National Women’s Health and Fitness Day

Teo Miranda-Moreno

The Women’s National Health and Fitness Day started on Wednesday, September 30, 2022 and has since been celebrated on the last Wednesday of ever September as the largest annual health promotion for women of every age. Everything written should be considered as advice that can be followed by user’s discretion. I will be covering how to stay safe and healthy during COVID times, some of the best chest exercises for upper-body workouts, prevention to maternal deaths, and extra websites you should check out on your own time.

How to Stay Healthy and Active Through COVID

Though it might seem like a challenge to stay physically active throughout social distancing, activity reduces blood pressure, anxiety, and helps you sleep better. Children 3-5 need activity throughout the day, children and teens of ages 6-17 need at least an hour of vigorous physical activity daily, and adults need 150 minutes a day of moderate intensive activity. Vacuuming, mowing the grass, taking walks around the neighborhood, or catching up on family play time count as all great ways you can stay physically active at home.

Even though it might seem Covid is behind you, depending on the risk of Covid for your community, you might want to consider wearing a mask in public facilities. If you are at high risk for getting very sick, wear a high-quality mask or respirator and consider avoiding non-essential indoor activities in public where you could be exposed.

Best Chest Exercises for Upper-Body Workouts

HAND RELEASE PUMP

Works all your major muscles including your triceps

How to:

1. Start in a high plank position with shoulders over wrists.

2. Keep core tight, bend elbows, and lower body all the way down on to the floor.

3. At the bottom, lift hands a few inches into the air.

4. Replace hands, then press back up to start. That's one rep.

BEAR PLANK SHOULDER TAP

In addition to working your chest, it fires up your core after a couple repetitions

How to:

1. Start on all fours with knees elevated a few inches off of floor.

2. Keep back flat and shoulders and hips level while lifting left hand up off mat and bending at elbow to tap right shoulder with it.

3. Replace left hand, then repeat on the opposite side. That's one rep.

ISOMETRIC CHEST SQUEEZE

Simple move that brings on the burn!

How to:

1. Hold a pair of dumbbells together at chest height, with elbows bent and palms facing in.

2. Stand up straight with left foot slightly in front of right, hips facing forward.

3. Squeeze the dumbbells together and press them straight up until elbows lift slightly above shoulders. Hold for up five seconds, then return to start. That's one rep.

For more, visit https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/g26871210/best-chest-exercises/.

Prevention to Maternal Deaths

According to a new CDC report on September 20, 2022, more than 80% of U.S. maternal deaths across a 2-year period were due to preventable causes. Mental health conditions such as overdose or death by suicide was the leading situation, followed by hemorrhage, or extreme bleeding. Black mothers were also three times as likely as white mothers to die and more likely to die from heart problems. Hispanic mothers, who made up 14% of deaths, were more likely to die from mental health conditions. Systemic change must occur to make care, diagnosis, and treatment more available to mother’s in complete need. Hemorrhage should be completely preventable if the tools and guidelines were set properly. In addition, the need for mental health resources during pregnancy and post partum continues to grow and must be addressed as soon as possible.

More Sources to Visit

Fitness Challenges in the Women’s Health Magazine-

https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/

Tips for Pregnant Moms and More Related Resources-

https://wicworks.fns.usda.gov/resources/tips-pregnant-moms

Sources

https://publichealthmaps.org/calendar/2020/9/30/national-womens-health-and-fitness-day

https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/how-to-be-physically-active-while-social-distancing.html

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fprevent-getting-sick%2Fhow-to-wear-cloth-face-coverings.html