National Women’s Health Week is an annual event in the US with the aim to raise awareness about the manageable steps women can take to improve their health and lifestyle.
Fittingly, the campaign commences on Mother’s Day annually, this year taking place between May 9th to 15th. The focus of the event is the importance for women to incorporate simple preventative and positive health behaviors into their everyday life.
During Health Week, women are encouraged to take control of their health and wellness by regularly visiting their health care provider for check-ups and embracing a healthier lifestyle. There is also a special emphasis on educating women about the most pressing health issues for them and the measures they can take to help reduce their risk.
Short on Time: National Women’s Health Week
- When: 9th to 15th May
- Aim: To get women to take control of their health and wellness and educate them about major health issues.
- What can I do? Take small steps towards a healthier lifestyle and consider DNA testing – Living DNA is our top pick – to learn about your predispositions and potential health risks.
Important statistics | Women’s Health Issues | Health DNA Tests
How Can You Get Involved in Women’s Health Week?
Do you want to get involved with National Women’s Health Week 2024? With the current Coronavirus crisis, you may be wondering how to participate in what you’d expect to be a social and community-driven event. Don’t worry, there are still a number of ways you can get involved and inspire others too as well. Examples include:
Sharing Your Journey Online
There is a whole community of women online, who are also working towards better health. Not only can you share your own story to inspire others, but also share hints and tips, offer and receive support, and follow other people’s journeys. Be sure to use and follow the hashtags #NWHW and #FindYourHealth on social media.
Speak Up About Issues
Do you have first-hand experience of one of the top health issues affecting women today, either as a patient or expert? If you have insights you can share with other women – whether it be about the importance of regular cervical screening, checking your breasts for abnormalities, or something else – Women’s Health Week is the perfect time to speak up.
You could write a blog post or an article, start a thread on Twitter, share a video of your personal story, or just direct women to important resources that have helped you. Even the smallest action you take could have a big impact on someone else.
Organize a Community Event
While community events may not be advised during the Covid-19 pandemic, you could still organize events online, such as a fitness class on Zoom, or a platform to share healthy recipes. Other ideas include checking in with lonely or vulnerable women or starting an awareness campaign for certain health issues, such as STIs, or female cancers, and distribute learning materials throughout the community.
Take Control of Your Own Health
Get involved with National Women’s Health Week by taking personal action to boost your own health and wellness. If you’re not sure where to get started the Office on Women’s Health has launched a great tool that gives plenty of useful information. Take the online quiz for tailored actionable insights and recommendations for a healthier lifestyle.
Once you’ve taken the quiz, why not share the link with the important women in your life so they too can start their wellness journey. It could make all the difference
Important Statistics About Women’s Health
National Women’s Health Week: What You Need to Know
Leading Women’s Health Issues
Knowledge is power – the more you learn about women’s health issues, the better equipped you’ll be to protect yourself. While checking out the odd women’s health magazine is a starting point, you should also search for advice from women’s health specialists and experts in the field. Taking the time to better understand your own health will arm you with valuable knowledge going forward. With that in mind, here are some of the most pressing problems concerning women’s wellness.
Heart Disease
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States, being responsible for one in every five deaths. Heart conditions include coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, and heart attacks.
Although heart disease is also the leading cause of death for men, women are more likely to die following a heart attack. Plus, women are more likely to need treatment for their cholesterol levels and to experience delays in emergency care.
A number of health and lifestyle factors affect your heart disease risk, including having diabetes, being overweight, an unhealthy diet, drinking excessive alcohol, and lack of physical activity. Making lifestyle changes, such as eating well and exercising more, could lower your overall risk here.
Cancer
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in American women. Other common types of cancer in women include colorectal, endometrial, lung, cervical, skin, and ovarian, according to the American Cancer Society. While each type has different symptoms, it’s important to be on the lookout for warning signs and get screened regularly.
What’s more, there are lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your risk, such as quitting smoking, wearing sunscreen, eating a healthy and balanced diet, reducing alcohol consumption, and exercising regularly. While there’s no way of completely eradicating your chance of developing cancer, you should give yourself the best opportunity to stay healthy.
Depression and Anxiety
Women are more likely to exhibit signs of anxiety and depression than men. Depression is the most common women’s mental health problem with more women than men diagnosed in the US each year.
STIs
It has been clinically proven that women are more prone to STIs than men. Women are more susceptible to STIs for a number of reasons including their unique anatomy, increased likelihood of being asymptomatic, and difficulty in identifying symptoms.
Plus, women are much more likely to suffer long-term complications from a number of STIs. An undiagnosed STI in women can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and ectopic pregnancy. Therefore, we can’t stress enough the importance of regular STI screening for women.
Blood and DNA Health Tests
Your genetics could hold key information about your health risks and predispositions, which may enable you to protect yourself in the future.
Living DNA – Nutrition & Fitness Insights
- Detailed diet and fitness reports
- Actionable insights based on your DNA
- Combine with ancestry testing
- Results in 6-8 weeks
The Wellbeing test from Living DNA analyzes certain genetic markers to give you an indication of how your body may respond to certain food and exercises.
Your easy-to-understand results report is ready in six to eight weeks and includes information on how your body metabolizes different food groups, as well as your predisposition to lactose and gluten intolerance, and Celiac disease.
