National Women’s Health Week is May 9-15

The president has issued a proclamation declaring this week “Women’s Health Week.”  In an official press release, directives were outlined that may help “break existing barriers” and “improve the health of American women for generations to come.”

Some of those steps include:

• Lead a healthy life and set an example for young people.
• Take advantage of preventive care with routine screenings and checkups.
• Practice simple everyday activities like using sunscreen, exercising regularly, and eating healthy.
• Emphasize the role of women in promoting the vitality of our children and communities.

Online resources were also cited for promoting the goals of women’s health week, including the Whitehouse Council on Women and Girls, womenshealth.gov, and girlshealth.gov.

Researchers Find New Health Benefits of Breastfeeding

New research analyzing the health benefits of breastfeeding suggests that doing so may help reduce unhealthy abdominal fat and decrease your risk of heart disease.

The data, collected on 351 women by scholars from the University of Pittsburgh, revealed that those “who consistently breast-fed their children had waist circumferences that were an average of 2.6 inches smaller than women who had never breast-fed.” Physicians discussed these findings in the Bay Area last week during the American Heart Association conference on cardiovascular health.

Although breastfeeding appears to make a significant difference when it comes to unhealthy belly fat, as Dr. Nieca Goldberg suggests, these women may also be engaged in healthier lifestyles.

Read more about this study at womenshealth.gov