Women’s Health
May is Women’s Health Month! In addition, May 10-16 is also National Women’s Health Week. This is annual observance led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health. The overall goal is to empower women of all ages to make their health a priority and help women understand what steps they can take to improve their health. Keep in mind that it is never too early or too late to make healthy changes and take control of your health!
How to Prioritize Your Health
The entire month of May serves as reminder for women and girls, especially during the outbreak of COVID-19, to make their health a priority and take care of themselves. Listed below are steps outlined by the The Office on Women’s Health that you can take now to ensure you are living a healthy lifestyle!
- Talk to your healthcare provider if you have any concerns about your health and ensure all your preventative exams have been scheduled.
- If you have a health condition, such as asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure or obesity, work with your healthcare provider to develop or maintain a plan to keep it under control.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Exercise regularly in your home or outside your home.
- Eat a heart healthy, well-balanced meals and snacks.
- Take care of your mental health by finding healthy ways to manage stress and staying connected with friends and family.
- Practice good sleep habit to improve your mental and physical health, and boost your immune system.
- Monitor your alcohol intake and avoid illicit drugs, including drugs that are not prescribed to you.
- Work on quitting smoking and vaping, or better yet never start!
- Slow and stop the spread of COVID-19 while protecting yourself by following the most up to date CDC guidelines.
Get Involved
The best way to get involved in Women’s Health Month and National Women’s Health Week is to work on taking the steps outlined above! Utilize social media to share where you are on your health journey and what steps you’re taking for good health at every age. Remember to use the hashtags #FindYourHealth and #NWHW!
In addition, you can use this online tool from The Office on Women’s Health to get customized tips for incorporating healthy eating and physical activity into your life. Share this tool with your friends and family to help them get started on their journey as well! Make sure to look for women’s health events happening in your area, or consider hosting your own for your local community to help spread the word!
For additional information and resources, visit The Office on Women’s Health, The Society for Public Health and Education, andThe National Cervical Cancer Coalition. You can also check out our blog for a variety of health and wellness information!