Healthy Women Today Newsletter

When I think of how many years I spent in school, it's funny to me that as an adult, I still have a desire to keep on learning. When it comes to learning about my health, I'm always reading, listening, and talking to others about what's new. The science of how our bodies work is always being explored, tested, and researched. So there is always something new to learn.

Throughout my work day, new studies on women's health always pique my interest. The thing that impresses me most is that I know there are people out there, besides my friends and family, who want me to be healthy. It's comforting to know people care about keeping me healthy—even if I don't know who they are.

During National Women's Health Week, it's even more apparent. Just look at all the events listed across the country! People want to teach others about the importance of staying healthy. They want to share the findings of their research. The best part is, people attending the events want to learn how to get healthier!

This month, continue learning about new advances in women's health. Read through the news on womenshealth.gov and share one of the stories with someone you care about. Promote women's health and learn something new at the same time!

Valerie Scardino, M.P.A.
Communications Director, Office on Women's Health, HHS

Featured Health Article for May

There has been a lot of publicity about changing the way we live in order to preserve the environment. According to Shannon Hayes, author of The Farmer and the Grill: A Guide to Grilling, Barbecuing, and Spit-Roasting Grass-Fed Meat, and for Saving the Planet, One Bite at a Time, one of those ways includes eating pasture-raised, grass-fed meat. Learn what it means to be "grass-fed," what the differences are between grass-fed and traditionally-fed animals, and what to look for when you buy it. Read more about Shannon's story in this month's Featured Health Article.

Share this important article with other women in your life!

How Can We Help You?

We get hundreds of e-mails from you every month. From thank you letters to serious health questions, we strive to reply with the most accurate and up-to-date health information.

Request of the Month:

We received an e-mail from a woman who was having a hard time getting pregnant. She and her husband had tried artificial insemination several times. During a recent treatment, she became pregnant. Soon after, she started to bleed and eventually miscarried. She wrote about her deep sadness and fear that she will never be able to have a full-term pregnancy. She shared that she feels as though her life is incomplete even though she has a wonderful and loving husband. She mentioned wanting to learn more about in virtro fertilization (IVF) and hormone shots—methods which helped people she knows have successful pregnancies.

We expressed to her that we were sorry for her loss and understand the stress that infertility may cause. We encouraged her to talk to her doctor to learn more about her health and her chances for pregnancy. We also wanted to help her by referring her to publications and organizations that could provide her with more information on infertility treatments, as well as suggest to her that she find a support group in her area.

We recommended specific online publications on pregnancy, infertility, and current treatment options:

• Infertility Information from the FDA

• Healthy Pregnancy Information from womenshealth.gov

• In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Information from the American Pregnancy Association

We suggested she contact the following organizations for more information on infertility:

• Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction (CERHR)
  (703) 838-9440 (Questions about expert evaluations)
  (919) 541-3455 (General questions)

• Office of Population Affairs Clearinghouse, OPA, OPHS, OS, HHS
  (866) 640-7827

• American Fertility Association
  (888) 917-3777

• International Council on Infertility Information Dissemination
  (703) 379-9178

We suggested she also contact the following organization for more information on support and counseling for her loss in her area:

• Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
  (800) 826-3632

May's Featured Health Topic

A feature designed to help you find important health information on womenshealth.gov and girlshealth.gov

Mental Health

Women often juggle multiple roles, which can lead to mental strain and stress. A woman's mental health is more at risk for problems at certain stages of life, such as after having a baby or in the years leading up to menopause. Those factors, combined with balancing work, life, and family can sometimes contribute to the onset of depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders, or make a problem harder to manage.

During May, Mental Health Month, take some time to look at your own stress and anxiety levels and to share any concerns you might have with your doctor, friends, and family. Here are a few resources from womenshealth.gov to help you learn more about mental health.

• Depression
• Stress and Your Health
• Caregiver Stress
• Depression During and After Pregnancy

May Recipes

Spring weather awakens the growing season in many parts of the country. Head to a local farmer’s market to get a taste of the fresh produce abundant in your area. These recipes from Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources are full of good-for-you fruits and vegetables.

New! Meet Stephanie Mockler

Teen and older drivers alike are cautioned not to speed. But for Stephanie Mockler, driving fast is a job. Read Stephanie's interview to find out what drives her to succeed in a sport at which she’s often seen as an outsider and the underdog.

Check Out Our New Look!
Get ready to be blown away by our new design and layout, which includes updated colors, navigation, and search capabilities. Be sure to show all the tweens and teens in your life a preview of the new girlshealth.gov!

Growing Great Girls
Have you signed up for Growing Great Girls, our newsletter for parents of tween and teenage girls? Go to our Parent’s section on girlshealth.gov and click on the yellow subscription box on the right side to register today!

News from womenshealth.gov and the Office on Women's Health (OWH)

Find an Event Near You During National Women’s Health Week
Celebrate the 9th annual National Women's Health Week from May 11, 2008, Mother’s Day, through May 17, 2008.

During the week, families, communities, businesses, government, health organizations, and other groups work together to educate women about steps they can take to improve their physical and mental health and prevent disease, like:

• Engaging in physical activity most days of the week
• Making healthy food choices
• Visiting a health care provider to receive regular check-ups and preventive screenings
• Avoiding risky behaviors, like smoking and not wearing a seatbelt

Find events in your area!

The 2008 WOMAN Challenge begins on Mother's Day!
This month, thousands of women across the country will embark on an eight-week physical activity challenge for better health. They will be part of the WOMAN Challenge: Women and girls Out Moving Across the Nation. The challenge kicks off May 11th and lasts eight weeks, ending on July 5th. Register today!

Daily Updates from womenshealth.gov
Want daily updates from womenshealth.gov? Visit womenshealth.gov's Twitter site to get daily women's health news. We send you daily messages about happenings at womenshealth.gov, as well as information on a wide variety of women's health topics. It's a great way to stay plugged in!

Other News on Women's Health

The Environment and Women’s Health
As the days get warmer and evenings become longer, many of us spend more time outdoors. Learn more about health hazards in our environment and ways to protect yourself and your family in womenshealth.gov's FAQ: The Environment and Women’s Health.