For the Guarding of Good Health: National Women's Health Week

All sororities have a motto, creed, purpose or set of values they strive to live by. The Panhellenic Association as a whole has a creed as well. At the beginning of every council meeting we state this creed. Part of our creed states, "We, as Undergraduate members of woman's fraternities, stand for... (the) guarding of good health..." This week, the National Panhellenic Council and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office on Women's Health are celebrating National Women's Health Week.

 

National Women's Health Week runs from May 8-14 and this year's theme is "It's Your Time". As Panhellenic women it is our time to live up to our creed and make our health a top priority! WomensHealth.gov provides a list of suggestions and steps for women to improve their overall health and wellness. The following are some of their suggestions that I paired with information on campus resources that can help you achieve your health goals!

WomensHealth.gov suggests:

1. 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.

• Take advantage of the Ambler Student Recreation Fitness Center on campus. Remember it is free with your KUID! They have a wide variety of work-out equipment, racquetball and basketball courts and even a rock wall. Check out their website at http://www.recreation.ku.edu/ for more information on services they provide and their hours. 
• Celebrate the sunshine by grabbing some of your sisters and playing tennis, beach volleyball or taking a nice scenic jog around campus! Tennis and beach volleyball courts are open to students and located behind Robinson Gymnasium. Inside Robinson you can also get a great workout by going for a swim. Find open swim hours on their website at http://soe.ku.edu/robinson-center//.   

2. Eating a nutritious diet

• Have a question about healthy eating or want a few more tips and suggestions for healthy snacks? You can attend "Ask-A-Dietitian" at the Ambler Student Fitness Recreation Center every Monday, 3 - 5 pm for free. Registered dietitian Ann Chapman will be there answering any questions and she is also available by appointment to discuss any dietary concerns.
• Student Health Services also offer menu consultations for Greek houses. Talk to your housing director or chapter president and get more information at http://www.studenthealth.ku.edu/services/nutrition.shtml.
• To find more articles about healthy eating and topics like; how to eat healthy in the residence halls, avoiding the Freshman 15 and suggestions of healthy snacks visit the Health Hawk website at http://www.hawkhealth.ku.edu/?q=my-food.

3. Visiting a health care professional to receive regular checkups and preventive screenings.

• Students can visit Watkins Memorial Health Center right on campus! You can either call to set up an appointment or even make your appointment online at http://www.studenthealth.ku.edu/. Check out their website for more information on hours and services offered. 

 4. Avoiding risky behaviors, such as smoking and not wearing a seatbelt

• College can be stressful but sometimes students choose to release that stress and escape reality by engaging in some risky behaviors. Take the e-Chug assessment from Hawk Health at https://interwork.sdsu.edu/echug2/?id=KU&hfs=true for information like how many calories you consume while drinking alcohol, how much money you spend on alcohol and personalized feedback on your drinking habits.
• To read articles about health and safety in nightclub communities, smoking and prescription drug abuse check out the MyEscape section of Hawk Health at http://www.hawkhealth.ku.edu/?q=my-escape.

 5. Paying attention to mental health, including getting enough sleep and managing stress

• Finals week is coming up, which means stress levels are at their highest and hours of sleep are at their lowest. Check out the Academic Access and Achievement Center website for tips on how to study and guidelines for relaxation and reducing stress and http://www.achievement.ku.edu/.
• KU also offers Counseling and Psychological Services for students who would like help managing family and interpersonal relationship problems as well as other stresses of college life. Visit their website for more information http://www.caps.ku.edu/~caps/counseling/.