National Women’s Health Week
By Mountain-Pacific Quality Health
May 10, 2020
Every year, Mother’s Day marks the start of National Women’s Health Week. Led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health (OWH), the annual observance is a reminder for women to make good health a priority. This year for National Women’s Health Week, OWH focuses on how to stay healthy during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Building a Foundation of Health
Regardless of a pandemic, there are basic building blocks of good health that are the typically the same for everyone.
- Regularly see your health care provider, especially for annual checkups and preventive screenings and immunizations. Certain exams can help find any issues early, improving your chances for successful treatment. These include a pelvic exam to check the health of female reproductive organs, a pap test to check for cancer of the cervix and a mammogram to check for breast cancer. Your health care provider may also recommend other tests or vaccines to protect your health.
- Stay active. Try to get 30 minutes of aerobic exercise every day or at least 150 minutes per week. Aerobic means any activity that gets your heart rate up. Physical activity is good for everyone, but you may want to talk with your doctor if you are concerned about how exercise can impact your health.
- Eat a healthy diet. Studies show that when women eat better, everyone in their households is more likely to eat better, too. Women do have some different nutritional needs compared to men. For example, certain vitamins and minerals are especially important, including calcium, iron and folic acid.
- Don’t forget about your mental health. Everyday steps you can take to help give your mental health a boost include getting enough sleep and finding ways to manage your stress.
- Focus on safety. If you smoke or vape, quit. Do not text and drive. Make sure your workspace and equipment are the right height and distance to prevent sore muscles or tendon and nerve damage, including carpal tunnel syndrome, which women are three times more likely to develop than men. Maintain healthy, safe relationships and never accept violence or abuse as “normal” behavior.
Staying Healthy during COVID-19
This year, focusing on safety also includes taking precautions to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, which is responsible for the COVID-19 outbreak. To get the most up-to-date information about COVID-19, we recommend visiting CDC.gov/coronavirus.
Are you working from home right now?
- Remember to set a timer to stand up and walk around throughout the day. You should take a break from sitting at least once every 60 minutes.
- Take your phone and go for a walk during conference calls. Or stand at your desk while you are on the phone as a way to take a break from sitting.
- Break for lunch. Prepare something and eat at a dining room or kitchen table rather than taking food back to your desk.
- Consider challenging a coworker to a health competition—count steps, ounces of water or other healthy activities.
Take steps to protect your mental health in the midst of stress, worry, changes in routine and social distancing.
- As much as possible, create a new regular routine. Keeping a schedule for meals, work, family time and activities you enjoy supports good mental health.
- Take a break from the news and social media, especially those resources that may report on rumors or misinformation.
- Try to stay positive. Think about what you have that makes you feel grateful or happy rather than focusing on what you cannot do right now.
- Set priorities. Make reasonable goals for daily or weekly accomplishments and give yourself credit when you make steps in the right direction toward your goals.
- Stay connected. Use email, text, phone or video chats to keep in touch with friends, family and coworkers. Seek out ways you can help others. You can volunteer in your community, or you can support a family member or a friend.
For more information on overall women’s health and wellbeing, visit womenshealth.gov. OWH also has a helpline for a variety of resources. Call 1-800-994-9662.
Developed by Mountain-Pacific Quality Health, the Medicare Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) for Montana, Wyoming, Alaska, Hawaii and the U.S. Pacific Territories of Guam and American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Contents presented do not necessarily reflect CMS policy. 12SOW-MPQHF-AS-CC-20-27
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