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 Healthy Living
How to Take Charge of Your Health
Part of learning how to take charge of your health involves understanding your risk factors for different diseases. Risk factors are things in your life that increase your chances of getting a condition or disease. Some risk factors are beyond your control, such as your age, sex, family history, race or ethnicity or health problems you may have. Risk factors you can control include:
- What you eat
- How much physical activity you get
- Whether you use tobacco
- How much alcohol you drink
- Whether you use illegal drugs
- Whether you use prescription drugs only as prescribed
- Whether you have unprotected sex
- Whether you wear your seatbelt
You can have one risk factor for a disease or you can have many. The more risk factors you have, the more likely you are to get the disease. How do you find out what risk factors you have? Schedule a yearly general checkup and ask your provider about your personal health risks and what you can do to lower your risks.
Steps to healthy living
Together, these powerful steps will help you to take charge of your health and control many risk factors for disease.
Know your health care options:
- If you have health insurance, learn about your benefits and preventative services.
- If you need health insurance, visit http://www.healthcare.gov to learn what options you have under the new health care reform law.
Get important tests and immunizations:
- Ask your provider what screening tests and vaccines you need and how often you need them. Screening tests can help find health problems early, such as high blood pressure, breast cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, and bone loss. Vaccines can protect you from harmful infections, such as flu and human papillomavirus (HPV).
Eat healthy:
- Fruits and vegetables, vary the colors to give your body a wide range of nutrients.
- Grains, at least half of your grains should be whole grains, such as whole wheat, oatmeal and brown rice.
- Fat-free or low-fat versions of milk, cheese, yogurt, and other milk products.
- Fish, skinless poultry, lean red meats, beans, eggs, and nuts.
- Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.
- Limit foods high in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, and added sugars.
- Plan weekly menus to save money and time and to avoid unhealthy takeout foods.
- Start your day with a healthy breakfast.
- Get enough calcium and vitamin D every day to keep your bones strong. Ask your provider how much you need of each.
Get enough folic acid
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If you are able to get pregnant, you need 400 to 800 micrograms (400 to 800 mcg or 0.4 to 0.8 mg) of folic acid every day, even if you are using birth control and not planning for pregnancy. You can make sure you get enough by taking a vitamin with folic acid every day.
Get moving
- Do at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity or 1 hour an d15 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity each week, or an equal combination of the two. Do aerobic activities for at least 10 minutes at a time. Aerobic activities make you breathe harder and your heart beat faster. Walking fast, dancing, and raking leaves are examples of moderate-intensity activities. Jogging, jumping rope, swimming laps, and riding a bike on hills are examples of vigorous activities.
- Do muscle strengthening activities on two or more days each week.
- Start slowly if you have been inactive.
- Talk to your provider if you have a chronic health problem to find out what physical activities are good for you.
- Use your calendar to make physical activity a part of your weekly routine.
Quit smoking
- The minute you quit smoking, your health begins to improve and you begin to lower your long-term risk of many serious diseases. Talk to your provider about quitting smoking.
- Keep your teeth and gums healthy
- Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste at least twice daily
- Get regular check-ups; ask your dentist how often you need a dental and oral cancer exam
Limit alcohol
If you choose to drink alcohol, do so in moderation.
- One drink equals:
- 12 fluid ounces of regular beer
- 5 fluid ounces of wine
- 1.5 fluid ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits
Manage stress
- Set realistic standards and goals. Use a calendar to avoid taking on too much.
- Make time each day to relax and unwind, even if only for a few minutes.
- Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep every night.
- Reach out to people who encourage and support you, ask for help when needed.
- Find outlets, such as a hobby or volunteer work.
- Learn healthy ways to cope with daily stress.
- Talk to your provider if emotional problems interfere with daily living.
- If you are having thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255).
Practice safe sex
- Keep in mind that you cannot tell if a person has a sexually transmitted infection (STI) by the way he or she looks. Many STI’s have no symptoms.
- Be faithful.Having sex with one uninfected partner who only has sex with you will lower your risk of getting a STI.
- Use a condom correctly and every time you have vaginal, anal, or oral sex to lower your risk of STIs. Most birth control methods do not protect against STIs.
- Ask you provider if you should be tested for STIs and if and when you should be retested.
Know you HIV status
Practice sun safety
- Apply sunscreen that is at least SPF15 and that blocks both UVA and UVB rays (broad spectrum).
- Avoid sun exposure between 10 am and 4 pm.
- Wear a hat, protective clothing, and sunglasses to help blocks he sun’s harmful rays.
- Tell your provider about any new moles or mole changes.
Use medicines safely
- Follow directions carefully.
- Keep taking your prescription medicines until your provider tells you it is okay to stop – even if you are feeling better.
- Tell your doctor about ALL the medicines, vitamins, minerals, and herbs you use. This is especially important if you are or are planning to become pregnant.
- Keep track of all your medicines and store them safely.
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