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

November 2001 edition

FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

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

As we enter another Thanksgiving season, it's important to focus on the things in life for which we are most grateful; children, family, friends, and our health. While we each in our own way try to live with the continual threat of anthrax, bioterrorism, and terrorist attacks, finding thanks can be a difficult process. Still, the nation is busy and active, with America's women showing remarkable courage and resilience in their roles as mothers, daughters, employers, employees, caregivers, emergency workers, health providers, volunteers and friends. The Office on Women's Health, here in the Department of Health and Human Services, has been subjected to fire drills, and increased security precautions this month, with trace anthrax found in our mailrooms, both in downtown Washington, DC and at our Maryland facility. We check our mail carefully, wash our hands often, and support each other to keep going, finding a new normalcy we can live with.

As the bioterrorism threat widens, each of us should make vigilance a part of our daily ritual to protect our health. For more information on mail handling, check this site: www.usps.gov/news/2001/press/pr01_1019postcard.htm, and report any suspicious activities you observe. We have posted information on bioterrorism and disaster response, which you can access from our home page (www.4woman.gov/).

As the weeks move on, do a mental health check. Are you really o.k.? If it seems overwhelming, as it has for me at times, please look into a little extra support from a professional counselor, either through resources at your place of work, from a faith counselor, or through a referral from a relative or friend. This is not the time to revert to those old bad "comfort" habits, overeating, smoking, or drinking too much. This is the time to identify the activities that make you the happiest, and recreate those moments as often as you can. For me, it's watching my 11 year old daughter jump up and down when the Yankees score during the World Series, or joining my fifteen year old son as he goes door to door in the neighborhood, for his annual food collection project. As I watch them, I do wonder what kind of world they will inherit.

Do something positive for yourself this month. Join the Great American Smoke-out this month (information below), sign up for an exercise class, eat some delicious fall produce, and plan a hike or campout in the crisp mountain air. Below, you will find healthy recipes for Thanksgiving. Get together with family or friends, and assign a recipe to each person, or make a dish together for sharing! Bring some extra canned goods to your local shelter, and vow that this year, you will remember its needs at other times of the year as well.

I'd like to thank all of our users who have sent in positive comments about the services at the National Women's Health Information Center. We really do take your feedback seriously in our continual efforts to improve our service to you, and we hope that you will continue to provide your opinion to us. Please see this month's featured Public Comments below.

We again offer our love, support and prayers for the thousands of families who have lost loved ones in this ongoing national security crisis, and will have to be without them this Thanksgiving. We think of those who have lost their jobs, and wish them strength in the days ahead. Around my Thanksgiving table, with my children, my sisters and their families, we will express a heartfelt gratitude that we are all together again, for another holiday season.

Carol Krause

 

PUBLIC COMMENTS ABOUT THE NATIONAL WOMEN'S HEALTH INFORMATION CENTER

Each month, NWHIC will feature comments from people like you in our newsletter. These comments are sent to us through the on-line feedback form found at:  www.4woman.gov/search/contact.cfm. We want to hear how the NWHIC web site or call center has made a difference in your health or health lifestyle! Here's what two of our users had to say:

"I work as a volunteer in Southeast Kansas. I supply 20 regions (which include churches, daycare sites, and clinics) with resource information and educational materials. Because of the number of people that I serve, I really need information that can be duplicated. The National Women's Health Information Center provided me with hyperlinks and other resources that allowed me to obtain the amount and quality of materials that I needed.

I send out a lot of e-mails to organizations when I search for the type of information that I need. Most go unanswered. The National Women's Health Information Center responded! It was one of those times when I knew that someone had really reached out to help me."

-- Janet (a Registered Nurse) -- Pittsburg, Kansas

 

"Thanks for providing information on lesbian health on your site. I am a lesbian breast cancer survivor since 1995. I work in the lesbian community to provide information about lesbian health issues as well as keeping up my work."

Linda -- Kansas City, Missouri

 

IN RESPONSE TO RECENT EVENTS

We know that you have a lot of questions about bioterrorism, and other health issues in the news currently. Below, you will find general information on Anthrax, but you can also call us for more detailed information at (800) 994-9662.

