Care for Yourself Beyond National Women’s Health Week. National Women’s Health Week 👩🏽⚕️ is especially important 🔑 for women over 5️⃣0️⃣
The information below ⬇️ can ensure you are doing all you can 🙆🏽♀️ to enhance your health 🩺 improve mental wellness 💆🏽♀️ & extend life 💃🏽
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According to the Office on Women’s Health (link 👉🏽HERE👈🏽)
Prioritizing your health 🧬 – both physical 🤸🏽♀️ & mental 🧘🏽♀️ – has never been more important 💯 Over the past few years, many women have put off 📅 taking care of their general health ➕ wellness needs 🤦🏽♀️ They have adjusted their daily routines 👩🏽💻 including the way they connect with family & friends 🤳🏽 The combination has led to serious health problems 🤒 for some women 👩🏽🦳
During National Women’s Health Week (NWHW) 👸🏽 the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office 🕵🏽♀️ on Women’s Health (OWH) 👩🏽⚕️ is encouraging women & girls 👧🏽 to reflect 🤔 on their individual health needs ☯️ & take steps 🚶🏽♀️ to improve their overall health 🥳
Whether you continue your current activities 🛌 or find news ones 🏌🏽♀️now is a great time for all women & girls to focus 🔎 on better health, especially those with underlying health conditions 🤕 such as hypertension 😡 diabetes 🍭 obesity 🫀 cardiovascular and respiratory conditions 🫁 & women 65 years and older 👵🏽
National Women’s Health Week is also a great time for family 👨👩👧👦 friends 👭🏽and the greater community 🫂 to take actions to support women 👐🏽 & help them achieve the best health possible 😍
National Women’s Health Week fact sheet (link HERE👈🏽)
How to Maintain Better Health Beyond NWHW? 🙋🏽♀️
- Continue to take steps to protect yourself against COVID-19 😷
- Get vaccinated & stay up to date with a COVID-19 booster shot 💉 Find locations to receive the vaccine ➡️HERE⬅️
- 💻 Learn about the COVID-19 risk ☢️ in your local community 🏢 Check out the CDC’s 🆕 COVID-19 County Check Widget to learn the current levels, other prevention steps 🦶🏽 & guidelines specific to your area such as wearing a mask 🥸
- There are conditions 🤧 that continue to make you more likely to get very sick 🤢 from COVID-19. Learn more about these conditions ⬇️ & what specific things you can do to prevent infection 😬 or reinfection 😮
Schedule Your Annual Physical & Other Health Appointments 📱
Talk to your doctor 👩🏽⚕️ nurse 🦸🏽♀️ nurse practitioner 🧚🏽♀️and/or physician assistant 🪄 about the following
- The COVID-19 vaccine & any vaccines 💉 that you may have missed during the pandemic 👎🏽
- Preventive care 🔬 such as PAP smears 🧫 mammograms 🦠 bone density scans 🦴 stress tests 🏃🏽♀️ cholesterol screenings 🧈 eye tests 👀 blood pressure screenings 🩸 physical exams 🏋🏽♀️ & other preventive health screenings 🧪 that you may have missed during the pandemic 🚫 Not sure what they are❓ Click ⬇️
- Health screenings for women ages 18 to 39
- Health screenings for women ages 40 to 64
- Health screenings for women age 65 and older
- Missed check-ups/vaccinations during COVID-19 👉🏽vaccine schedule for adults👈🏽
- If stress 😳 anxiety, or depression is getting in the way of your daily activities 🥺
- If you are feeling sad 😥 overwhelmed, or are unable to eat 🍈 or sleep 🥱 for longer than 2️⃣ weeks after the birth your baby 🤱🏽 You may be experiencing postpartum depression 💔
Maintain a Healthy Weight ⚖️
- Maintaining a healthy weight 💙 can lower the risk of heart disease 🆘 stroke, diabetes, & high blood pressure 📈 It can also lower the risk of many different cancers 🚬
- Healthy weight is different for everyone 🎉 but it’s important 🔑 to know what a healthy weight is for you 💪🏽
- Talk to your doctor or nurse 👩🏽⚕️ about your health goals 📊 and create a plan specific for you 📑
Get Moving & Stay Active 🕺🏽
- Being physically active 🏄🏽♀️ is one of the most important actions you can take at any age 👩🏽🦳 to improve your health 🩺 Did you know? 🤔 The HHS Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans defines physical activity generally as any movement that enhances health 🤹🏽♀️ Activities such as gardening 🪴 and cleaning 🧹 can count as physical activity 🤯
- Create a weekly activity plan through ➡️Move Your Way⬅️ The goal: Get your heart beating faster 💓 through 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise each week ⛹🏽♀️
- Break your activity into small sessions. Go for a 1️⃣5️⃣ – 3️⃣0️⃣-minute ⌚️ walk during your breaks 🚶🏽♀️ Daily exercise 🧘🏽♀️ improves cardiovascular health, and Vitamin D provided by the sun 🌞 will help boost your immune system 🩸
- Incorporate muscle-strengthening activity including lifting weights 🏋🏽♀️ or using resistance bands. It will help prevent sarcopenia, or muscle loss due to aging 👵🏽 & immobility 🛌🏽
- Find a routine to fit your needs based on your age 👩🏽🦳 stage of life 👩🏽💼 and abilities 👩🏽🦽 If you are pregnant 🤰🏽 there are ways that you can exercise safely 🧎🏽♀️ but it is important to talk to your doctor before starting or changing your physical activity 🕵🏽♀️
