mismanage Their Health

Did you know that in the 1700s some people believed that menopause caused women to be vulnerable to spontaneous combustion? Yes, that a woman in menopause could just drop into a pile of ash.

I mean, seriously.

This story among many other fascinating topics are in the wonderful book Sidelined: How Women Manage & Mismanage Their Health. And this conversation is with the researcher and author of that book, Susan Salenger. Sidelined examines the many ways in which some women manage and sometimes mismanage their healthcare.

Women are notoriously putting everything and everyone else’s needs in front of their own. In the book, she references a study which ranks where women put themselves in order of priority when it comes to health care: 1. Children (of course) 2. Pets 3. Elderly parents 4. Partner/Spouse 5. Ourselves.

How in the world do we expect to take care of all those other humans and non-humans if we aren’t taking proper care of ourselves? And is it any wonder we feel this way after knowing the history of how women’s bodies and health have been perceived for the past few thousand years? The final chapter of Sidelined gives a really interesting overview of how women's bodies and health have been perceived through time. It made me laugh out loud and honestly seethe with anger.

Susan explores how women, typically the medical gatekeepers for their families, tend to be extremely conscientious about taking care of themselves, yet at the same time inadvertently undermine their own care. They often hesitate to call the doctor when they don’t feel well and worry that their doctor visit will take time away from their families or work. They may hesitate to ask doctors the necessary questions and don’t always comply with the doctor’s instructions. Salenger’s research reveals how conflicted many women are about the medical decisions they ultimately make.

This was an absolutely delightful conversation with a very inspiring woman.

Susan is not only an author, she’s also a powerlifter at 80-years-old, and is taking Latin dance lessons. She is my kind of lady.

Connect with Susan:

WEBSITE AND SOCIAL HANDLES:

https://www.susansalenger.com/

https://www.tiktok.com/@grandma.gains

https://www.instagram.com/susansalenger/

https://www.facebook.com/suesalenger/

https://twitter.com/susansalenger

https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-salenger-a4a02716/

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