A balanced diet is an important part of staying healthy. Women need to be especially concerned about dietary practices according to research showing that diet plays an important role in preventing birth defects, illness, and other medical problems.
An Interactive Food Pyramid from the U.S. Department of Agriculture
Variations on the Food Pyramid: Find different versions of the familiar food pyramid with options for different age groups, many languages, and different diet selections.
The FDA's Site for Women on Food Safety, Nutrition and Cosmetics
It is very important for women to get enough folic acid in their diet to prevent birth defects during pregnancy. Even young women who might not be planning to be a mother for five or ten years should already be making sure they are getting enough folic acid. All women and teenagers who could potentially become pregnant are at risk to have too low levels of folic acid cause certain neural birth defects. For more, please read this fact sheet.
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Regular exercise is an
important part of a healthy life: it
can help women quit smoking, contribute to a healthy heart and lungs, prevent
diabetes, osteoporosis, stroke, and even gallstones.
Still need convincing? Check
out these sites on how exercise can become an easy part of your schedule:
Phys.com's Site on Exercise and Diet for Women
WomensHealth.com site on Exercise
ThriveOnline.com's Advice on Getting Fit
Common Questions Women Ask About Exercise
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* It’s Time to Quit Smoking!
Quitting smoking now will dramatically improve your body’s ability to fight disease. If you smoke, decide to quit today. Here are some helpful links:
National Women's Health Information Center on Smoking
Article on the Effects of Smoking on Women
* The Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Office of Women’s Health has information on preventing the many problems that can impact women.
CDC's Office of Women's Health Page
* This site has information on prevention of a number of women’s diseases.
Ten Step Countdown for a Healthy Life
* Read about the latest news on prevention issues in these articles:
Medicare Expands Prevention Coverage