Healthy Women Today. A Newsletter from the National Women's Health Information Center (www.4woman.gov, 1-800-994-9662). The Office on Women's Health, U S Department of Health and Human Services

May 2001 edition

FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

Office on Women's Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Join us this month in the celebration of National Women's Health Week! The week will start Mother's Day and end on the following Saturday (May 13-19, 2001), a time when there is much attention already being focused on women. The second annual National Women's Health Week encourages women to take time to nurture themselves while taking care of their families and loved ones, and to celebrate the efforts of national and community organizations working with partners and volunteers to improve awareness of key women's health issues. Encourage your mothers, friends, colleagues and community to get involved! Check out our Women's Health week calendar at http://www.4woman.gov/nwhic/current/calendar/whw/, and let us know about any Women's Health Week events you would like posted.

Thanks to all who have responded with personal stories about how NWHIC's services have made a difference in your health or your health lifestyle. Let us know your favorite web page or feature and why or how we have helped you live a healthier life. If your comments are chosen, we will feature you (first name and city only) in the next edition of Healthy Women Today! You can send your comments via the feedback form on www.4woman.gov. We consider NWHIC always a work in progress, and we want to hear from you!

Until our next edition, enjoy this welcome transformation into spring. Get out on your lunch break and take a walk! If you're an allergy sufferer, check out our allergy information at http://www.4woman.gov/search/A2ZResult.cfm?S1=ALLERGIES). We recommend that you pay special attention to the many links we offer to other web sites that can help advise you about managing allergy symptoms. Most of all, take the time to take care of yourselves.

Carol Krause

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Lupus Foundation of America & The Office on Women's Health, Department of Health and Human Services Sponsor "Unlocking the Mystery of Lupus." Lupus affects 1.4 million Americans. Nine out of ten of people affected by lupus are women. Lupus is two to three times more prevalent in African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans and Asians. Join prominent leaders from national and public organizations, government agencies, leading researchers and physicians in their efforts in bringing lupus awareness to the nation.

Satellite broadcasting will connect communities across the nation making this the largest collaborative discussion of this life-changing and potentially fatal disease. Learn about the most recent information on research, diagnosis, treatments, and management care of lupus at the national town hall meeting on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, May 16, 2001 from 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m., Russell Senate Office Building, SR325, Washington, D.C. - Available Seating is limited

INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE REPORT

Exploring the Biological Contributions to Human Health: Does Sex Matter? A new Institute of Medicine report discusses how basic biochemical differences in cells of males and females contribute to health variability between the sexes. It also encourages the scientific study of the mechanisms and origins of sex-related differences in human health and illness. Read the report summary at: http://www.iom.edu/IOM/IOMHome.nsf/Pages/does+sex+matter+summary

NWHIC LAUNCHES A NEW SMOKING CESSATION WEB PAGE

A Breath of Fresh Air...Independence From Smoking

Last month, in conjunction with the March 27th Surgeon General's report on Women and Smoking, we created a web page to help empower women and girls, and the people they love, to breathe clean! Gain independence from the stale world of smoking by using our information and resources. Learn about the specific effects of smoking on your health and how to overcome barriers to quit. You may access the Surgeon General's report and its Executive Summary from this new web page: http://www.4woman.gov/quitsmoking/

STOP! Magazine for Smokers Who Want to Stop!

is available from NWHIC! This magazine contains articles about smoking, nicotine, and how to quit smoking. To order a free copy while supplies last, please call NWHIC at (800)994-9662.

MAY'S NATIONAL HEALTH OBSERVANCES

WHO IS USING NWHIC'S SERVICES.

Last month, the NWHIC web site had 272,200 visitors and received an extraordinary 5,690,864 hits to the site!

New York was the number one calling state to our toll-free Information and referral line. Help your state become our "number one" state by encouraging your friends, colleagues and family members to call our toll-free services if they need information on women's health topics!

The following web pages and health topics were most frequently accessed on NWHIC:

FEATURED HEALTH ARTICLE FOR MAY

STROKE: Not Just Your Grandparents' Disease...Guest Editor Patti Shwayder, National Stroke Association CEO

"When Colleen Walsh started having a stroke, she didn't rush to a hospital. She went to bed and waited for the numbness and cold in her left hand to go away.

It never occurred to the 19-year-old college student that she was suffering a stroke..."

Read the entire article at http://www.4woman.gov/editor/May01/index.htm

IMPORTANT NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

COMING SOON to NWHIC!! - Health information for girls, ages 14-18.

NWHIC has added four new Frequently Asked Questions on:

Scholarship Opportunity for Women with Disabilities


The ELA Foundation will be awarding two scholarships worth $2000 in August, 2001. The scholarship money is contingent upon the winner's acceptance to or continuation in an accredited college or university graduate school program and will be made payable to the educational institution for tuition. Additional information on the ELA Foundation can be found on the web site at http://www.ela.org.

For more "What's New" and Announcements go to: http://www.4woman.gov/new.htm

OWH NEWS, INITIATIVES & CAMPAIGNS


PICK YOUR PATH TO HEALTH

The Pick Your Path to Health Campaign (http://www.4woman.gov/PYPTH/) helps women take simple and time-sensitive steps to improve their health, and provides tools for local communities to promote practical, culturally relevant action steps to wellness. Pick Your Path to Health is for all women, with a special emphasis on women from different racial and ethnic groups. Pick Your Path to Health offers twelve monthly themes, based on the Ten Leading Health Indicators as identified by the U.S. Surgeon General. This web section is designed for individuals and communities interested in hearing more about Pick Your Path to Health, or for groups interested in becoming Pick Your Path to Health partners.

MAY PICK YOUR PATH TO HEALTH THEME:

Mental Health: Lower your stress. Improve your health.

MAY PICK YOUR PATH TO HEALTH PERSONAL ACTION STEPS:

FOR YOUR HEART


The facts surrounding women and heart disease can be frightening to think about. The good news is that many of the risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) can be changed and avoided to prevent premature death or unwanted complications. That's why we developed the "For Your Heart" web site. When you continue on through the site, you will be escorted through a short, confidential survey of questions about your health and lifestyle. Based on your answers, we'll provide you with a series of articles detailing the latest information on exercise, nutrition, smoking, diabetes, cholesterol, high blood pressure and other factors that affect you and your risk for heart disease - all tailored to your needs. We've designed a personalized web site because we believe you're better equipped to make changes to improve your health and quality of life when you receive materials that speak to you and your unique health concerns. http://www.4woman.gov/hhs/

THIS MONTH'S SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS FOR YOUR HEALTH

For publications on over 800 health topics, check out our health topic search at http://www.4woman.gov/search/search.cfm, or call 1-800-994-WOMAN!

GUEST EDITOR PROGRAM


Become one of our featured GUEST EDITORS! For more details about this free publicity opportunity go to: http://www.4woman.gov/editor/proginfo.htm

USER SUPPORT

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JOINING THE LIST:

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