For additional information, you may contact the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at the numbers listed below:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Public Response Hotline:

 

SPANISH LANGUAGE MATERIALS

Did you know you could order Spanish Language Materials from NWHIC? Call our toll-free information center at (800) 994-9662 and speak to a Spanish Information Specialist to learn how.

 

FEATURED NEWS ARTICLE

In celebration of the Great American Smoke Out, the National Women's Health Information Center in cooperation with the UCLA - Women's Health Center, Center of Excellence (COE) would like to encourage everyone interested in quitting smoking. Support is available.

The information below is an excerpt from NWHIC's Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Smoking Cessation. Read the full FAQ at: www.4woman.gov/faq/smoking.htm. For more information on Smoking Cessation, call NWHIC at 1-800-994-9662 or visit our "A Breath of Fresh Air" web page at: www.4woman.gov/QuitSmoking/.

Frequently Asked Questions – Smoking Cessation

What are some of the short-term and long-term effects of smoking on women?
In the short term, smoking involves nicotine addiction, respiratory problems, coronary artery disease, dental problems, nervousness and depression, and a tendency toward health-damaging behavior. Most obvious are the immediate changes in quality of life: bad breath, wrinkled skin, and stained fingernails.

Smoking is also infamous for its long-term effects on health. Women who smoke have at least a 10 times greater likelihood of developing lung cancer than nonsmoking women; it even surpassed breast cancer as a cause of cancer deaths among American women. Tobacco use is a major risk factor for other cancers such as cervical and esophageal/throat cancers. A woman who smokes is two to six times more likely to suffer a heart attack than a nonsmoking women, and the risk increases with the number of cigarettes smoked each day and for young women who both smoke and use oral contraceptives. Smoking also boosts the risk of stroke and greatly increases the chances for infertility, complications during pregnancy, and an earlier onset of menopause and the development of osteoporosis. Tobacco use by pregnant women has been linked with increased risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and mental retardation; secondhand smoke worsens the health of children with asthma.

Is it too late to quit?
As hard a s quitting may be, the results are well worth it. In the first year after stopping smoking, the risk of coronary heart disease in women drops sharply. It then gradually returns to "normal"-- that is, the same risk as someone who never smoked. So no matter what your age, quitting will lessen your chances of developing heart disease.

Smoking Cessation

What are the most effective methods for women to stop smoking?
When it comes to quitting smoking, the most effective methods are the same for women and men. First, pick a date to quit. Quitting all at once is much more likely to succeed than trying to cut down gradually. Tell your family and friends about your plans to quit, and ask for their support. Then, before stopping, throw away all your cigarettes, don't keep anywhere you live.

Before you stop smoking, think about the situations, which make you want a cigarette. If you always smoke after a meal, plan what you'll do instead. If you smoke during certain tasks at work, figure out what can replace the cigarette. Some people like to hold something in their hand in certain situations, substituting a pencil or pen can work for them. Many feel comforted by having something in their mouth, sugar free gum or candy, or carrot or celery sticks are good choices. Some people use cigarettes to relax when they are stressed. Substituting walking, reading or meditating can be a good alternative.

Many people need help to quit smoking. Help can come in several forms. Tell your doctor or health care provider you want to quit. They can offer suggestions and support. Being in a support program makes it likelier you'll succeed. Many insurance plans, especially HMOs (Health Maintenance Organizations) offer free support groups or counselors. Some will even contact you at your convenience by phone.

How effective are nicotine "substitutes"?
If you "need" a cigarette when you first get up in the morning, or smoke even when you are sick or in very inconvenient situations, you may be addicted to nicotine. Any smoker who has tried to quit unsuccessfully should consider using nicotine substitutes to try to stop. They can be very effective because many women are addicted to the nicotine in cigarettes. Nicotine substitutes can help women work on the "habit" and "social" parts of quitting first, and then to quit the nicotine later. Nicotine comes in gum, patches, nasal spray, and now, a "puffer" with which you inhale nicotine. Generally, you quit smoking, and use the nicotine as a "substitute" for one or two months, then gradually cut down on the nicotine until you stop that, too. Some nicotine requires a prescription; gum and patches can be bought without one. Talk to your doctor, health care provider, or pharmacist. If you are pregnant or have heart problems, be sure to talk to your doctor or health care provider before using nicotine.

