Did you know that this week (May 9th – 15th, 2010) is the 11th annual National Women’s Health Week? Well it is! At the CYWH, we promote young women’s health every day of the year, but we understand that you girls are busy and might not be thinking about your health 24/7. So, this week is the perfect opportunity to take the initiative to think about your health, and the health of all the important women in your life!

The US Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health encourages women to make their health a top priority. They list the following steps as ways to improve both physical and mental health, and reduce the risks of certain diseases:

• Doing at least two and a half hours of moderate physical activity, one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous physical activity, or a combination of both each week. (However, it is recommended that young women should do 60 minutes or more physical activity per day.)
• Eating a nutritious diet.
• Visiting a healthcare professional for a regular checkup and preventative screening.
• Avoiding risky behaviors (such as smoking and not wearing a seatbelt).
• Paying attention to mental health (which includes getting enough sleep and managing stress).

If you visit the womenshealth.gov website for National Women’s Health Week, you can download some informative fact sheets about the Health Week, send a free e-card, use interactive health screening chart and immunization tools, and more! You can also take the National Women’s Checkup Day Pledge. The pledge asks you to promise to contact your current healthcare provider to schedule checkups and screenings, use the womenshealth.gov screening tools, talk to your healthcare provider about what tests you need, schedule an appointment for at least one preventative health screening, and finally, celebrate a healthier you and a healthier nation. When you take the pledge, you receive a downloadable certificate that you can hang up as a reminder of your participation. You can also see how many other women in your state took the pledge. As I write this blog, 1257 women have taken the pledge; 87 of them from Massachusetts. I’m proud to be one of the 87!

Happy Health Week ladies!

-Amanda