National Women’s Health Week

Mother’s Day (May 11, 2008 ) kicks off this year’s National Women’s Health week. This is the 9th annual celebration with events held all over the country. The yearly initiative focuses on 4 areas of health:

• regular exercise
• health eating habits
• yearly doctor visits
• refraining from dangerous habits (smoking, etc.)

To find information about events in your area, visit the womenshealth.gov event information page.

According to womenshealth.gov, when a woman takes care of herself and her health improves it positively affects the health of her whole household. Women tend to be the caregivers and when our wives, sisters, mothers, and girlfriends are better taken care of, they will in turn take better care of their loved ones.

One way that women can love their bodies and take care of their health is by taking a multivitamin supplement.

Benefits of a Multivitamin Supplement

A healthy diet is an important factor in the way you look and feel. We all know that we’re supposed to eat a variety of foods including fruits, vegetables, dairy and grains. But let’s be honest—how many of us actually get a well-balanced source of nutrients from our diet alone?

Work, family life, television, sports, social life … all of these things can prevent us from taking the time to eat properly. We often have coffee for breakfast, have been known to skip lunch, and find ourselves driving through for our dinner more often than we’d like to admit.

Our schedules are not about to get less hectic, and as far as I know, McDonald’s isn’t about to offer steamed broccoli on their drive-thru menu. So what do we do? The answer is simple—take a multivitamin. These nutrient-packed capsules of wonder can make a big difference in the way you feel.

So what should you look for in a women’s multivitamin?

• Vitamin D—Helps with the absorption of calcium. Also strengthens bones and may reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis.
• Vitamin A—Boosts immunity and protects vision (so that’s why you mom told you to eat carrots for your eyes). Safest form is beta-carotene, so look for this on the label. Beta-carotene improves skin’s resistance to UV damage.
• Folic Acid—Especially important for women who may become pregnant because it reduces the risk of neural tube birth defects. May also reduce the risk of depression and heart disease.
• Vitamin E—An antioxidant that fights skin cell damage. Reduces risk of heart disease and boosts immunity.
• B6—Helps to maintain hormonal health. Can also reduce morning sickness during pregnancy and may reduce depression.
• B12—Prevents heart disease. Maintains brain and nerve function.
• C—An antioxidant that protects against premature aging. Also boosts immunity.

It is also beneficial to take an Omega-3 supplement along with a multivitamin supplement. Omega 3 fatty acids provide a plethora of benefits, including better circulation, improved mood, reduction of cardiovascular events (such as heart attacks), support brain development and function, and anti-inflammatory properties which promote joint health.