Celebrate National Women's Health Week

Ladies, when was the last time you had a physical checkup? And I don’t mean just your annual visit to the gynecologist. I mean your brain, heart, lungs, stomach, feet and bones.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office on Women’s Health knows that women are on overload and, if their body parts are not talking back with a painful creak, their priority is often to take care of others before they take care of themselves.

Twelve years ago, National Women's Health Week was established to bring attention back to empower women to make their health a top priority. It always starts on Mother’s Day and extends this year through May 14, with today serving as the designated National Women's Checkup Day.

The goal for NWHW is to encourage businesses, government, health organizations, and other groups to promote women's physical and mental health in order to lower their risk of certain diseases.

The theme for 2011 is "It's Your Time.” This is fitting since this is the one year anniversary of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that is especially important to women. Among its many benefits, this bill assures women the right to see an OB/GYN without having to obtain a referral first.

To make sure you stay on top of these critical medical appointments, the National Women’s Health Week website provides a two-page general screening and immunization tool. It can help you develop a healthcare plan and keep track of your various appointments over time. In between visits you still need to take certain steps to help you maintain, and hopefully even improve, your health so that your next trip to the doctor is just routine.

Here are some basic recommended steps to good health:

• Eat a healthful and nutritious diet Watch your portion sizes and total intake, avoid sugary drinks and fatty foods—drink water and reduce consumption of high calorie restaurant and take-out foods. Reduce your sodium (read labels on cans and packaged foods and keep intake to less than 2300 mg a day!), increase your fruit & vegetable intake and—here comes a tough one--exercise daily!

• Watch restaurant calories When you do eat out, keep your calories in check by taking advantage of the new law that requires chain restaurants and food vendors (with 20 or more locations) to display the caloric content of their foods on menus and  vending machines. Read labels and, if you need additional information such as saturated fat, carbohydrate, and sodiumcontent, it is also available, upon request.

• Get sweaty Get a MINIMUM of 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity on most days of the week or 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous physical activity a week, or a combination of both.
• Go to the DR. Make and keep appointments for physical checkups and preventive screenings.
• Be safe Avoid risky behaviors, such as smoking, drinking excess alcohol (ladies, up to one drink a day), drinking while driving,  and not wearing a seatbelt.
• De-stress Pay attention to your mental health by getting enough sleep and managing stress—deep breathing, yoga and tai chi are good places to start.

The nationwide observance is celebrated across America in different communities and neighborhoods. Organizations hold events, such as free screenings and health fairs where they give out educational materials and conduct media outreach.

Interested in going to a local health fair?

Elmhurst Hospital Center is partnering with The Community Advisory Board of Elmhurst Hospital and SHAREing& CAREing on May 11. You can avail yourself of the free blood pressure exam, blood glucose levels, information tables and listen to guest speakers for primary care, heart disease, and nutrition/obesity. Topics such as wellness, health coverage, insurance, heart health, HIV and STD prevention and/or treatment, injury prevention, quitting smoking, mental and emotional health and nutrition will be covered.

Location: 
Elmhurst Hospital Center
79-01 Broadway
Elmhurst, NY 11373

Contact: Linda Curley-Casey

E-mail: curleyli@nychhc.org

Phone: 718-334-3672