You’ll also get a full vitamin breakdown, to give you an idea of what micronutrients you’re likely to be deficient in and where you may benefit from supplements. The report also includes a detailed list of the best foods for you, based on your genes.
In the fitness section of the report, you’ll learn whether your body is better suited to strength training or cardio, how you’re likely to recover from exercise, and more. Plus, you’ll receive workout suggestions so you can hit the gym right away.
If you’re interested in your heritage too, you can combine Living DNA’s Wellbeing Kit with its Ancestry Kit, and save on the cost of individual tests.
23andMe – Detailed Health Reports
- Discover your genetic risk for 13 diseases
- Carrier status for 44 congenital conditions
- Wellness reports and traits
- Detailed health action plan
The Health + Ancestry test from 23andMe details your genetic risk for 13 common diseases, including type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, certain breast cancers, and more.
You’ll also learn your carrier status for 44 congenital conditions that could be passed to your children including cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, Tay-Sachs disease, and Bloom syndrome, amongst others.
Your report will also include how your genetics may influence eight wellness factors, such as sleep movement and alcohol flush reaction, plus 37 physical and behavioral traits. A detailed Health Action Plan provides personalized recommendations for a healthier lifestyle, based on your unique genetic makeup.
LetsGetChecked – Wide Range of Health Tests
- Specific female wellness tests
- Wide range of health tests, including STI tests, organ function, and more.
- Subscribe and save
- Results in 2 to 5 days from the lab receiving your samples
LetsGetChecked don’t offer DNA health testing, but they have a wide range of blood tests for a variety of health concerns, including female-specific tests, such as hormone levels and fertility.
If you have a particular health concern, LetsGetChecked offers wellness tests that examine organ function, as well as tests for certain diseases, such as Coeliac and Lyme disease. You can also examine your vitamin levels, plus heart health and inflammation via cholesterol and C-reactive protein tests.
The health test provider also offers discreet STI testing, including tests for individual infections and complete screening panels. All the common STIs are covered, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, syphilis, herpes, and more.
Color – Analyzes 3o Genes
- Analyzes 30 genes
- Learn your genetic risk for common cancers and heart conditions
- Reports on medication response
- Genetic counseling at no extra cost
Worried about some of the most common health conditions? The CLIA-certified test from Color identifies your genetic risk factor for certain types of cancer including ovarian, breast, uterine, colon, melanoma, pancreatic, and stomach. Moreover, it delves into your hereditary heart health and reports on any other risk factors.
It doesn’t end there. The Color report also analyzes genes that can influence how your body processes certain medications. Your clinical results can be taken to your doctor so you can create a personalized screening and prevention plan. Plus, you can discuss how your results may impact you with s professional genetic counselor at no extra cost.
Everlywell – Specific Female Tests Available
- Wide variety of individual health tests
- Female hormone tests available
- Easy-to-understand results with actionable insights
- Results in 5-7 days
Everlywell offers over 30 at-home health tests with simple collection methods and free shipping with your results – complete with actionable insights – delivered to your device in just a few days.
There is a wide choice of female hormone and fertility tests, as well as an HPV test specifically for women. Plus, there are numerous general wellness tests, including food sensitivity tests, vitamin tests, and heart health tests.
Take control of your sexual health with either complete screening or testing for individual STIs. A membership program is available, which will save you money on regular STI and other health tests from Everlywell.
Improving Your Lifestyle
There are a number of simple steps you can incorporate into your day-to-day life to improve your health and your sense of wellbeing. They include:
Increase Your Exercise Regimen
It’s time to get up and get active! Since physical inactivity is linked to a variety of health problems, boosting your fitness is a great way to reduce your risk. It’s recommended that adults should engage in at least two and a half hours of aerobic activity each week to stay healthy.
No matter how much activity you currently do, everyone has to start somewhere. Begin by thinking of a physical exercise that you enjoy. It could be cycling, dancing, swimming, or just going on a brisk nature walk. Whatever you do, you’ll soon start to feel the benefits and your fitness will improve over time.
Improve Your Daily Diet
What you eat each day has a huge impact on your health. Create a healthy eating plan that works for you, which is vitamin-rich and low in saturated fats, salt, artificial sweetener, and sugar.
You don’t have to figure it out all on your own. Companies like myToolbox Genomics and Vitagene can create custom diet plans for you, with a nutrition breakdown based on your genetics.
Get Regular Screenings
Regular checkups and screenings are a must in maintaining your health and catching potential health problems early. Be sure to attend cervical and breast screening appointments when directed by your doctor and get tested for the common STIs once a year. Everylwell and LetsGetChecked offer discreet at-home testing for numerous STIs, both single infections and panels if you don’t feel comfortable with clinic testing.
If it has been over a year since your last checkup with your doctor, make an appointment as soon as you can.
The Bottom Line
Now it’s over to you. It’s time to make small changes to your lifestyle that can have a significant impact on your overall health – both mental and physical.
There are plenty of things you can do to improve your lifestyle, but if you need a little help in getting started a health DNA test from Living DNAor 23andMe can help to guide your diet and exercise regime, as well as understand your disease risk and carrier status.
Additional Resources
Visit these websites for more information about the issues discussed in this article:
