Put Your Health First! 

Benjamin Franklin is credited with the practical advice that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. That truth certainly holds true for healthcare and for ensuring that you and your family do everything you can to prevent illness and injury. Paying attention to changes in your body is an important first step. This includes:

• A lump anywhere on your body
• Losing weight without trying
• A constant fever
• A cough that does not go away
• Body aches and pains that do not go away
• Changes or blood in your stools
• Skin changes or sores that do not go away or get worse

Even if you feel healthy, it is smart to schedule annual visits with your primary care provider to screen for diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes, discuss future disease risks such as high cholesterol, update vaccinations, review medicines and supplements you are taking, and to maintain a relationship with your provider in case of sudden illness. In addition to seeing your provider for regular checkups, there are things you can do to stay healthy and help lower your risk for diseases. If you already have a health condition, taking these steps can help you manage it:

• Don’t smoke or use tobacco
• Make exercise a fun part of your daily routine
• Eat healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat or nonfat dairy
• If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation (no more than two drinks a day for men and no more than one drink a day for women)
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Always use seat belts, and use car seats if you have children

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