Tips to Empower Women to Make Their Health a Priority And Help Women Take Small, Manageable Steps For Better Health
Michelle Williams, Singer, Actress, Inspirational Speaker, and Ambassador with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health for National Women’s Health Week
(Washington D.C., Thursday, May 11, 2017) – The 18th annual National Women’s Health Week kicks off on Mother’s Day, May 14, and is celebrated through May 20, 2017. The observance is led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health. The goal is to empower women to make their health a priority and encourage them to take steps to improve their health.
Michelle Williams, singer, actress and inspirational speaker is an ambassador with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health for National Women’s Health Week. This weeklong observance is coordinated by OWH and will kick off Mother’s Day. The goal is to empower women to make their health a priority and help women take small, manageable steps for better health. Those steps include scheduling a checkup, eating healthy, getting active, paying attention to mental health, and avoiding risky behaviors like smoking and texting while driving.
To improve their physical and mental health, OWH recommends that women:
- Schedule a well-woman visit. When women think about visiting the doctor for their annual checkup, they usually think it entails getting their height, weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol checked. But, it’s so much more than that. It’s about building a relationship with their doctor and checking in with them about how they’re doing, how they’d like to be doing, and what changes they can make to reach their goals.
- Eat healthy. Each day, we make many decisions about food, including what to eat, what not to eat, how much to eat, and so on. It can make everyday situations stressful and overwhelming. This NWHW, OWH wants to help women improve their relationship with food.
- Get active. What’s one of the most powerful tools that not only transforms a woman’s body but helps ward off chronic diseases? Regular exercise. However, one fourth of American women are sedentary, and more than half of all women do not get the recommended amounts of physical activity they need. During NWHW, OWH offers tips for integrating more movement into our daily lives.
- Pay attention to mental health. Mental health and physical health are closely connected. Poor emotional health can lead us to overeat, experience headaches, have weakened immune systems, and more. NWHW spokespeople can highlight different ways mental and emotional health can impact physical health and help women take steps for self-care.
- Avoid unhealthy behaviors. When people think about their health and wellbeing, they often think about eating right, getting plenty of exercise, and paying attention to their mental health. But what about those behaviors that we don’t think about, like wearing sunscreen, not texting and driving, or not smoking? Those steps are just as important for an overall healthy lifestyle.
Visit to https://www.womenshealth.gov/nwhw to learn more about National Women’s Health Week.