In the midst of all that women do, too many forget to dedicate time to health.  This week, Arizona joins the nation in observing Women’s Health Week.  It’s a way to remind women that taking care of themselves is essential to living longer, healthier and happier lives. Research shows that when women take care of themselves, the health of their family improves, too.

The top killers of women in Arizona are heart disease, cancer, and stroke. In addition, the rate of obesity is increasing among Arizona women, which is a problem that can lead to heart disease and diabetes. 

Many factors cause disease, but screening tests can find diseases early, when they are easier to treat.  Women should talk to their doctors and find out when and how often to have important tests.

Women can take the necessary steps to better health, including being physically active, eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, quitting smoking, drinking alcohol in moderation and avoiding alcohol if pregnant.

We’re proud to have taken actions on the state level to promote the health of families, and women in particular. We’ve fought for funding to provide breast and cervical cancer screenings to thousands of Arizona women, and increased the number of Arizona mothers who receive prenatal care in the first trimester of pregnancy.