Get a Bone Density Test

A bone density test measures how strong your bones are. The test will tell you if you are at risk for osteoporosis (“os-tee-oh-puh-ROH-sis”).

• If you are a woman age 65 or older, schedule a bone density test.
• If you are a woman age 50 to 64, ask your doctor if you need a bone density test.

If you are at risk for osteoporosis (weak bones), your doctor or nurse may recommend getting a bone density test every 2 years.

Men can get osteoporosis, too. If you are a man over age 65 and concerned about your bone strength, talk with your doctor or nurse.

What happens during a bone density test?
A bone density test is like an x-ray or scan of your body. A bone density test doesn’t hurt. It only takes about 15 minutes.

What is osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a bone disease. It means your bones are weak and more likely to break. People with osteoporosis most often break bones in the hip, spine, and wrist.

Anyone can get osteoporosis, but it’s most common in older women. The older you are, the greater your risk for osteoporosis.

There are no signs or symptoms of osteoporosis. You might not know you have the disease until you break a bone. That’s why it’s so important to get a bone density test to measure your bone strength

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Talk with Your Doctor about Depression

 

If you think you might be depressed, talk with a doctor about how you are feeling. Depression is a serious illness.

If you are diagnosed with depression, you aren’t alone. Depression is a common illness that affects millions of adults in the United States every year.

The good news is that depression can be treated. Getting help is the best thing you can do for yourself and your loved ones. You can feel better.

Watch this short presentation to learn more about depression.

What are the signs of depression?
It’s normal to feel sad sometimes, but if you feel sad or “down” for more than 2 weeks at a time, you may be depressed

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Take Steps to Protect Yourself from Relationship Violence

 

It can be hard to know if your relationship is headed down the wrong path. While it’s not always possible to prevent relationship violence, there are steps you can take to try to protect yourself.

If you think your partner might be controlling or abusive, you can:

• Trust your feelings. If something doesn’t seem right, take it seriously.
• Find out about the warning signs of someone who might become controlling or violent.
• Get help. Talk to people who are experts in relationship violence.

Remember, controlling or violent relationships usually get worse over time. If your partner might be controlling or abusive, it’s better to get help now than to wait.

What is relationship violence?
Relationship violence is when one person in a relationship is abusive or controlling toward the other person – especially when they disagree about something.

Relationship violence is sometimes called dating, domestic, or intimate partner violence. In some relationships, both partners act in unhealthy or unsafe ways.

When many people think about relationship violence, they think about physical violence, like hitting or pushing. But people can use other methods to control their partners, like threats or insults

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Eat Healthy

 

To be healthy, your body needs to get enough vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. Eating healthy means getting plenty of:

• Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk products
• Seafood, lean meat and poultry, eggs, beans, peas, seeds, and nuts

Eating healthy also means limiting:

• Cholesterol, sodium (salt), and added sugars.
• Trans fats – Trans fats may be in foods like cakes, cookies, stick margarines, and fried foods.
• Saturated fats – These fats come from animal products like cheese, fatty meats, whole milk, and butter.
• Refined grains – Food products with refined grains include white bread, noodles, white rice, and flour tortillas.

Get a personalized Daily Food Plan to help you choose healthy foods.

A healthy diet can help you be strong and active.
Eating healthy is good for your overall health. Making smart food choices can also help you manage your weight and lower your risk for certain diseases.

When you eat healthy foods (and limit unhealthy foods), you can reduce your risk for:

• Heart disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Some types of cancer
• Bone loss (osteoperosis

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Health Manage Stress

 

Not all stress is bad. Stress can help protect you in a dangerous situation. But preventing and managing chronic (ongoing) stress can help lower your risk for serious health problems like heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, and depression.

You can prevent or reduce stress by:

• Planning ahead 
• Deciding which tasks need to be done first
• Preparing for stressful events

Some stress is hard to avoid. You can find ways to manage stress by:

• Noticing when you feel stressed
• Taking time to relax
• Getting active and eating healthy
• Talking to friends and family

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Health Watch Your Weight

To stay at a healthy weight, balance the calories you eat with the calories you burn (use up). To lose weight, you need to use more calories than you eat. A healthy diet and physical activity can help you control your weight.

Calories are a measure of the energy in the foods you eat. You burn more calories when you are physically active.

How do I know if I’m eating the right number of calories?
Use this tool to find out how many calories your body needs each day. This is the number of calories you need to maintain your current weight. If you are overweight or obese, burn more calories than you eat to lose weight.

How do I know if I’m at a healthy weight?
Finding out your body mass index (BMI) is the best way to learn if you are at a healthy weight. Use this Body Mass Index (BMI) calculator to find out your BMI and what it means for you.

If you are already at a healthy weight, continue to get regular physical activity and choose healthy foods

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Health Get Enough Sleep

How much sleep do I need?
Most adults need 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. If you are having trouble sleeping, make changes to your routine to get the sleep you need.

Kids need even more sleep than adults.

• Teens need at least 9 hours of sleep each night.
• School-aged children need at least 10 hours of sleep each night.
• Preschoolers sleep between 11 and 12 hours a day.
• Newborns sleep between 16 and 18 hours a day.

Why is getting enough sleep important?
Getting a good night’s sleep can have many benefits.

• You will be less likely to get sick.
• You will be more likely to stay at a healthy weight.
• You can lower your risk of high blood pressure and diabetes.
• You can boost your brainpower and your mood.
• You can think more clearly and do better in school and at work.
• You can make better decisions and avoid injuries. For example, sleepy drivers cause thousands of car crashes every year.

Does it matter when I sleep?
Yes. We have a natural cycle for when we feel tired and awake. Sunlight plays a big role in this cycle.

Our “biological clocks” are set to make us feel the most sleepy between midnight and 7 a.m. Our biological clocks also help us stay alert during the day, although many people have a sleepy period between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.

When people have to work during the night, they can have trouble getting enough sleep during the day. People who travel to a different time zone can also have trouble sleeping

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