Sorority Parents Blog

Greek life, lifetime sorority membership, message from the chairman, sorority life, women's health

Do you take care of yourself? We ask because women often don’t take care of themselves in this era of multi-tasking. If you ask a friend or colleague the last time she had a comprehensive physical exam, we wonder what the answer would be.

To help remind us all that we need to stop, take a breath, and also check up on our physical and emotional well-being, the National Panhellenic Conference is recognizing National Women’s Health Week, which kicks off on Mother’s Day.

The 12th annual national event runs from May 8 to May 14.

NPC’s Creed carries a similar emphasis and stresses that we take care of ourselves physically and mentally by “guarding good health.”

It’s a good mantra for us all and we’d like to encourage our alumnae groups in particular to take part. The weeklong event provides us opportunities to reach out to all the women in our communities and our lives.

You can even take a simple, quick step — such as finding a specific online fact about heart disease, breast cancer or a favorite fitness tip and sharing widely with your alumnae network.

Just like our creed, National Women’s Health Week emphasizes that women should make their health a top priority. It also encourages them to take steps to improve their physical and mental health and lower their risks of certain diseases.

The weeklong health observance coordinated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health. This year’s theme is: “It’s Your Time.” The nationwide observance is celebrated across America in communities, neighborhoods, towns, cities, counties, hospitals, health centers, businesses, schools, places of worship, recreation centers and online.

And we hope it’s shared widely within our Panhellenic circles.

Little things can make a big difference, according to health specialists, including:

• Getting at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate physical activity, 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous physical activity, or a combination of both, each week
• Eating a nutritious diet
• Visiting a health care professional to receive regular checkups and preventive screenings
• Avoiding risky behaviors, such as smoking and not wearing a seatbelt
• Paying attention to mental health, including getting enough sleep and managing stress

During this special health week, organizations large and small will be holding events such as free screenings and health fairs. Anyone who wants to help make women’s health a top priority can celebrate and educate, including NPC groups.

Won’t you join us in sharing great health ideas as well?

If you have a special event in mind to emphasize health awareness and education this month, please share with us on Twitter or Facebook.

And if you’d like an idea for a local event, check out more suggestions here in this newsletter from NPC.

And please listen to the insights of Dr. Cathy Sessums in our NPC podcast this month. As one of the first female obstetrician-gynecologists in Mississippi and a Phi Mu, she shares her observations on health trends for us all.

Visit this link to find related health events in your city and state during National Women’s Health Week.