10 Tips for Maintaining Your Health

When you think of nurturing your health, what comes to mind? Good health goes way beyond your doctor’s office. It lives in the healthful choices you make each day—from eating a variety of fruits and vegetables and exercising to arming yourself with the information you need to welcome a new baby into your life, quitting smoking or managing a chronic health condition.

One of the most important things you can do to keep yourself and your family healthy is to follow recommended health maintenance and disease prevention guidelines. Health maintenance guidelines are chock full of information about immunizations, tests and evaluations recommended for healthy individuals and how often they should be completed based on your age and gender.

Read more recommended health maintenance and disease prevention guidelines or talk with your primary care doctor.

 Healthy Cheat Sheet

1. Make sure your screening tests and immunizations are up to date.

2. Exercise aerobically for at least 30 minutes each day.

3. Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight

4. Eat foods low in saturated fat and trans-fatty acids and high in calcium and fiber with plenty of fruits and vegetables.

5. Practice safe sex. Use condoms and a reliable method of contraception.

6. Do not smoke and avoid inhaling others’ cigarette smoke.

7. Do not drive or let others drive while under the influence of alcohol or mind-altering substances. Use sports helmets. Observe safety regulations for car airbags, seatbelts and car seats.

8. Seek help early for depression, mood changes, alcohol or drug abuse.

9. Protect your skin and eyes from sun damage with sun block, clothing and sunglasses that protect from UV and HEV (“blue light”) rays. Perform regular skin self-examinations.

10. Create balance in your life between work, home and play time. Include stress reduction activi­ties into every day.