Nourish From the Inside Out: Eat Well-Balanced Meals & Snacks 🍉
- Heart-healthy eating 🍇 involves choosing certain foods, such as fruits 🍓 & vegetables 🥑 while limiting others 🚫 such as saturated and trans fats 🍟 & added sugars 🍭
- Explore tips at nutrition.gov for eating at home 🏡 & in restaurants to ensure balanced ⚖️ weight-healthy meals 🥗
- Getting enough vitamins in your diet 🍎 Not sure what that is?👉🏽Click here👈🏽
- Vitamin D 🍠 is a nutrient your body needs for building & maintaining healthy bones 🦴 The body can only absorb calcium when vitamin D is present 🌞 Vitamin D’s anti-inflammatory 🔥 antioxidant 🫐 & neuroprotective properties support immune health 🧬 muscle function 💪🏽 and brain cell activity 🧠 Foods such as milk 🥛 yogurt 🍦 orange juice 🍊 cereals, oily fish such as salmon 🐟 rainbow trout 🐠 canned tuna, and sardines 🍱 are all great sources of Vitamin D.
- Calcium is also important 💡 especially for bone health across the lifespan. The best sources of calcium are dairy products, including milk, yogurt, cheese 🧀 and calcium-fortified beverages such as almond and soy milk 🍼 Calcium is also found in dark-green leafy vegetables 🥬 dried peas and beans, fish with bones, and calcium-fortified juices 🥒 and cereals.
Care for Yourself Beyond National Women’s Health Week
Practice Self-Care for Your Mental Health 💆🏽♀️
- Make a list 📜 of small acts of self-care that you can do daily 📰
- Check in ✅ to see if you need support or help dealing with daily life 😖
- Stay connected with family and friends 🫂
- Connect with your community or faith-based organizations ⛪️
- Make time ⌚️ to unwind and focus on activities you enjoy 🎨
- Support caregivers in your life 💇🏽♀️ If you are a caregiver, take time for you 😍
- Pay attention to changes in your mood 👺
📣 If you or anyone you know is experiencing changes in thinking, mood, behavior, and/or thoughts of self-harm, reach out for help 📣
SAMHSA’s National Helpline – 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a 🆓 confidential 🤫 24/7 📅 3️⃣6️⃣5️⃣-days-a-year 📅 treatment referral & information service (in English & Spanish) 🎉 For individuals & families facing mental 🤦🏽♀️ and/or substance use disorders 💊
Find Healthy Ways to Manage Stress 🤬
- Build a toolbox 🧰 full of healthy ways to cope with stress 🌻
- Simple, everyday actions such as scheduling quiet time for meditation, yoga 🧘🏽♀️ and reading 📚 can reduce stress 😀
- Spending a few minutes in nature 🌺 getting out to exercise 🚵🏽♀️ or playing a favorite song 🎼 can help you feel grounded 🧍🏽♀️
- Learn the difference between stress & anxiety ➕ how you can cope here ➡️HERE⬅️
- Taking care of yourself ❌ getting the help you need is important 💡If you are a caregiver, read these tips ➡️HERE⬅️
Create Good Sleep Habits 🛌🏽
- About 1️⃣ in 3️⃣ adults do not regularly get the recommended 📋 amount of sleep they need to protect their health 🤒 and about 50 to 70 million Americans have a sleep disorder 🤯
- Sleep deficiency 🥱 can lead to physical & mental health problems 🧠 including heart disease & depression 😢 as well as injuries loss of productivity 📉 and a greater likelihood of death 🪦
- Follow a routine for going to sleep 😴 and going to bed 🛌 and waking up ⏰ at the same time each day – even on weekends – to improve your sleep habits 🎉
- Try to get at least 7️⃣ hours of sleep ⏳
- If you think 🤔 you may have a sleep problem, keep a sleep diary 📔 Sharing the diary with your health care provider 👩🏽⚕️ can help diagnose a potential sleep problem 😁
Seek Help 🆘 for Anyone Experiencing Domestic Violence 🛑
- Violence 😡 has long-term effects on health outcomes for women & their families 👩👩👧👦 including emotional trauma 💔 lasting physical impairment 🦿 and chronic health problems 🤕 In addition, violence is a significant, & often overlooked 😟 contributor to maternal mortality 😲
- Recognize the 👉🏽symptoms of abuse👈🏽
- National Domestic Violence Hotline is a 24/7 confidential 🤫 service that supports victims ➕ survivors of domestic violence 💗
The hotline can be reached: By phone: 1-800-799-7233(SAFE) By text: Text LOVEIS to 22522 or Online chat: https://www.thehotline.org and select “Chat Now”- Highly trained, experienced advocates offer support 🙆🏽♀️ crisis intervention information, educational services 👩🏽🏫 & referral services in more than 2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ languages. The website 💻 provides information about domestic violence, online instructional materials, safety planning, & local resources 📲
- Support a friend or family member who may be in an abusive relationship 🙍🏽♀️
Incorporate Safe Behaviors into Your Daily Routine 📒
- Monitor alcohol intake 🍷 & and avoid illicit drugs, including drugs 💊 that are not prescribed to you🧏🏽♀️
- Look out for your lungs Quit smoking 🚬 and vaping 🔥
- Smoking weakens your lungs 🫁 & puts you at a much higher risk 📈 of having serious health complications 😷 especially if you have COVID-19❗️
How to Continue National Women’s Health Week? 😘
