10th Medical Group promotes National Women's Health Week

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Stephany Watkins, RN
  • Academy Health Care Integration
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. --  National Women's Health Week is May 10-16. 

This special week is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office on Women's Health and encourages women to make their health a top priority. Women are often the caregivers for their children, spouses, and parents and frequently forget to focus on their own healthcare needs. 

Research shows when women take steps to improve their health and prevent disease, the results can be significant and everyone around them benefits. 

Important steps include: 

-- Getting at least 2.5 hours of physical activity weekly 
-- Eating a nutritious diet 
-- Visiting a health care provider for regular checkups and preventive screenings 
-- Avoiding risky behaviors, like smoking and not wearing a seatbelt 
-- Paying attention to mental health, including getting enough sleep and managing stress

National Women's Health Week will also kick off the Woman Challenge, an an eight-week online physical activity challenge for better health. Take the pledge and earn trophies. Women who complete the eight-week challenge will receive a Woman Challenge completion certificate.

To learn more and register for the Woman Challenge, visit www.womenshealth.gov/woman/woman-challenge/. The 10th Medical Group will also have a Women's Health Information Booth available in the main clinic lobby from 9 to 11 a.m. May 11-15 to provide information and educational materials on various women's health topics.