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 During the stages or seasons of your life there are many aspects of your health that can be positively influenced by things you do have control over. You can choose to not use tobacco, to eat a healthy diet, to be physically active, and to make safe sexual choices. You can decide that your health is important and get checkups and other health screenings as recommended by your health care provider.
For each of the Seasons of a Woman’s Life listed below you will find links to resources that will help you to make health choices, to implement healthy behaviors and to maintain your good health as you grow older.
Please take care of yourself – You are important!
Do it for yourself and for those you love.
 Spring: Adolescents and Young Women up to Age 25
Woman to woman from our nurse:
"Healthy behaviors have a significant impact on your well being - now and for the rest of your life. You make lots of choices every day; why not make them healthy ones!
Healthy choices include: wearing a bike helmet; stop smoking – or better yet – never start; avoiding binge drinking (its hard on the liver and leads to poor decision making); avoid street drugs of any kind: avoid drinking and driving; avoid driving while talking on a cell phone; always wear your seatbelt; engage in regular exercise (minimum 30 minutes, three times a week); eat a healthy diet (low in saturated fats, high in calcium, lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains); if sexually active use birth control including condoms to avoid unintended pregnancy and STDs.
What you eat during this time of your life is very important because you are laying down peak bone mass; so be sure to include several good sources of calcium in your diet every day (it may help prevent osteoporosis later in life). Also an adequate intake of folate (folic acid) prior to pregnancy is important to prevent a type of birth defect (not a problem is you eat a good, well balanced diet). So – please eat a nutritious diet, be physically active, make healthy sexual choices and enjoy your spring years! You are just beginning an exciting journey!"
 Resources to help you make health choices:
National Dairy Council Women's Nutrition Information
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
Office on Women’s Health
www.4girls.gov
Center for Young Women’s Health, Children’s Hospital Boston
www.youngwomenshealth.org/healthinfo.html
Oregon Health and Science University, Young Women’s Health Page
www.ohsu.edu/library/teenhealth/
Wyoming Health Council - Find a Family Planning Clinic Near You
www.wyhc.org/Title_X_services.php
USDA Food and Nutrition Web Site
www.mypyramid.org
American Dairy Association
www.3ADAY.org
President’s Challenge: Physical Activity
www.presidentschallenge.org/home_teens.aspx Free Confidential Mental Health Assessment
Call the Wyoming Behavioral Institute at 1-800-457-9312 Postpartum Support International
1-800-944-4PPD
www.postpartum.net
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 Summer: Women Ages 26-44
Woman to woman from our nurse:
"Women during these years have so many things they have to try to balance – school, home, career, raising a family. Stress can be a major factor in your life! It is so very important to find healthy ways to deal with stress – such as regular exercise and developing a support system. Drinking too much alcohol and smoking don’t help reduce stress – they just create more problems for you! It is often difficult to find time to practice healthy behaviors when you are so very busy – but the payoff in your later years can be huge!
Healthy behaviors during these busy years include getting regular Pap tests; using birth control especially condoms to decrease STDs and risk for unintended pregnancy; obtaining pre-conception care and adequate pre-natal care; getting your blood pressure and cholesterol checked (especially if you have a family history of heart attacks or stroke); and toward the end of the summer years preparing for peri-menopause including starting mammograms.
American woman are waiting a bit longer than their mothers to start families. The average women is 25 years old when she gives birth for the first time and many couples today are postponing child rearing until their 30s and 40s (even thought fertility gradually begins to decline in the mid-30s). While we think everyone knows that drinking, smoking and pregnancy don’t mix, studies show a surprising number of women ignore these warnings. You will have important decisions to make about breast feeding and please be aware of the symptoms of post-partum depression. Recognize if you or another young mother needs help and take action!
By the time you are 30 you will begin to start to lose bone mass so be sure you have an adequate calcium intake and engage in weight bearing exercise and strength training. An adequate intake of folate (folic acid) – every day is important during this time of your life because it helps to prevent a type of birth defect – for safety sake during the summer years - it never hurts to take one of those daily multi-vitamin / mineral supplements!
Please enjoy your summer years – you are in the prime of your life!"
 Resources to help you implement healthy behaviors:
National Dairy Council Women's Nutrition Information The National Women’s Health Information Center
www.4women.gov
Oregon Health and Science University, Women’s Health Page
www.ohsuwomenshealth.com/healthinfo/resources.html
Mayo Clinic Women’s Health Center
www.mayoclinic.com/health/womans-health/wo99999
Wyoming Health Council - Find a Family Planning Clinic Near You
www.wyhc.org/Title_X_services.php
SeeMOMMYrun
www.seemommyrun.com
WalkingInfo.org
http://www.walkinginfo.org/insight/features_articles/excuses/excuses.htm
USDA Food and Nutrition Web Site
www.mypyramid.org
American Dairy Association
www.3ADAY.org
Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
www.wyomingdvsa.org Free Confidential Mental Health Assessment
Call the Wyoming Behavioral Institute at 1-800-457-9312 Postpartum Support International
1-800-944-4PPD
http://www.postpartum.net/
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 Autumn: Women Ages 45-64
Woman to woman from our nurse:
"As women enter the autumn years – they are often concerned about transitioning to menopause and wondering if they are at risk for osteoporosis. Some women are afraid to use hormone replacement therapy (HRT); however there is no need to suffer in silence with menopause symptoms. HRT, when used at the lowest dose needed to relieve hot flashes or other bothersome symptoms for a few years, can significantly contribute to your quality of life. Please talk to your health care provider about this important issue and while you are at it – ask if you need to have a bone density test!
