The 20th annual National Women’s Health Week kicks off on Mother’s Day, May 12, and is celebrated through May 18. Created by the U.S. Department on Women’s Health, National Women’s Health Week encourages all women to be as healthy as possible by getting active, eating healthy, paying attention to mental health and schedule regular doctor visits and preventative screenings.
At NJ Diet, we are taking the opportunity during National Women’s Health Week to discuss the steps all women can take towards better health and wellness! Wherever are you on your health journey, every woman has her own approach. This National Women’s Health Week, find what works best for you.
Check out these ways to help women celebrate their bodies, mind, and well-being––and help them towards the journey to good health.
Taking The Steps Towards Better Health At Every Age
1. See Your Doctor Regularly For A Wellness Checkup
Check your calendar and make an appointment for a well-woman visit today. This will include a visit to a gynecologist in addition to a general care practitioner who can screen you for diabetes and high blood pressure. These annual visits are important in our quest for a healthy lifestyle, and can also help ward off illness. Here are some things you should know when seeing your doctor:
- Know Your Family History: Discuss your family and personal health history with your health care professional to determine which cancer screenings are right for you based on your specific risk factors. Knowing your family history is important when talking to your health care professional, and encourage your loved ones to ask their health care professionals about which screenings are right for them.
- Get Your Thyroid Checked: A sluggish or hyperactive thyroid can affect your mood, weight and concentration.
- See Your Dermatologist: Your skin takes a lot of abuse from the daily elements,. so make sure regular skin exams and skin cancer screenings are part of your health routine.
- Have Regular Breast Exams: At-home breast exams are one of the best ways to catch problems early; if you do find a lump or anything unusual, schedule an appointment with your OB/GYN immediately. Early detection can save lives.
- Have A Complete Gynecological Exam: Annual gynecological exams and routine screenings are essential to a woman’s health. Depending on your age and health history, a mammogram may also be recommended. Make an appointment today if you are overdue; no matter what your age, gynecological health is important for all age groups.
- Check Your Bones: Ask your doctor about a bone density test during your next office visit. To ensure strong bones as you age, women should make sure their diet includes enough calcium and vitamin D to keep bones strong and healthy.
Here at NJ Diet, our personalized genetic testing can also used by any of your health care providers to help make critical decisions regarding your health. Each individual’s specific needs for essential vitamins, plus many more metabolic factors are assessed genetically to make sure you stay healthy for years to come.
Screenings and other health concerns vary depending on age groups. Below please find the links to help you see what you need to know for every age group!
- Healthy Living In Your 20s: Click here!
- Healthy Living In Your 30s: Click here!
- Healthy Living In Your 40s: Click here!
- Healthy Living In Your 50s: Click here!
- Healthy Living In Your 60s: Click here!
- Healthy Living In Your 70s: Click here!
- Healthy Living In Your 80s: Click here!
- Healthy Living In Your 90s: Click here!
2. Get Active
Everyone can benefit from being more active. Increased activity can start simply such as choosing the stairs over the elevator, parking in the back of the lot, or taking short walks after lunch or dinner. As you feel more confident, you can join an organized activity like taking classes at the gym or finding recreational sports you may enjoy.
3. Eat Healthy
Our healthy is directly affected by what we eat. Due to busy schedules, we often spend too much time eating out, or opt for fast food which is filled with unhealthy fats and minimal nutritional value. A simple trick to eating better comes by packing your own meals, which gives you more control than grabbing something on the run. Choose healthy options and taking nutritious snacks along with you, that are easy to carry with you while you’re on the go. Eating better will have a positive affect on your weight and sleep habits.
Gradually make small changes to your diet and you will soon be on your way to instilling healthy eating as a daily habit. Incorporate more vegetables, fruits and whole grains into your diet, reduce consumption of red meats, skip processed meats, reduce your fat intake and limit alcohol.
In addition, here are some other great tips towards healthy eating:
- Incorporate Superfoods: Broccoli, apples, turnips are examples of superfoods that can help you lose weight and boost your heart health. Superfoods have been proven to fight diseases and boost energy and even help you live longer, so why not celebrate the day by incorporating more superfoods into your diet.
- Eat For Strong Bones: A healthy diet can go a long way towards helping you get enough calcium and vitamin D to keep your bones healthy and strong.
- Stay Hydrated: Hydration is also a key component of a healthy diet. Aim for 8 glasses of water a day, and limit sugary, alcoholic or caffeinated beverages that lack in nutritional value.
- Get Your Veggies In: Eating more vegetables can do your mind and body good. Even if you aren’t a fan of eating veggies, incorporating things such as spinach and kale to fruit smoothies and shredding some zucchini into muffins and baked goods is a good way to get your servings in, without sacrificing taste!
NJ Diet can help get you on track towards eating healthier and losing those extra pounds! We utilize DNA testing to determine your ideal diet and workout plan. Using blood work, hair and saliva sample, patients typically lose 20-40 pounds in only 40 days. NJ Diet has proven that our weight loss program, and how it works, can be a big step in a patient’s road to a healthy life.
When you are on the NJ Diet plan, you come into our office every 10-14 days to make sure you are burning fat and losing weight correctly. Each of our client’s specific needs for vitamins and supplements are assessed, plus many more metabolic factors are genetically tested to make sure you succeed on our program — not just for temporary weight loss, but to maintain good health for life.
4. Sleep Better
More and more people fall short of the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep a night. It may be a good idea to keep a journal of your sleep patterns for 3 to 7 days, in order to see how your sleep – or lack thereof — can be affecting your daily health. Some quick tips towards better sleep is avoiding all mobile devices well before you turn out the light, and don’t eat or exercise too close to bedtime.
5. Manage Stress
All women should try and remember that their health and wellness is of the utmost importance. It is common that women spend so much time taking care others — their children, their partner, or even their aging parents, that they leave little time for self-care. However, taking good care of yourself will leave you with energy to take care of the ones you love. Here are some simple ways to alleviate stress:
- Relaxation: Try some relaxing yoga or a 5 minute meditation to help you be present, relieve stress and refresh yourself.
- Take A Siesta: New research is shedding light on the health benefits of sleep, which is good for your heart, mind, weight, and more, and since nobody really gets as much shut-eye as they’d like, working power naps into your afternoon routine to boost your energy and productivity levels is a great place to start.
- Decompress: Stress has many negative health side effects, including weight gain, mood swings, insomnia and overeating. Schedule regular massages, take hourly stretch breaks, try meditation or yoga and find ways to manage stress in a healthy way.
The key is to find what it is that helps you relive your stress. For some it may be relaxing and reading, others it may be taking a walk or going out with friends. Whatever it is that gives you the “me” time that you need and deserve works towards helping manage your stress!
At NJ Diet, you will see that dieting is only one component of our program. Our program is also a detoxification and hormone balancing program – where the side effect is weight loss, but the end result is better overall health and well being.
6. Avoid Unhealthy Behaviors
If you smoke, please speak with your provider to get assistance or tips on how to stop! Other unhealthy behaviors are putting down your phone when your are driving — texting and driving is an epidemic and a leading cause of injury and death. Other unhealthy behaviors, such as not protecting against sexually transmitted diseases, should also be avoided.
Participate in National Women’s Health Week!
To learn more about National Women’s Health Week and how you can participate, check out the Office on Women’s Health and share how you’re choosing health on social media by using the hashtag #NWHW!
National Women’s Health Week helps to reinforce that women’s health and fitness is important for all women, at any age! This week serves as a reminder that a healthier, happier you is right around the corner––and if you’re already celebrating your health and wellness on a daily basis, you’re well on your way.
