Tips for Staying Healthy

 

A healthy lifestyle can help you thrive throughout your life. Making healthy choices isn't always easy, however. It can be hard to find the time and energy to exercise regularly or prepare healthy meals. However, your efforts will pay off in many ways, and for the rest of your life.

 

Steps you can take:

• Be physically active for 30 minutes most days of the week. Break this up into three 10-minute sessions when pressed for time. Healthy movement may include walking, sports, dancing, yoga, running or other activities you enjoy.
• Eat a well-balanced, low-fat diet with lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Choose a diet that is low in saturated fat and cholesterol, and moderate in sugar, salt and total fat.
• Avoid injury by wearing seatbelts and bike helmets.
• Don't smoke, or quit if you do.
• Drink in moderation if you drink alcohol. Never drink before or while driving, or when pregnant.
• Ask someone you trust for help if you think you might be addicted to drugs or alcohol.
• Brush your teeth after meals with a soft or medium bristled toothbrush. Also brush after drinking and before going to bed. Use dental floss daily.
• Stay out of the sun, especially between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. when the sun's harmful rays are strongest. You are not protected if it is cloudy or if you are in the water — harmful rays pass through both.

 

Maintaining a Healthy Outlook

Women today have busy, demanding lives. You may feel pulled in different directions and experience stress from dealing with work, family and other matters, leaving little time for yourself. Learning to balance your life with some time for yourself will pay off with big benefits — a healthy outlook and better health.

Steps you can take:

• Stay in touch with family and friends.
• Be involved in your community.
• Maintain a positive attitude and do things that make you happy.
• Keep your curiosity alive. Lifelong learning is beneficial to your health.
• Healthy intimacy takes all forms but is always free of coercion.
• Learn to recognize and manage stress in your life
• Good ways to deal with stress include regular exercise, healthy eating habits and relaxation exercises, such as deep breathing or meditation. Talking to trusted family members and friends can help a lot. Some women find that interacting with their faith community is helpful in times of stress.
• Get enough sleep and rest. Adults need around eight hours of sleep a night.
• Talk to your health care provider if you feel depressed for more than a few days; depression is a treatable illness. Signs of depression include feeling empty and sad, crying a lot, loss of interest in life, and thoughts of death or suicide. If you or someone you know has thoughts of suicide, get help right away.