Women's Health Week: Small Steps Yield Healthy Results

This week (May 8-May 14) is National Women's Health Week, which is a week-long health observance, designed to promote women’s health.  National Women's Health Week empowers women to make their health a top priority. It also encourages them to take steps to improve their physical and mental health and lower their risks of certain diseases.

Top 10 things women can do to keep themselves healthy:

1) Get regular physical activity.  This means at least 2 ½ hours of moderate physical activity, 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous physical activity, or a combination of both, each week.  For women of all ages, physical activity has been shown to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, breast cancer and colon cancer.  It also helps women maintain healthy bones as they age.  Regular physical activity also decreases symptoms of anxiety and depression, something women are more likely to experience. 

2) Eat a nutritious diet.  For women, a diet focused on eating whole, plant-based foods provides protection against heart disease, certain types of cancer and obesity.  Try to find minimally-processed or locally-grown foods whenever possible and make these foods the mainstay of your diet.  Especially important for women is a diet rich in calcium, since women are at a greater risk than men of developing osteoporosis.  Plant-based sources of calcium like beans, broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts and collard greens are a great way for women to get calcium.  These types of food choices also ensure that women are getting enough iron in their diets.  Foods like lean red meat, lentils, spinach and almonds are iron-rich choices, as well.  It is also important for women to be aware of the amount of alcohol and caffeine they consume.  Women who consume high levels of caffeine and alcohol are at increased risk of osteoporosis and other chronic diseases.  Try to limit alcohol consumption to one glass a day and caffeine to one cup a day.

3) Get regular check-ups.  Regular visits to a health care professional to receive regular checkups and all the recommended preventive screenings help women stay healthy.  Regular checkups are vital to the early detection of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, mental health illnesses, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and other conditions.  Regular mammograms, screening for high cholesterol and blood pressure screening are keys to maintaining good health.  To figure out which preventive screenings you are in need of, visit http://www.womenshealth.gov/whw/health-resources/screening-tool/index.cfm.

4) Stop smoking.  Smoking is the most preventable cause of early death in this country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), smoking-related diseases cause the deaths of about 178,000 women in the United States each year. On average, these women died 14.5 years earlier because they smoked.  Most smokers start when they are teenagers, so the easiest way to not smoke is to never start.  If you have a child at home, quitting is especially important, since children whose parents smoke are twice as likely to start smoking. 

5) Focus on your mental health.  Women are more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety disorders throughout their lives.  Many women play multiple roles in their families and maintain exhaustive schedules, and while women are often the caretaker of the family, they are not always good at taking care of themselves.  It is important for women to recognize when they are having difficulty coping, and when to seek help either from their support system or from a trained mental health professional.

6) Wear a seat belt.  The benefits of the cheap, effective and accessible measure are clear.  While over 40,000 people die in car accidents each year, the use of seat belts could prevent death in about half of these individuals.  This measure is not only important for women’s health, but also the health of their children.  Research shows that when a driver is unbuckled, 70 percent of the time children in that vehicle will not be buckled either.

7) Maintain healthy relationships.  Healthy relationships, whether they are with friends, family, or significant others, are key to a woman’s health and well-being.  Healthy relationships increase self-esteem, improve mental and emotional health, and help women have fuller lives. Good social support, from friends, family and community members can decrease a woman’s risk of depression and other health issues.  Being in an abusive relationship has many deleterious effects on women, including an increased incidence of clinical depression, chemical dependency, and suicide.  The New Jersey Coalition for Battered Women has resources to help those in need (http://www.njcbw.org/).

8) Get a good night’s sleep.  A good night’s sleep has been shown to improve memory, decrease risk of death, improve quality of life, improve school performance, aid in maintaining a healthy weight and lower stress.  It is recommended that school-aged children get an average of 10-11 hours of sleep per night; teens get 8-9 hours; and adults get 7-9 hours of sleep every night. 

9) Practice safe sex to prevent sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancy.  Safe sex is important to protect women from a range of sexually transmissible infections (STIs) including the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It also allows women to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies. 

10) Put yourselves first.  Women often serve as caregivers for their families, putting the needs of their spouses, children, and parents before their own.  As a result, women's health and well-being becomes secondary.  It is important for women to understand that maintaining their own health is a priority, and that following these easy steps will allow them to reach their goal of good health.