During the autumn years it is also very important that you maintain healthy lifestyle habits and that you get screening tests as recommended by your health care provider - that includes an annual physical! Know what your blood pressure is and get your blood lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides) checked regularly; get yearly mammograms; and have Paps as recommended by your health care provider. Start colorectal cancer screening at age 50 (40 if you have a family history); get regular vision tests and consider having your hearing checked. Early detection of heart disease, diabetes, or breast or colon cancer can make all the difference in survival rates – so be sure to get screened – don’t put it off!
Stress can be a factor in so many women’s lives. You might be juggling full time work while trying to deal with retirement issues, caring for an aging or sick parent, or you may even be raising your grandchildren. Stress can result in indigestion, heart burn, headaches, difficulty sleeping and an increased risk for depression. Please seek professional counseling if you think you might be depressed. Also, remember that a good workout is its own ready made stress buster!
Women often gain weight during the autumn years. Unfortunately, there is no magic pill or fad diet that will truly help! The key is a diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in saturated and trans fats – and a good workout that includes cardiovascular exercise, resistance training and stretching. This will help reduce you risk factors for heart disease, diabetes and other chronic diseases as well as improve your overall strength, balance, and coordination. Enjoy your autumn years – be healthy – and accept the shifting tides of life."
 Resources to help you be healthy:
Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation: Breast Health
National Dairy Council Women's Nutrition Information The National Women’s Health Information Center
www.4women.gov
Oregon Health and Science University, Women’s Health Page
www.ohsuwomenshealth.com/healthinfo/resources.html
Mayo Clinic Women’s Health Center
www.mayoclinic.com/health/womans-health/wo99999
Know Menopause (Wyeth)
www.knowmenopause.com
Women’s Health Source
Provides free breast and cervical screening and diagnostic tests for qualified Wyoming women. 1-800-264-1296
http://wdh.state.wy.us/bccedp/index.asp
Heart Truth – for women
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/hearttruth/whatis/index.htm
WalkingInfo.org
http://www.walkinginfo.org/insight/features_articles/excuses/excuses.htm
USDA Food and Nutrition Web Site
www.mypyramid.org
American Dairy Association
www.3ADAY.org
Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
www.wyomingdvsa.org Free Confidential Mental Health Assessment
Call the Wyoming Behavioral Institute at 1-800-457-9312
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 Winter: Women Ages 65+
Woman to woman from our nurse:
"It’s never too late to make healthy changes! Walking, swimming, gardening - any kind of movement is good – especially if it’s done every day! Play tennis, garden, take classes, enjoy your grandchildren. Maintain an active invigorating life. Whatever you do to keep your heart healthy is good for your mind too! Regularly monitor you blood pressure and blood lipids (cholesterol and triglyceride) and remember those cholesterol-busting drugs (statins) are very helpful if your lipids are elevated. However, avoid a medicine cabinet full of medications prescribed by a myriad of doctors. Be sure there is one health care provider that knows your entire medication list! Remember – your local pharmacist is a free, knowledgeable resource! Stay engaged with the world around you, interact with your friends, join clubs and avoid social isolation. If you find you just don’t enjoy life as much as you used to – please speak with your health care professional. Depression often goes unnoticed and undiagnosed in older adults!
A diet low in saturated and trans fats but high in omega-3 fatty acids (fish such as salmon and tuna), leafy greens and other colorful vegetables (antioxidants), fruits and whole grains will help you to maintain your health. Enjoy your winter years; you are older, wiser and still having fun!"
 Resources to help you stay healthy:
Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation: Breast Health
National Dairy Council Women's Nutrition Information The National Women’s Health Information Center
www.4women.gov
Oregon Health and Science University, Women’s Health Page
www.ohsuwomenshealth.com/healthinfo/resources.html
Guide to Medicare's Preventive Services
http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/10110.pdf
National Institute on Aging
www.nia.nih.gov
Heart Truth – for women
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/hearttruth/whatis/index.htm
 Caregiving in Rural Communities: 12 Tips for Caregivers
http://www.raconline.org/pdf/12tipsforcaregivers.pdf
American Cancer Society
www.cancer.org
National Cancer Institute / Cancer Information Service
http://www.cancer.gov/cancer_information/support/
USDA Food and Nutrition Web Site
www.mypyramid.org
WalkingInfo.org
http://www.walkinginfo.org/insight/features_articles/excuses/excuses.htm Free Confidential Mental Health Assessment
Call the Wyoming Behavioral Institute at 1-800-457-9312 Medicare's New Open Enrollment & Partner Center
www.cms.hhs.gov
Medicare's Rx Point Of Service document
Beneficiary Fact Sheet
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