When was the last time you went to the doctor for a health screening? Six months? One year? Three years or more? Girl, it’s time to make that appointment!

National Women’s Health Week is coming up May 13-19, a weeklong health observance coordinated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health. During this week, the 10^th annual National Women’s Checkup Day will be May 14, a day dedicated to encouraging women to visit their health care professionals to receive or schedule checkups, and to promote regular checkups as vital to the early detection of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, mental health illnesses, sexually transmitted infections and other conditions.

What kind of screenings should you get? Here is a general guideline, but please check with your healthcare provider!

During this week, in addition to scheduling your screenings, organizers also want you to focus on:

• Getting active.
• Eating healthy.
• Paying attention to mental health, including getting enough sleep and managing stress.
• Avoiding unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking and not wearing a seatbelt or bicycle helmet.

A lot of events are going on around the country during National Women’s Health Week, including plenty of free screenings and fun get-togethers. Click here to find events close to your city or town.

We’re taking the pledge to schedule our health screenings this month. Will you??

Do you have a birthday coming up? Well, why not celebrate with a mammogram! While this may not seem like a very fun way to celebrate, scheduling your mammogram during your birthday month is a very easy way to remember to get this very important screening every single year.

For most women, a mammogram is the most effective tool used to detect breast cancer. A mammogram uses low-dose X-rays to create an image of the breast tissue and can usually detect lumps that are too small to be felt.

If you’ve never had a mammogram before, it’s recommended that women have an annual mammogram beginning at the age of 40.

If you’re a newbie to mammograms, here is what several experts say you can expect:

• Prior to menopause, you may want to schedule your mammogram for the week following your menstrual period, since your breasts may be less tender.
• You may want to schedule your mammogram early in the day since you cannot wear deodorant, powder, cream or ointment on or in the chest area.
• A mammographer, a skilled radiologic technician in mammographic positioning and techniques, will perform your mammogram. He or she will use a special X-ray machine that delivers low-dose X-rays to the breast and has special platforms or paddles used to compress the breast.
• Is it painful? It depends. Your breasts are being compressed – flattened like a pancake, if you will. Some women say it’s painful, while others say it’s not. We love this video by a mammography center in South Carolina that humorously addresses the pain issue. Regardless, it’s still very important because by spreading and flattening the breast tissue, this ensures a clear view of the breast tissue and reduces the amount of radiation needed to make an image. Your breast will be only compressed for 20 to 30 seconds.
• The entire mammogram procedure takes about 30 minutes.
• A radiologist will then review your X-rays and send a report to your health care provider, who will likely go over it with you.

We admit, the whole mammogram-for-your-birthday thing isn’t like spending a day at the spa or opening a box from Tiffany’s. But, if it saves your life, that’s worth a HUGE party and many more birthdays to come.

Even though Breast Cancer Awareness Month ended in October along with all the promotion surrounding, we can’t let down our guard about breast health just because it’s over.

People sometimes find it difficult to talk about, well, breasts. Agreed, it’s a personal topic. But we at CupCase think it’s critical to overcome that “taboo” so we can talk and be educated about something that’s so important.

The Facts
The American Cancer Society’s most recent estimates for breast cancer in the U.S. are for 2011:

• About 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer in women.
• About 57,650 new cases of carcinoma in situ (CIS) will be found (CIS is non-invasive and is the earliest form of breast cancer).
• About 39,520 deaths from breast cancer (women).

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the U.S., other than skin cancer. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer.

The chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer some time during her life is a little less 1 in 8. The chance of dying from breast cancer is about 1 in 35, though those rates have been going down. This is probably the result of finding the cancer earlier in addition to better treatment. Right now there are more than 2½ million breast cancer survivors in the U.S.

Take Charge. Be Proactive.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) says there is no sure way to prevent breast cancer, but there are things you can do to reduce your risk and increase your odds if cancer does occur.

ACS suggests you lower your risk of breast cancer by limiting alcohol use, exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy weight. You should also perform a monthly self-examination, see your doctor regularly and get mammograms when recommended. For women who are at risk, there is genetic testing, along with other preventative procedures that can be discussed with a doctor.

Early detection is a key to increasing your odds if cancer does occur.  Click here for more information on how breast cancer is found and how you can perform self exams.

CupCase cares. We want you to take charge, be proactive and keep “’em” healthy.