Dr. Donnica's Top Ten Tips for Staying Healthy
It actually takes very little time each day to do the top 10 things all women
should do to stay healthy:
- Get a good night's sleep! Most American women are walking around--and worse,
driving--sleep deprived.
- Brush and floss your teeth routinely! Good oral hygiene protects your overall
health, not just your teeth.
- Eat a balanced diet that includes 5 servings of fruits and veggies per day
and don't skip the protein! If you want to cut calories, focus on the carbs.
This will give you more energy as well. And don't skip breakfast! (Coffee
and danish on the run doesn't count).
- Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water per day. This is good for so many of your
bodily functions and may reduce your risk of colon cancer by 40%.
- Think about what vitamins and supplements you should be taking and take
them! Most women ages 20-40 can benefit from a daily multi-vitamin and calcium
supplementation as well.
- If you read SELF magazine, you know how important exercise is. But if you
can't get to the gym or do your regular workout, put a brisk 20-minute walk
on the agenda.
- If you are taking any prescription medicines, including birth control pills, be
sure to take them AS DIRECTED. This can save you a tremendous amount of time,
energy, and aggravation.
- If you haven't had your annual physical yet, take the time TODAY to schedule
it. If you are 35 or older, keep track of when you're due for your next mammogram.
All women over 18 should have routine PAP smears as well.
- Don't waste time obsessing about any aspect of your health, especially your
weight. If there's a problem, identify it and take the steps you need to
take to deal with it.
- We're so focused on being go-getters, that we often forget that to destress,
we need to rest! Physically and mentally. Don't forget to take some time
out--even a minute here and there--to focus on clearing your thoughts and
giving your mind, body and spirit a chance to rejuvenate. Be sure to "hug
yourself" at least once a day and ideally, hug someone else as well.
Created: 8/4/2003 - Donnica Moore, M.D.
|
