Holistic women’s healthcare has a lot of moving parts — including everyday activities like eating, sleeping and brushing your teeth, as well as sporadic preventative care like mammograms and hysteroscopy. Here are five easy-to-achieve goals to set for the new year when it comes to your health and wellness.
Schedule your annual exam.
Don’t let having a Pap smear or gynecological evaluation fall off your radar. Make an appointment today for the appropriate time in the coming year. Your gynecologist can help you with questions or concerns related to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), heavy menstrual bleeding, family planning, menopause management and more aspects of comprehensive women’s health.
Make self-breast examination routine.
We recommend doing a self-breast exam once per month in the shower or lying down. Roughly 40% of breast cancer diagnoses result from women finding a lump during self-examination. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among women, and one in eight women will receive this diagnosis in her lifetime. It’s also a good idea to talk to your gynecologist during your annual visit about scheduling a mammogram when the time is right.
Optimize your exercise routine / activity levels.
If you don’t like to work out, don’t fret. A brisk 30-minute walk at lunch every day will get you the recommended amount of physical activity adults need. Make sure to add muscle-strengthening activities to your regimen — like weightlifting or push-ups — twice per week to maintain muscle mass as you age.
Practice portion control.
Nobody likes to hear the word “diet.” Instead, focus on consuming the foods you like to eat in reasonably sized portions. Here are some common measurements for foods and beverages, and how to eyeball them when you’re on the go.
- 1 teaspoon = a water bottle cap’s worth in liquid
- 1 tablespoon = ½ of a walnut in a shell or a half-full shot glass
- ¼ cup = golf ball
- ½ cup = ½ of a baseball
- 1 oz = 4 dice
Consider laser hair removal.
Hair removal tends to be something women spend a lot of time and money doing. But the wrong method can result in rashes, burns, scrapes, ingrown hairs and other painful skin irritations. Laser hair removal is faster than electrolysis and much less painful than shaving, waxing or plucking. This procedure can be especially helpful for women who are uncomfortable with dark or coarse hair on their face, neck, chest or other exposed skin. It’s easy and affordable.
Make next year your healthiest year yet!
