In the context of the International Day of Action for Women’s Health, it is better to remember the importance of prevention and raising awareness regarding the situation of 50% of the world’s population. With this in mind, this reading will make you reflect on women’s health and will mention good practices to empower it.
How did the International Day of Action for Women’s Health come about?
On May 28 of each year, the benefits of healthy eating in women’s lives are emphasized and conversations with experts are encouraged. This day was established in 1987 by the Latin American and Caribbean Women’s Health Network (RSMLAC) and, since then, it has been used to discuss the multiple causes of illness in women.
In turn, this day deals with initiatives that increase universal access to health, re-evaluate the diagnosis of women, and ensure the availability of safe contraceptive methods, among other proposals.
The importance of women’s health
Even if you often prioritize the health of people in your family over your own, remember that having a good quality of life depends on you. Also consider that certain diseases tend to appear at different stages of life, so it is not good to trust yourself thinking that “that will never happen to me”.
The importance as a woman lies in understanding the value of your life for those you love and taking care of yourself as much as possible, seeing it both as a gesture of autonomy and as a sign of love.
For this purpose, it is recommended to have regular check-ups, since finding out about an illness in time allows you to process the situation and save wisely, seeking to deal with the problem. Basically, prevention allows you to act in time.
5 tips for women who want to take care of themselves
If you put these recommendations into practice, you promote a healthy and long life.
1. Schedule quarterly consultations
A medical check-up is the primary method to identify or detect early any possible problem with your body. Because the months between appointments can fly by, remember to follow your doctor’s advice.
That said, it is worth implementing a good practice: write down in a list any discomfort that you have noticed during the previous weeks, as well as the state of your menstrual cycle.
2. Carry out specific studies
Try to get mammograms (search for strange lumps or imperfections in the breasts, which may be indicative of breast cancer), and see a gynecologist who can check the health of your reproductive organs.
These exams will have two purposes: to inform you about the health of your body, and to prevent any disease typical of women.
3. Do not forget physical activity
It is said that healthy living and sports go hand in hand. While it’s not about overdoing it and starting running marathons overnight, the general recommendation is to do basic exercises, like walking, stretching, or even squatting, for half an hour, two to three days a week.
The more comfortable you feel and the less effort it takes to execute your chosen routine, the more you can increase the frequency and difficulty of the exercise.
This, in addition to improving your physical condition, will be able to keep your muscles and other important systems of your body active, such as the digestive and immune systems.
4. Discover the benefits of healthy eating
Regardless of the diets, a balanced diet must consider each key group in the food pyramid: cereals and tubers, fruits and vegetables, legumes and proteins, as well as fats and sugars; everything fits in your food plan, but in the right amounts and according to the specific needs of your body.
The benefits of a healthy diet lie in an organism that functions optimally, where ailments and discomforts are reduced to a minimum.
Achieving this is not easy, but if you start to establish some of these good practices, you will have considerable benefits for your health in the future.
5. Prevent through insurance
Speaking of the future, having good insurance would support you when dealing with any unexpected problems that affect your health. You will be able to have medical guidance of excellence and a guide through difficult situations, such as a hospitalization that requires surgery.
