Eight Ways to Help Make Mother’s Day Healthy
Sunday, May 8, is Mother’s Day, and the start of National Women’s Health Week. National Women's Health Week (May 8-14) encourages women to make health a top priority and to take simple steps to achieve a longer, healthier, happier life. Here’s our list of a few ways to make Mother’s Day a special day of health.
Show her your sweet side.
Include fruit in any meal or snack you prepare. Fruits and vegetables contain essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber that may help protect us from certain diseases.
Remind her that you heard her when you were young.
“Eat your vegetables” is one of several things mothers are known for saying to kids. Vegetables are a natural source of energy and give the body many nutrients we need to keep going. Find what’s in season and add a variety of colors and flavors to anything you prepare.
Be original. Give her a nice healthy present.
- Offer to change the batteries in the smoke detector if they haven’t been changed recently.
- Help her get prepared for spring and summer storms.
- Get her a fabulous spring hat for sun protection against skin cancer.
- If she’s a senior, help reduce her risk for falls by making her home safer. Falls can lead to injuries, such as hip fractures and head traumas. Falls are also the leading cause of non-fatal injuries for all children ages 0 to 19.
- Learn together the common symptoms of a heart attack and what to do in case of one. Make the Call. Don’t Miss a Beat.
Make it easy by doing those things for yourself first. If she resists, your response can be “I did it. It’s easy.”
Mind your manners.
Don’t add to her stress. Stress can manifest in a variety of ways. If she is stressed, help her get the right care and support she needs.
Put your foot down, and raise your arm too.
Get some physical activity with your mom. Encourage her to go for a walk, help her plant her garden, ride your bicycles together (with helmets), take her dancing, or anything else that will help you both get the recommended 2½ hours of moderate physical activity each week.
Clear the air.
If you smoke, quit. Second hand smoke, the smoke she (and others) inhale from you or someone else smoking, is dangerous. There is no safe amount of secondhand smoke. Breathing secondhand smoke for a short time can hurt the body. Fortunately, people who stop smoking greatly reduce their risk for disease and premature death. Although the health benefits are greater for people who stop at earlier ages, cessation is beneficial at all ages. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) for more information.
Send her healthy text messages if she is pregnant or a new mom.
Sign up for text4baby. Text4baby is a free service that provides pregnant women and new moms with free cell phone text messages each week with tips on having a health pregnancy and raising a healthy baby. These messages are timed to a woman's due date or the baby's date of birth.
Send her an e-card.
Show her you care about her health. Send her a health e-card and add a special message.
This service is provided by the CDC Office of Women’s Health. Email comments or suggestions to owh@xxxxxxx. For more information about women’s health, visit www.cdc.gov/women.
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