Contents Staying Healthy More Resources for Good Health |
2. Staying HealthyHow To Take Charge of Your HealthEvery day, you have a chance to make good choices about your health. This section tells you how to make good choices. Choosing a Healthy Lifestyle"I knew I wanted to lose weight, so I came up with a plan. I set my goals for a month at a time. The first month, I decided to trade my usual high-fat desserts for low-fat yogurt or a piece of fruit. I also set a goal of walking 30 minutes a day, 4 days a week. As the months went by, I improved my habits even further. I've lost 7 pounds, and I'm determined to keep going." —Maria S. You may ask yourself, "How do I begin to improve my health habits?" A good way to start is to set small goals instead of large ones that you won't be able to meet. For example, instead of setting a goal of losing 15 pounds in the next year, set some smaller goals for eating better and being more active. You may decide to trade your morning donut for a bowl of cereal or start taking the stairs instead of the elevator at work. Reducing Your Risk for Heart DiseaseMany of the sections in this booklet have information to help you reduce your risk for heart disease. Overall, you can reduce your risk if you:
Watching Your WeightBeing overweight increases your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Your doctor can tell you what you should weigh for your height. To stay at a healthy weight, you need to balance the number of calories you eat with the number you burn off by your activities. You can get to your healthy weight and stay there by doing two things: eating right and being physically active. The next two sections,"Eating Right" and "Keeping Active," provide some helpful hints. Keep track of your weight. Use the Checkups and Tests Record (PDF File, 21 KB, PDF Help; Text Version). Eating RightEating the right foods and the right amounts can help you live a longer, healthier life. Many illnesses and conditions—such as heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes—can be prevented or controlled by eating right. A healthy diet also provides the vitamins and minerals you need. It is never too late to start eating right. Here are some helpful tips. Eat a variety of foods, including:
Limit calories and saturated fat.Foods high in saturated fats are high in calories, so they can cause weight gain. They also increase your cholesterol levels. Try to limit:
Unsaturated fats do not raise cholesterol levels. Foods with unsaturated fat include vegetable oils, fish, avocados, and many nuts. Watch portion sizes.Don't choose "super" or other oversized portions. Be aware of how much you eat. Keeping ActivePhysical activity can help prevent:
Physical activity helps you feel better overall. What to DoAll kinds of physical activity will help you stay healthy, whether it is moderate or vigorous. It's a good idea to aim for at least moderate activity—such as brisk walking, raking leaves, house cleaning, or playing with children—for 20 to 30 minutes most days of the week. Generally, the more active you are, the healthier you will become. How to Get Started and Keep at ItIf you have not been active, start slowly. Choose something that fits into your daily life. Choose an activity you like, or try a new one. Activities such as dancing, swimming, or biking can be fun. Ask a friend to exercise with you, or join a group. Make time in your day for physical activity. If the weather is bad, try an exercise show on TV, watch an exercise tape, walk in the mall, or work around the house. Preventing Skin CancerSkin cancer is often preventable. You can lower your risk for skin cancer by:
Preventing InjuryFollowing basic safety rules can prevent many serious injuries. Here are two checklists to follow to help keep you and your family safe. To help protect yourself at home:
To help protect yourself away from home:
Taking Medicines CorrectlyAlways be sure you know everything about a medicine before you take it. This information will help you get the full benefits from your medicine. It will also help you avoid taking too much or too little of a medicine. Taking medicine in the wrong way can make you worse instead of better. To keep track of the medicines you are taking, fill in the Medicine Minder (PDF File, 22 KB, PDF Help; Text Version). You may want to bring the chart with you when you go to your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist. Your Medicine: Play It Safe (AHRQ Publication No. 03-0019) gives practical tips on how to take medicines safely. To get a print copy, call the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Publications Clearinghouse at 1-800-358-9295 or E-mail at ahrqpubs@ahrq.gov. Making Smart Choices About Sexual and Reproductive Health"My friends at college have been talking about how common chlamydia is among women our age. I asked my gynecologist about it. She said that often sexually active women have chlamydia but have no symptoms, so they don't get treated. She said it can cause serious problems. I got tested and was relieved to find out I don't have it." —Lucy S. This section offers information about sexually transmitted diseases and birth control. There are also tips for women about getting enough folic acid during pregnancy and what to expect from menopause. Sexually Transmitted DiseasesSexually transmitted diseases, such as chlamydia, HIV infection, herpes, syphilis, gonorrhea, and hepatitis B, are passed easily from one person to another during sex. Sexually transmitted diseases may cause serious health problems. For example, HIV causes AIDS. Hepatitis B can cause liver damage, including liver cancer. Many STDs can harm a pregnancy and the health of the baby. Some, such as chlamydia, can lead to infertility. If you have sex, you may be at risk for a sexually transmitted disease. Your risk is increased if:
