what are to components of good health and evaluating a person's future risk of
disease?
- Personal
history and prior illness
- Life style
habits including:
- Diet
-
Exercise
- Smoking
- Alcohol use
- Safety belts
- Safe sex practices
- Family history of inheritable diseases
such as breast cancer, colon cancer, diabetes, and hypertension.
- Physical
examination to evaluate blood pressure, body mass index, breast exam and so forth.
- Regular screening tests, including
blood sugar test, cholesterol, pap smears and mammography for women, and flexible
sigmoidoscopy (endoscopic exam of the colon).
what
are specific screening recommendations?
For Men and Women:
- Blood pressure
check with every periodic health examination
- Obesity
screening with every periodic health examination [Obesity is determined by a person's
body mass index (BMI). To calculate your BMI, multiply your weight by 705. Divide
the result by your height in inches. Divide by your height again. People with
a BMI over 27 are considered obese
- Annual
fasting blood sugar for people who are over 45 years of age, obese, African American,
Hispanic, Native American, hypertensive or who have abnormal cholesterol levels
or a history of gestational diabetes
- Fecal
occult blood test and digital rectal exam for colon cancer each year after age
40
- Fecal occult blood test and/or
sigmoidoscopy each year after age 50
For
Women:
- Mammogram every one to two
years for women between 40 and 49 years of age; every year for women over 50 years
of age
- Pap smear for cervical cancer
beginning at age 18 or earlier if sexually active
- Clinical
breast exam every year
what
are the recommendations for vaccinations?
For Adults:
- Tetanus booster every
ten years
- Pneumonia vaccine at 65
years of age or earlier if problems such as asthma are present
- Influenza
vaccine annually for people over 65 years of age, health care workers, and people
with chronic illness
- Hepatitis B
vaccine is recommended for all health care workers, homosexual men, people with
more than one sexual partner, intravenous drug users, hemodialysis patients and
patients with weakened immune systems
what
are eommendations for a healthy lifestyle?
- Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables,
grains, legumes, and beans.
- Follow
the recommendations in the food pyramid. Use fats, oils and sweets sparingly;
eat 2 to 3 servings from the dairy, meat, eggs and nut groups; eat 3 to 5 servings
from the vegetable group; eat 2 to 4 servings from the fruit group; and eat 6
to 11 servings from the breads, cereals, rice, and pasta group.
- Limit
your alcohol intake to no more than two drinks per day maximum. One serving of
alcohol is equivalent to 1 ounce of liquor, 5 ounces of wine, or 12 ounces of
beer.
- Refrain from using tobacco
products, including chewing tobacco.
- Strive
to get a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate exercise most if not all days of the
week.
- Always wear your seat belt.
remember,
an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!
This information is not
intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider.
Please contact your health care provider for advice about a specific medical condition.
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