Healthy lifestyles for women of all ages
Diet and exercise
Limit fat and cholesterol. Eat more fruits, vegetables, grains and lean protein.
Eat dairy products or use calcium supplements. You need 1200 to 1500 mg. of calcium each day.
Take Vitamin D daily, 600 IU for infants, children and adults up to 70 years of age. For adults 70 years of age or older you need to take 800 IU.
Take a folic acid supplement of at least 0.4 mg. each day. You should take folic acid for at least 2 months before you try to get pregnant. It will help reduce the risk of certain birth defects.
Do regular aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes most days of the week. Consider weight training, if possible.
Essentia Health offers weight loss programs to help you safely lose or control your weight.
We offer:
• Custom exercise plans
• Nutrition plans
• Weight lose medicine
• Behavioral therapy
Prevent injury
Wear seat belts every time you ride in a car. Use helmets for motorcycles, bicycles, roller blades, ATVs or skiing.
Put smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your house. Replace the batteries every 6 months.
Lock and store guns and other firearms unloaded in a safe area. Use the trigger locks when possible. Think about not having guns in your home if children are present.
Consider CPR training for you and your family members.
If you need help because of domestic abuse or violence, call our office at 218-786-3800.
Substance use
Do not use any tobacco products. There is help to stop smoking. Ask your doctor or nurse for information. You can also call MN Quit Plan at 1-888-354-7526 or go to www.quitplan.com
Limit use of alcohol. Do not drink and drive, swim, use a boat or use machinery. Women should limit alcohol to 1 serving a day.
Do not use recreational drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin and other harmful substances. There is help to stop drug abuse in the community. Call the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence at 1-800-622-2255.
Dental health
Schedule regular visits with a dentist. Try to see a dentist every 6 months.
Brush twice a day for 2 minutes with fluoride toothpaste.
Floss your teeth each day.
Breast health
Be aware of the normal appearance and feel of your breast. Report any changes to your doctor.
You should have a mammogram every 1 to 2 years after age 40. How often you have a breast screening is based on your family history and risk factors. You may begin to have breast screening earlier than age 40 if you have a family history of breast cancer.
Immunizations
You should have:
• Tdap booster (Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis) every ten years.
• Varicella vaccine if you never had chicken pox.
• Zoster vaccine to prevent shingles for adults 60 years and older.
• Pneumococcal vaccine for adults 65 years and older.
• Influenza vaccine every year. Make sure to have the influenza vaccine every year if you might put someone with a medical condition at greater risk by not having the vaccine. Check with your health care team if you are not sure.
• All pregnant women should get the influenza and Tdap vaccines.
• Hepatitis B vaccine, unless you are at very low risk or already had the vaccine. Talk to your doctor if you any questions.
• HPV vaccine between 9 to 26 years of age.
Birth control and STD
Pregnancy planning leads to the healthiest outcomes for women and babies. Our office offers all methods to prevent pregnancy. Talk with your doctor about which method would work best for you. Emergency birth control pills work well to prevent pregnancy. You need to take them within 72 hours after unprotected sex. You can get emergency birth control pills over the counter.
Condoms are the only protection against STD (sexually transmitted disease) and HIV.
You should have a test for STD when you are pregnant. You should also have an STD test when you have had or might have had contact with an STD.
The state of Minnesota recommends an HIV test at least once in your lifetime. You should have an HIV test if there is a high-risk exposure or if risk factors are unknown.
Pap (papanicolaou) smear screening
You should start to have a pap screening at age 21. You should then have a pap screening every 3 years as long as your pap screening is normal.
Get a pap and HPV screening every 3 to 5 years from age 30 to age 65. It is still very important that you have a physical exam each year even on the years you are not getting a pap screening.
Colon cancer surveillance
You should have a colonoscopy at age 50. If you have a family history of colon cancer, you may need to have a colonoscopy sooner. Your next colonoscopy will depend on your risk factors and what the doctor finds.