In matters of health, women are ”not where they should be” according to Dr. Michelle Berlin, an associate
professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine in this newly released study. Here are a few facts that will disappoint you; I encourage you to read and share this report::
- More women are binge drinking, saying that they have downed five or more drinks at a single occasion in the past month.
- Fewer are being screened for cervical cancer and more women are testing positive for chlamydia.
- Obesity continues to be a problem with 26.4 percent women considered to be obese (24 percent in 2007).
I could not agree more with Judy Waxman, the vice president of health and reproductive rights at the National Women’s Law Center, who spoke to the new health care provisions potential to improve health, and I will be the first to applaud a drop in these numbers. I have to ask, what else are we missing?
I shared this report with most of my girlfriends who were not only disappointed, but, asked the same questions: how did we get here and who are we hanging with? 
I immediately thought of my good friend, JoAnna, who particularly inspires because she climbs a mountain every year-every single year she inserts a real adventure into her life. When I think back over the years of conversations, she has been my biggest cheerleader to get and stay healthy. What is really interesting, is that my daughter respects her..she wants to follow this lifestyle, as well. Work to live, explore and push yourself. While accomplished, JoAnna has never been obsessed with work, she’s obsessed with mastering her obstacles and challenges. Think about it, two different generations of women admiring a woman who has never stopped dreaming big and bizarre. Have I reciprocated all the times that she has encouraged me in my journey as a mother, fake gourmet cook, wife, and most importantly, as a friend? Must I look into the mirror again? Who is in your life? Are they encouraging you to be more healthyminded? Do you need to borrow my girlfriends?
