5 Steps to Improve Your Health
National Women’s Health Week, an initiative led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health, begins on Mother’s Day each year. The campaign empowers women to make their health a priority and raises awareness about manageable steps they can take to improve health and achieve longer, safer lives.
National Women’s Health Week emphasizes five health habits that can improve a woman’s health.
- Regular health screenings. Visit a healthcare provider to receive regular check-ups and preventive screenings. Regular check-ups and tests can help to find problems before they start. They also can detect problems early, when your chances for treatment and a cure are better.
- Get active. An active lifestyle can lower your risk of early death from a variety of causes, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and cancer. Regular activity also prevents unhealthy weight gain, increases cardiorespiratory fitness and improves mental function.
- Eat healthy. A diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables along with whole grains and lean meats, nuts and beans promotes health and reduces the risks for major chronic diseases.
- Get enough sleep. Pay attention to mental health, including getting enough sleep and managing stress. The recommended amount of sleep for adults is seven to eight hours a day.
- Avoid unhealthy behaviors. These include smoking, texting while driving and not wearing a seatbelt or bicycle helmet. Use prescription drugs only as directed by a healthcare provider.
Get a Free Health Screening at RediClinic
RediClinic is taking steps to encourage women to live safer and healthier lives by making their health a priority. Now through May 31, 2015, RediClinics located inside select Rite Aid Pharmacies in Baltimore/Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and Seattle are offering comprehensive routine screening tests that will provide an overall assessment of health. The screening is conducted by board-certified clinicians and is offered free of charge.
