Sunday was Mother’s Day, the popular holiday that honors motherhood. It is also the perfect time to kickoff and celebrate the 12th annual National Women’s Health Week now through May 14.
National Women’s Health Week is a nationwide weeklong health observance coordinated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health. The theme for 2011, “It’s Your Time,” aims at encouraging women to make their health a top priority. It also encourages women to get regular check-ups and to improve their physical and mental health, lowering their risk of disease.
“National Women’s Health week is an important observance because it reminds women that they too need to visit the doctor for regular check-ups and screenings, eat a balanced diet and schedule enough time each week for physical activity,” said Indiana’s first lady Cheri Daniels.
Initiatives such as INShape Indiana, as well as Heart to Heart, the first lady’s heart health initiative, further promote the importance of health for Hoosiers.
The WOMAN Challenge program, an eight-week online physical activity initiative, will again be launched in celebration of the week’s activities and will link this year to the Million Presidential Lifestyle Award Challenge, a program of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition, that encourages participants to be physically active on a regular basis.
“During National Women’s Health Week we encourage women to make their health a top priority,” said Morgan E. McGill, Director of the Office of Women’s Health. “Women are the caregivers for their families, yet often times they forget or are simply too busy to take care of themselves. With National Women’s Health Week, we remind women they need to stop just for a minute to think about what steps they are taking to better their health.”
The Office of Women’s Health at the Indiana State Department of Health continues to help Indiana women achieve optimal health and a high quality of life in every stage of life.
Following are some steps women can take to improve their health:
• Get at least two-and-a-half hours of moderate physical activity, an hour and 15 minutes of vigorous physical activity, or a combination of both, each week.
• Eat a nutritious diet of foods including vegetables and fruit.
• Visit a health care professional to receive regular checkups and preventive screenings.
• Avoid risky behaviors, such as smoking and not wearing a seatbelt.
• Pay attention to mental health, including getting enough sleep and managing stress.