Contributing to this FAQ on Smoking Cessation: Iris Cantor – UCLA Women's Health Center, a National Center of Excellence in Women's Health, sponsored by the Office on Women's Health in the Department of Health and Human Services

For more information on smoking cessation, including tips on how to quit, read the full FAQ at: www.4woman.gov/faq/smoking.htm. You may also visit our A Breathe of Fresh Air: Independence from Smoking Specialty Page at: www.4woman.gov/QuitSmoking.

 

NOVEMBER NATIONAL HEALTH OBSERVANCES

 

GUEST EDITOR FEATURES:

The Guest Editors featured this month are:

English Guest Editor:

"Stress," from the American Diabetes Association

"Stress is a normal part of life, but one that can make it harder to control your blood glucose (sugar). There are several ways to fight stress and make your diabetes control easier…" To read the entire article, please go to: www.4woman.gov/editor/nov01

Spanish Guest Editor:

"La Diabetes Entre los Latinos," de La Asociación Americana de la Diabetes

"Latinos padecen índices de la diabetes y sus complicaciones más altos que la gente americana caucásica no Latina. Al empeorar la situación, Latinos tienen más complicaciones de ganar acceso al cuidado médico y al encontrar médicos hispanohablantes quienes sean sensibles a sus tradiciones y creencias de la salud. Para combatir el creciente problema de la diabetes, todos los Latinos deben darse cuenta de los síntomas y aprender como manejar y prevenir las complicaciones serias de la diabetes…" Para leer el artículo completo porfavor vea al enlace: www.4woman.gov/editor/nov01/s-index.htm.

 

NEW AND UPDATED SECTIONS

Here are the latest Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) revised on the NWHIC web site. Click on the links below for the latest information:

 

COOKING HEALTHY IS EASY – START EATING RIGHT TODAY!

In celebration of Thanksgiving, the following recipes appear courtesy of the American Diabetes Association (www.diabetes.org). Now you don’t have to wonder how to treat your family to a healthy traditional dinner.

Beverages:

Bread:

Side Dishes:

Main Dishes:

Desserts:

 

IMPORTANT NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

COMING SOON to NWHIC!! – The 2002 Women’s Health Daybook: "Women Living Long, Living Well". Call our toll-free call center at (800) 994-9662 and mention the NEWSLETTER to reserve your FREE individual copy today, and pass the word on to your friends!

 

OWH NEWS, INITIATIVES AND CAMPAIGNS

PICK YOUR PATH TO HEALTH (www.4woman.gov/PYPTH)

This initiative is to help women like you take simple and time-sensitive steps to improve your health. It also provides tools for local communities to promote practical, culturally relevant action steps to wellness. It’s never too late to develop a healthy lifestyle. Start with a few easy steps!

NOVEMBER PICK YOUR PATH TO HEALTH THEME – Tobacco Use: Smoking – Costly to your lungs & Your Health.

NOVEMEBER PICK YOUR PATH TO HEALTH PERSONAL ACTION STEPS:

Links for additional information on smoking:

Call our Information Center at: (800) 994-9662 to place your order for the free PYPTH Community Action Kit and Posters, while supplies last!

You can also join the PYPTH listserve for regular updates and community action steps. Visit our home page for details: www.4woman.gov/PYPTH

 

THIS MONTH'S SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS FOR YOUR HEALTH

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

 

WHO IS USING NWHIC'S SERVICES?

In September, the NWHIC web site had 226,251 visitors and received 4,040,561 hits to the site!

Our toll-free Information and referral line received the most calls from New York this month. 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 most popular NWHIC web pages in September were:

Our most frequently asked topics were requests for information on: Our 2002 Daybook (Women Living Well, Living Long), State Health Department, Nutrition, Menopause, and Women's Health.

 

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