This Sunday marks a very important day, a day to honor our moms: Mother's Day.  But it also kicks off National Women's Health Week (May 9-15), a weeklong observance coordinated by the Office on Women’s Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

According to the National Women’s Health Information Center, National Women's Health Week "empowers women to make their health a top priority." The theme this year - "It’s Your Time" - outlines some achievable steps that can help the women you care about be on a path to a healthy, happy life - like getting regular exercise, eating a nutritious diet, visiting your doctor for preventative care, avoiding risky behaviors and more.

So when you take your mom some flowers on Sunday (or for those dads out there:  when you bring her breakfast in bed after cooking with your children), remind her to take care of herself.  According to the HHS Web site, research shows that when women take care of themselves, the health of their family improves.

Happy Mother’s Day!