Celebrating Empowerment Through National Women’s Health Week
May 15, 2013 -
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Good morning everyone! Happy Friday! Today for Feature Friday I have a guest post that goes right along with my Tosca Reno Inspires video from yesterday! Did you know that this week was National Women’s Health week? I’ll let Michelle share her post with you today!
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Celebrating Empowerment
Through National Women’s Health Week
via Michelle Pino
Michelle is a Spa Manager at a spa inn Verona, NY. Michelle has provided these tips in hopes to educate others on how to lead a more motivating and less stressful life. She enjoys cooking, DIY projects and learning about healthy lifestyles. Michelle is thankful to have had the opportunity to work with Kasey and together share their ideas on “Powercakes”.
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Being a woman today means wearing many different hats. We are often so busy of taking care of everyone (and everything) else, that we have little time or energy to take care of ourselves. But let’s face it: we need to take care of ourselves. That’s the emphasis of National Women’s Health Week, which President Obama instituted in 2012 as a way to empower women to pay more attention to getting and staying healthy. It starts each year on Mother’s Day, and this year runs from May 12 through May 18.
In order to really kick off National Women’s Health Week, May 13 is National Women’s Checkup Day. It is the perfect day to schedule some of the screenings that we need in order to help prevent disease. Some of these tests include mammograms as well as screenings for heart disease, diabetes, and sexually transmitted diseases. Getting preventative care for those diseases and other conditions can certainly keep us healthier longer. In fact, we can drastically reduce our risk of developing quite a few illnesses by getting regular screenings and staying in touch with our doctors.
Because we are often so busy, it is way to easy to overlook our own needs. We often choose our foods due to the convenience factor, not necessarily because they are good for us. We often don’t get enough rest, and we don’t take enough time to ourselves to really relax. All of that and more takes a toll on our health. But it’s time that we take control of our own health and improve it – mentally and physically. We need to pay attention to our bodies and really listen to them in order to be at our best.
Recent healthcare reforms have changed the way that insurance companies do business. That’s why many preventative screenings are now free. Now is the best time to take care of our bodies so that we can keep moving forward and get even stronger. Take the time to ensure that your health will stay good for a long time to come. Empowerment comes from strength and knowledge, and that’s what National Women’s Health Week is all about.
Here is an example:
What better way to boost motivation than to treat yourself to some fabulous workout gear or a fresh pair of new kicks? Bright colored apparel, like these Asics from Zappos, is very popular this spring. Bright colors so appropriate for the warm weather and motivation! I think music and quotes inspire me the most. I love this motivational quote tank from The Hunt; also in a fun-bright color, so perfect! Yoga is great for beginners and the more advanced athlete. Yoga serves as a great way to stretch your muscles to help prevent injury. Simple yoga poses like the “Warrior” poses, pictured below, are simple stretches that can be done in the comfort of your own home. I’m new to golf, but I find it very relaxing. I’ve been learning at Kaluhyat, which is a golf resort in New York. They’ve got great instructors, and several courses to practice on. But the biggest change that makes the most difference in how you feel is in your diet. Simple swaps for sugary snacks, makes a difference in your energy level. No need for those unstable yo-yo diets: personally, I don’t think it’s healthy to cut foods out, but rather incorporate healthy foods into daily meals. Luckily we live in an age where finding delicious healthy recipes like Mediterranean Paleo Pizza. I am not on the Paleo diet, but this pizza recipe sounds really scrumptious! If you’re going to start eating healthier, it’s best to keep an open mind and try new things!
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Kasey