Stuppy: Women’s health – finding a balance

Stuppy: Women’s health – finding a balance

National Women’s Health Week is being celebrated May 9-15 this year. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Women’s Health promotes this week as a reminder for women of all ages to make their health a priority. They and other health-related organizations also use this week as an opportunity to provide information about a wide range of health topics that can benefit women’s short- and long-term health.

Stuppy: Women’s health – finding a balance

Evaluating one’s health means taking a broad view of all the variables that define health. Examples of issues related to health include sleep habits, hydration, diet, physical activity, bone health, heart health, cancer risks, alcohol habits, drug use/misuse, lung health, reproductive health, mental health, immunity, eye health, intestinal and urinary tract health, personal safety, and the impact of various other medical concerns.

Let’s take a closer look. Although there are many factors related to health, each is not necessarily unique when it comes to actions steps for improvement. For instance, attention to appropriate physical activity and a nutritious diet can assist with a healthy body weight, a good immune system, eye health, and reducing the risks of diabetes/ heart disease/some cancers. They can also improve sleep/mood/some intestinal issues, and can benefit bone and brain health.

Pam Stuppy

Another example of a multifunctional action step would be consuming adequate fluids. Sufficient hydration is important for the brain and many other body functions, and allows them to operate more efficiently. Staying hydrated can also maximize performance during physical activity, and is essential for the body’s cooling system.

Addressing mental health and mood issues can positively impact all the topics related to self-care. For many women this may need to be the starting point when it comes to self-care action steps. Ongoing mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, or poor self-image, may counter health as it can lead to poor dietary habits, over or under exercising, smoking, drug use/misuse, inappropriate alcohol intake, and sometimes risky behaviors. Improving mental health can therefore potentially assist in reversing a number of factors that counter health and wellbeing.