Women's Health Week

2010 will be the 11th annual National Women's Health Week. Last year Women's Health Week was held between May 10 and May 16. The week began with Mother's Day and honored women for a whole week. It was also the kick off for an eight week Woman Challenge. The challenge started with a physical activity program online to help get more women involved in their health.

The US Department of Health and Human Services began Women's Health Week. They wanted to empower women to make a stand regarding their health. In other words they wanted women's health to be a priority, not just for one week, but for the rest of their lives. The theme of the Women's Health Week last year was "Its Your Time." The program encourages women to take simple steps for a healthier and happier life.

During Women's Health Week communities organize many options to get women involved in their health. Businesses, government, health organizations, and other groups are able to work together in order to bring about education for women's health. It is not only about physical health, but also about mental health for women. The conferences and other happenings are designed to talk women through how to deal with more than just physical issues.

Women's Health Week can focus on lowering risks of diseases, mental illness, and other problems that could occur. A few of the steps shared in Women's Health Week have included getting 2 1/2 hours of moderate physical activity a week, with 1hour and 15 minutes of vigorous activity during the week, and a nutritious diet, not one to necessarily lose weight, but just to eat right and feel better.

Women's Health Week asks for women to get preventative screenings, checkups, and regular health care. They also ask for smoking, not wearing seatbelts, and other risky behaviors to be stopped so that a healthy and happy life is possible. Getting enough sleep and managing stress was also on the list of improvements that can be made. If women can do all of this it could lead to better decisions, and most of all happiness throughout life.

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