If you are at increased risk for sexually transmitted diseases, talk to your doctor about whether you should be tested. This is especially important because some diseases, such as chlamydia, may have no symptoms. Serious health problems may develop before you realize you have a disease. You can greatly lower your risk for sexually transmitted diseases by using a male latex condom every time you have sex. If you are allergic to latex, use a polyurethane (soft plastic) or synthetic condom. Planning Your FamilyIf you have sex and are not ready to have a child, you and your partner may want to use some form of birth control. Many birth control methods are available for men and women. Each has advantages and disadvantages. The condom is the only birth control method that protects against most STDs, including HIV/AIDS. Use a latex condom. If you are allergic to latex, use a polyurethane (soft plastic) or synthetic condom. Whichever birth control method you choose, remember that, for it to work, you must use it all the time and use it correctly. Especially for WomenFolic Acid During Childbearing YearsIf you are a woman who can become pregnant, you should take at least 400 micrograms (or 0.4 mg) of folic acid every day. Folic acid, also known as folate, is a B-vitamin that can be found in some enriched foods and in vitamin pills. If you have enough folic acid in your body when you become pregnant, this vitamin can lower the risk for birth defects of your baby's brain or spine. You need to be taking the vitamin before you become pregnant because, by the time you know you are pregnant, birth defects may already have formed in your child. To get the folic acid you need:
Menopause and BeyondThe time when your menstrual cycle stops for good is called menopause. Most women reach menopause in their late 40s or early 50s. During the years leading up to menopause, levels of two female hormones, estrogen and progesterone, begin to change. These changes signal that your body is getting ready to stop menstruating. This time leading up to menopause is called perimenopause. Most women begin perimenopause between ages 35 and 50. Perimenopause usually lasts around 5 to 7 years. You can still get pregnant during this time, so you may want to use some method of birth control. For many women, the shifting levels of hormones during perimenopause cause physical and emotional changes. Some of these changes may be uncomfortable, but there are many ways to relieve the discomfort. The changes could include any of the following:
If you have not had a period for at least a year, you are likely to be in menopause. At this point, your hormone levels drop, so you are no longer producing eggs. Once this happens, there is no chance of becoming pregnant. What happens after menopause?
Hormone Therapy. Hormone therapy increases the levels of the hormones estrogen, progesterone, or both in your body. If you are approaching menopause or have gone through menopause, you may be considering hormone therapy to relieve symptoms of menopause or to reduce your risk for diseases such as osteoporosis. Hormone therapy may reduce your risk for fracture, bone thinning, and colorectal cancer. On the other hand, there is evidence that some hormone therapies may increase your risk for breast cancer, heart disease, blood clots, stroke, and gall bladder disease. For women with mild or no symptoms of menopause, the potential harms of hormone therapy may outweigh the benefits. If you are considering hormone therapy, it is important to be well informed about these benefits and harms and how they apply to you specifically. Your doctor can help you decide. Overcoming Depression"I started making excuses to avoid social occasions. I guess I knew something was wrong, but I felt too low to do anything about it. Luckily, my wife pushed me to talk to my doctor about depression. The doctor recommended counseling and trying some medicines. Now it's hard to believe how depressed I was. I feel relieved every day." —Rodney F. Everybody feels "down" or "blue" sometimes. But, if these feelings are very strong or last for most of the day nearly every day for 2 weeks or longer, they may be due to a medical illness called depression. The good news is that depression can be treated. You do not have to face this problem without help. Here are some warning signs of depression.Changes in the way you feel:
Changes in sleeping and eating habits:
Changes in daily living:
If you have had most of these symptoms for at least 2 weeks, you may be suffering from depression. Talk to your doctor about whether you are depressed and what you should do about it. The sooner you get treatment for depression, the sooner you will begin to feel better. The longer you wait, the harder depression is to treat. Depression usually is treated with counseling, medicine, or both. Medicines for depression are not addicting or habit forming. They work for people with severe depression and may be useful for people with mild to moderate depression. Treatment works gradually over several weeks. If you do not start to feel better after this time, tell your doctor. It may take some time to find what works best for you. Getting Help for Smoking and Alcohol or Drug Abuse"I tried at least half a dozen times before I quit smoking for good. This time, I think I've licked it. But I know I have to be careful. Even after 6 months, I stay away from places where people are smoking." —Jeff H. SmokingMore than 430,000 Americans die each year from smoking. Smoking causes illnesses such as cancer, heart and lung disease, stroke, and problems with pregnancy. When you quit, you lower your chances of getting sick from smoking. Quitting is hard. Most people try several times before they quit for good. When you are getting ready to quit:
When you quit:
The following tools from the U. S. Public Health Service can help you quit smoking:
To get free copies, call the AHRQ Publications Clearinghouse at 1-800-358-9295 or E-mail ahrqpubs@ahrq.gov. Alcohol or Drug AbuseAbusing alcohol or drugs can cause serious medical and personal problems. Alcohol and drug abuse can lead to accidents, depression, and problems with friends, family, and work.
Drug use can cause heart and breathing problems. Alcohol abuse can cause liver disease, heart problems, and several kinds of cancer. Here are some suggestions about drugs and alcohol:
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