October 2009 << Healthy Women Today Newsletter << womenshealth.gov

Skip Navigation

Healthy Women Today Newsletter

E-mail this page to a friend

Subscribe to the Healthy Women Today newsletter!

Home > Healthy Women Today Newsletter >

Spotlight on Women's Health

Interview with a woman affected by breast cancer

Carrie's mom was a quiet soul with a big heart. She moved her life from Sri Lanka to America to follow her dream of teaching. But at the young age of 40, with three young children, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. For 10 years, her daughter Carrie saw her through both good times and bad. Read Carrie's interview to learn how she has used the loss of her mother as an instrument of change in her own life.

Read Carrie's story.

What are Thyroid Diseases and How do They Affect Women?

Your thyroid (THY-roid) is a small gland found at the base of your neck, just below your Adam's apple. The thyroid produces hormones that control the rate of many activities in your body, including how fast you burn calories and how fast your heart beats. Millions of people in the U.S. have thyroid diseases. Most of them are women. Thyroid disorders that can affect women include:

Disorders that cause hyperthyroidism
Disorders that cause hypothyroidism
Thyroid nodules
Thyroiditis
Thyroid cancer
Goiter

Learn about thyroid diseases, how they are diagnosed, and their treatments in our updated fact sheet.

What Women Want to Know

Highlights from the womenshealth.gov call center

We received an e-mail from a woman who had taken an HIV test through a service that sends the results through the mail. The first test results she received said she tested positive for HIV. She took two more tests that said she tested negative for HIV. She wanted to know why the first test would come back with a positive result if she was getting negative results now.

We provided her with online resources on HIV testing and told her that if, after reading this information, she was still in need of additional resources, she should contact us again.

Understanding Your Lab Results (PDF, 3.4 MB) (AIDS Community Research Initiative of America)
HIV Transmission: Questions and Answers (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Learn more about women and HIV/AIDS.

Call Us!
1-800-994-9662
TDD: 1-888-220-5446

Trained English- and Spanish-speaking information and referral specialists will find and order free health information or provide referrals to organizations to assist you with any health questions.

Learn more.

Act Now to Help Your Daughter Build Her Best Bones Forever!™

Girls ages 9 to 18 are in their key bone-building years. In girls, close to 90 percent of bone mass is built by age 18. Make sure your daughter is getting the calcium, vitamin D, and physical activity she needs to build strong bones and prevent osteoporosis later in life.

Our new campaign, Best Bones Forever!™, is focused on fun and friendship and empowers girls to "grow strong together, stay strong forever." Your daughter will love the fun and interactive Web site for girls at http://www.bestbonesforever.gov, which includes quizzes, recipes, and activities she can do with her BFF (best friend forever). There's a Web site for you as well at http://www.bestbonesforever.gov/parents. Learn about your own bone health needs, print recipes, and find tips to help your daughter build her best bones forever.

Check out the new Best Bones Forever!™ Web site.

Healthy Recipes for a Healthy Life

Fall is the perfect time to visit a pumpkin patch or apple orchard. After you've spent the day picking these healthy fruits and vegetables, why not create some healthy meals? Check out these recipes from the Fruits and Veggies – More Matters Web site.

Find more recipes from Fruits and Veggies – More Matters.

Health News Headlines

Get more news.

Health Observances

Keep track of upcoming health observances.

With temperatures cooling off, take your fitness routine outside. Grab a friend and go for a hike, go in-line skating, or jog with your kids. Then, keep track of your physical activity with our Woman Activity Tracker. Set personal goals, earn virtual awards, and track your success!

Learn more about the Woman Activity Tracker.

Quick Health Data Online Monthly Spotlight

Every month Quick Health Data Online highlights topics of interest and relevant data available on their Web site. October's spotlight is domestic violence awareness.

Find statistics from your state.

Do you keep a food diary?

Halloween Safety

Keeping your daughter safe is most likely one of your top concerns. With Halloween coming up, your daughter may want to trick-or-treat with a group of friends or go to a Halloween party. These events are opportunities for you to start a discussion about safety. You can help keep your daughter safe by setting and enforcing rules, and by teaching her about the dangers she may face when she's out and about this month. Show your daughter our girlshealth.gov Web page on safety and talk about your expectations.

Find more information for your daughter on having fun and staying safe.

Growing Great Girls Newsletter

Get up-to-the-moment articles and links to information on the issues you're most concerned with as a parent.

Order Your 2010 Women's Health Calendar Today!
Available in English & Spanish

Reserve your copy of the 2010 women's health calendar. This FREE calendar offers information about common health problems and important symptoms to watch out for. You'll also find charts that describe the screenings and immunizations you need, tips on how to get a second opinion and how to read a drug label, and more — all in a handy, portable calendar you can keep with you year round. The calendar is now also available in Spanish!

Use our easy online form for single orders. For bulk orders (more than one copy), call us at 1-800-994-9662.

Order your single copy of the womenshealth.gov calendar.

National Lupus Awareness Campaign

Women are encouraged to visit http://www.couldihavelupus.gov or call 1-800-994-9662 (for assistance in English or Spanish) to learn more about lupus and its symptoms, and to get local resources. Women can also upload their personal stories, post comments, and help create a much-needed communal dialogue about lupus.

Learn more about the National Lupus Awareness Campaign.

The Healthy Woman: A Complete Guide for All Ages is available to order online and in bookstores nationwide. From the nation's leaders in women's health, the Guide covers a broad range of health topics affecting women of all ages.

Order your copy.