- Continue to take steps to protect yourself from COVID by social distancing, wearing masks 😷 & getting your COVID vaccine 💉
- Share what actions you are taking 🤳🏽 for good health such as getting active 🤽🏽♀️ and managing stress 🤡
- Use #NWHW in any social media messages you share 📲
- Organize virtual events 💻 or activities in your community 🏢
A Proclamation on National Women’s Health Week, 2022
MAY 06, 2022•PRESIDENTIAL ACTIONS
During National Women’s Health Week, we recommit to ensuring the health and well-being of women and girls across our Nation. Central to this mission is protecting women’s fundamental rights to make their own choices and build their own future. I am committed to defending women’s rights, including their access to reproductive health care. Roe has been the law of the land for almost 50 years; basic fairness and the stability of our law demand that it not be overturned. In response to the continued attack on abortion and reproductive rights across the country, my Administration is exploring all the tools at our disposal to strengthen and protect women’s access to critical reproductive health care. We will continue to work with the Congress to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act, which will ensure that all women have access to critical reproductive health care, no matter where they live.
For every American, health care is a right, not a privilege, and gender equity in health care is a top priority for my Administration. That is why we are building upon the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to improve the health of all Americans — especially women. Through the ACA, millions of people are able to access health care. In addition, women with preexisting conditions cannot be denied coverage, and women can no longer be charged more for health insurance simply because they are women. Last month, my Administration proposed the most significant administrative action to improve the ACA by eliminating the “family glitch,” which will save families hundreds of dollars a month and help them afford family coverage.
I am committed to ensuring that women also have access to the life-saving preventive care screenings that so many Americans have skipped or delayed because of the pandemic — including cholesterol, blood pressure, and cancer screenings.
Advancing health equity also requires improving maternal health care. America’s maternal mortality rates are among the highest in the developed world, especially among Black and Native American women. That is why, through the American Rescue Plan, we have given States the opportunity to provide 12 months of extended postpartum coverage to pregnant women who are enrolled in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. By expanding access to maternal care and lowering health care costs, we can drive down mortality rates and ensure women can live full and healthy lives.
As I mentioned in my State of the Union Address, it is also time for America to make bolder investments to address our national mental health crisis — a crisis that disproportionately impacts young women and girls, who are twice as likely to be diagnosed with mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. My vision will broaden the pipeline of behavioral health providers, integrate mental health and substance use treatment into primary care, and expand access through more virtual care options.
As President, Vice President, and Senator, I have long been committed to endinggender-based violence and trauma, which have lasting effects on health outcomes for women, girls, and their families. That is why I first wrote the Violence Against Women Act in 1990 and worked with the Congress to reauthorize it through 2027 to increase support, funding, and resources for survivors and improve the health care system’s response to domestic violence and sexual assault.
We have achieved great progress, but there is still more work to do –- including to defend reproductive rights, which are under unprecedented attack, and to ensure we do not go backwards on women’s equality. As we celebrate National Women’s Health Week, let us recommit to ensuring equal access to high-quality, affordable care for all women and girls and to improving the health of our Nation.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 8 through May 14, 2022, as National Women’s Health Week. During this week, I encourage all Americans to join us in a collective effort to improve the health of women and girls and promote health equity for all. I encourage all women and girls — especially those with underlying health conditions — to prioritize their health and catch up on any missed screenings, routine care, and vaccines.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-two, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-sixth.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
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