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Living
a long, healthy, and happy life is what most of us hope to
achieve. Meeting those goals requires some determination on
our part. Our lives are often so busy, that many times we
forget to incorporate these basic steps necessary to health,
happiness, and longevity into our daily lives. >>Click
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- All
women should have annualgeneral health checkups
It's important for women to remember to have which
are often not provided by OB/GYNs. From the ages of
25 to 64, all women should have basic screens each
year that include height, weight, and blood pressure.
At the age of 50 screening for colorectal cancer becomes
an important and sometimes lifesaving tool. Your family
physician can perform these checks and order other
diagnostic tests such as cholesterol screening, thyroid
function tests, and other appropriate laboratory or
radiology screenings as needed. And don't forget to
keep your immunizations up-to-date, adults often forget
that tetanus shots provide protection for only ten
years.Although there is debate about when to start
annual mammograms, it is generally sometime between
ages 40 and 50.
Mammography is an important tool in the early diagnosis
of breast cancer.Most importantly, when medications
are prescribed don't forget to take them as prescribed.
If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid
disease, or another condition, taking your medicine
as prescribed is extremely important if you want to
live a long and healthy life.
- The
need for regular dental care doesn't end when we become
adults.
It may actually become more important as we age. Several
diseases are under investigation for their relationship
to oral health
.For example, the risk of cardiovascular
disease has been associated with tooth loss
, and periodontal disease has been linked to pre-term
labor in pregnancy. Cancer of the lip, tongue, pharynx,
and mouth affects approximately 30,000 people every
year. This disease kills almost 8,000 people every
year, or about one person an hour. So, don't forget
to brush, floss, and see your dentist regularly.
- Love
yourself.
Remember to take care of yourself first. You cannot
be good for other people unless your own needs are
met first. When you look in the mirror, are you happy
with what you see? Your self-image can have a tremendous
affect, either positive or negative, on your health
and happiness. Are your relationships healthy ones?
Think about the people who are close to you. Do you
feel like these people respect you? Do you choose
people who are good for you? Or do you choose people
who abuse you in some way? Abuse can be physical,
but it can also be sexual or emotional.
Love yourself. Remember to take care of yourself first.
You cannot be good for other people unless your own
needs are met first. When you look in the mirror,
are you happy with what you see? Your self-image can
have a tremendous affect, either positive or negative,
on your health and happiness. Are your relationships
healthy ones? Think about the people who are close
to you. Do you feel like these people respect you?
Do you choose people who are good for you? Or do you
choose people who abuse you in some way? Abuse can
be physical, but it can also be sexual or emotional.
If your self-image is not what it should be -- if
you choose people in your life who bring you down
or abuse you -- if you feel depressed, emotionally
drained, or anxious -- seek the help of a mental health
professional. This can be anyone from your priest,
minister, or rabbi to a psychiatrist or other licensed
mental health services provider. The most important
rule when choosing a mental health provider is that
you feel comfortable with this person -- that this
person is someone you feel safe sharing your thoughts
and feelings with.
If you are in a situation where you may be physically
harmed, it's important that you get out of that environment
immediately. Contact your local women's shelter, telephone
crisis line, or police department for resources in
your area.
- Everyone
experiences stress.
Stress can be good or bad. Stress is any change in
your normal routine or health. Getting a raise or
promotion is stress, just as getting fired from your
job is stress. Science is constantly learning about
the impact that stress has
on your overall health .Stress is or may
be a contributing factor in everything from backaches
and insomnia to cancer and chronic fatigue syndrome
(many people believe that CFS and fibromyalgia are
the same illness). If you are over-stressed, take
some time to learn a few stress management techniques
and lower your risk of stress-related health conditions.
- Always,
always wear sunscreen! Sunscreen
is important year-round to help prevent skin
cancer, as well as wrinkles and other signs of aging.
You are never too young to start a daily regimen that
includes using a good sunscreen lotion. The most doctor-recommended
line of lotions, some with sunscreen, are called Eucerin.
I've used various products in the Eucerin line since
my daughter was a baby with eczema, and the facial
lotion with sunscreen was recommended by dermatologists
at a skin cancer screening several years ago.
You can find these products at most drugstores, discount
stores, or grocery stores.
- Studies
have shown that regular exercise significantly increases
life expectancy and improves overall health.
Regular physical activity
reduces the risk of cancer (in some cases,
as much as a fifty percent reduction of cancer risk),
heart disease, and osteoporosis. It can reduce or
improve symptoms of menopause, PMS, and diabetes,
as well as numerous other conditions. An improved
self-image and energy level are frequent added benefits
of exercise. Regular exercise is also helpful in the
prevention of one of the most common reasons for doctor's
office visits -- lower back pain. Just 30 minutes
three to five times a week is all it takes to achieve
the health benefits of exercise. If you don't think
you have enough time for exercise, remember that any
amount of exercise is better than no exercise. Once
you establish an exercise routine, you will probably
find yourself feeling so energized that you will be
exercising more than the minimum amount of time required
for good health.
- What
do you eat?
Are you a fast food junkie? Or do you eat a healthy
diet that meets the daily nutritional requirements
set by the USDA? A healthy diet is one that includes
a variety of foods. You must balance the amount of
food that you eat with the amount of activity you
do to maintain or improve your weight. Be sure to
choose a diet that includes plenty of fresh fruits,
vegetables, and grains. Choose foods that are low
in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. Monitor the
amount of salt and sodium in your foods. Eat foods
that contain moderate amounts of sugars. Make sure
you eat properly proportioned servings; for example,
a serving of most types of meat is equal to the size
of a deck of cards. Limit your consumption of fast
foods, and make healthy choices when you must eat
these foods.
- Do
you smoke?
If you do quit! If you don't, don't start! Smoking
is the most preventable cause of death in this country,
yet more than 140,000 women die each from smoking-related
causes. Smoking increases
the risk for many types of cancer, cardiovascular
diseases, early menopause, menstrual problems, and
can play a role in fertility problems. Pregnant women
who smoke put their fetuses at risk for pre-term labor,
low birth weight, premature rupture of the membranes,
placenta previa, miscarriage, and neonatal death.
Their babies must endure nicotine withdrawal during
the first few days of life and these children experience
more earaches, respiratory problems, and other illnesses
that require visits to the pediatrician.
- Don't
forget to buckle up every time you drive or ride in
a motor vehicle
.Seat belts save over 9,500 lives every year.
Wearing a seat belt increases your chance of surviving
an accident by forty-five percent. Observe all traffic
laws when driving. Never drive when drinking, or ride
with a driver who has been drinking alcohol.
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