How To Practice Being Your Own Advocate During National Women’s Health Week
Every May, we observe National Women’s Health Week — a time dedicated to encouraging women to prioritize their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Far too often, women set their own health aside to prioritize the needs of others. Women’s Health Week serves as a gentle reminder to pause, reflect, and ask an important question: Am I taking care of me?
4 Ways To Practice Being Your Own Health Advocate
- Schedule that Appointment.
Yes, that appointment. Have you been putting off your annual visits to your OB-GYN, dentist, or primary care provider? Remember that these appointments exist for a good reason: to let you catch issues early. Make sure to get screenings for breast cancer, cervical cancer, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol — especially if you have a family history. Prevention is powerful. If you find yourself struggling to stay on top of check ups, you should make use of Motivation Alliance’s Preventive Care page! This page gives you a simple way to keep track which check ups you’ve attended and which are still pending on a year by year basis. - Make Movement a Priority
Exercise is one of the single most effective ways to improve your overall health, which is why it is essential to make it a priority in your daily life. Advocating for yourself means finding an exercise routine that works for you, and setting aside time to follow it. It is often tempting to compromise what is best for us to do a favor for a friend or stay at work a bit later, but it should not come at the cost of our health. Following an exercise routine is a fantastic way to make a habit of putting your wellness first. - Give Your Mental Health the Attention It Deserves
Despite a large body of evidence suggesting that women experience anxiety and depression at higher rates than men, many women are fearful of open conversations about their mental health challenges, fearing that doing so will make them a burden to those closest to them. If you find yourself struggling in this way, remind yourself that health advocacy is not limited to physical illness and injury. Advocating for your mental health may include (but is not limited to), taking time off from work, setting appropriate boundaries with people in your life, and setting time aside to see a therapist. - Stay On Top Of Your Medical Information
Remember that you will always be the best advocate for your own health, and so you owe it to yourself to take that responsibility seriously. Keep notes on important medical information like lab results and screenings, current prescriptions, and underlying conditions. In addition to your own notes, having honest conversations with the others in your family about their health challenges can help identify risks early. This empowers you to make informed decisions about screening and prevention strategies, and can give you a fuller picture of future health challenges you are likely to face. - Be Assertive When Getting Help
It is normal to feel nervous about speaking up for yourself, especially in formal environments like seeing a healthcare professional. In situations like this, remind yourself that healthcare professionals want to help you, but they can only make decisions based on the information you give them. Don’t be afraid to correct mistakes, ask questions, and trust your intuition. Seek out a second opinion if you feel like your doctor is rushing you, not listening to you, taking too long to follow up, or otherwise not taking your concerns seriously. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t downplay it. Your voice matters — especially when it comes to your well-being.
This Women’s Health Week, commit to making your health a priority — not just for you, but for your loved ones who depend on you. Share your story, encourage a friend to schedule a check-up, or start a conversation about self-care. Because empowered women empower each other.
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Resources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, September 23). Products – data briefs – number 379 – September 2020. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db379.htm
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 14). Celebrating Women’s Health Week! Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/womens-health/features/nwhw.html
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2024, April 17). Routine screening tests for women as they enter midlife and beyond. Mayo Clinic. https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/women-health/routine-screening-tests-for-women-as-they-enter-midlife-and-beyond/
World Health Organization. (2015, February 15). Ten top issues for women’s health. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/ten-top-issues-for-women%27s-health
Disclaimer:
We want you to be well and to live your best life. The content in this blog is provided for the purposes to educate and entertain you: our very important reader. It is not intended as medical advice or as substitute for medical advice from a trained healthcare professional.
If you have a medical condition or are under the care of a medical provider, please always seek the advice of a qualified medical professional before undertaking a new health care regimen. To that point, never disregard medical advice or delay treatment for a medical condition because of something you read on this site.
Listen to your care providers as they know you and your conditions best. Thank you for reading!
The Team at BSDI