Getting regular health screenings is one of the best ways to improve your chances of living a longer, healthier life. Your age, health, family history, as well as your lifestyle choices all influence what screenings you should have and how often you should be screened. In honor of Women’s Health Month, below you will find a list of suggested screenings.

If you are in your 20s and 30s, you should start seeing a healthcare provider regularly for:

• Breast, cervical, and ovarian cancer screenings
• Pap test and pelvic exam
• STD screening
• Mole exams by a doctor/dermatologist
• Dental Exams
• Blood pressure and cholesterol tests

Once you are in your 40s, talk to your health care provider about:

• Mammography
• Bone density testing
• Fecal occult blood test

In your 50s, it is time to talk to your health care provider about colorectal cancer screening.

In your 60s, you should also talk to your health care provider about screening for osteoporosis.

At all ages, it is important to regularly see a dentist to maintain good oral health, as well as a dermatologist to screen for skin cancer and ensure healthy skin.

Always remember to discuss your family history and any health concerns, such as menopause or lack of sleep, with your health provider. By making time to care for yourself it will benefit you and all the people you love.

Visit www.womenshealth.gov for a more detailed list of recommended screenings and immunizations for women. Your doctor or nurse will be able to personalize when you should have the appropriate screenings.

Osteoporosis is a disease process that is marked by structural deterioration of bone tissue and low bone mass. Low bone mass can lead to bone fragility and increase the risk of fractures of the hip and spine.

The focus of prevention and treatment of osteoporosis is to maintain the integrity of bone by preventing loss, to maintain adequate bone and to support the mechanisms within the bone to repair.

Diet is an important component in preventing bone loss. A diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables, especially leafy green vegetables, along with a decreased consumption of sugar, simple carbohydrates, caffeine and excessive alcohol will help prevent bone loss.

How you can help prevent osteoporosis

• Adequate calcium intake along with vitamin D and minerals including magnesium, boron and zinc are critical for good bone health. Healthy by Design Nutrition Specialists can help you choose the appropriate supplement.
• A diet high in animal products may promote bone loss by increased excretion of calcium through the kidneys. Low-fat dairy such as yogurt, as well as nuts and legumes, make a good protein choice, as they provide important minerals in the diet.
• High phosphorus beverages such as soda have been linked to increased bone loss and should be avoided.
• Exercise is also a key component of osteoporosis prevention. Studies have shown that osteoporosis risk is lower for people who are active, especially those who perform weight-bearing exercise on a regular basis.

Lifestyle choices, including diet and exercise, are critical in maintaining good bone health and preventing osteoporosis. A high-quality vitamin that includes adequate calcium, vitamin D and essential minerals can help ensure quality bone health. Postmenopausal women should be assessed by their doctors for osteoporosis, and a laboratory test to evaluate calcium loss and a baseline bone density scan should be part of the prevention plan.

Stacey Whittle, RD, CPT and Dorothy Bernet, MS, RD, CPT are Co-Founders of Healthy By Design Nutrition Specialists in Santa Monica, CA. For more information visit their website at:www.HealthyByDesignNutrition.com

The basic formula for losing weight is to consume fewer calories than your body burns each day. It takes a deficit of 3500 calories to lose one pound of fat. If you wanted to lose 30 pounds of fat, you would need a deficit of 105,000 calories beyond what you currently consume and burn. 105,000 calories is a big number but if you set a reasonable timeline and adjust your eating and exercise habits, reaching your goal is definitely feasible.

It would be reasonably easy to lose 30 pounds in three months if you worked out 3-4 hours a day, every day, and drastically changed your eating habits. Since we all don’t have that kind of time or will power, let’s get real and take it one pound at a time.

A more reasonable timeline would be to lose one pound a week for 30 weeks. Broken down over 7 days, you would need a deficit of 500 calories a day through a combination of exercise and healthy eating.

With fitness coaching, you begin by setting reasonable short- and long-term goals. You monitor and record your progress using a pedometer (measuring steps and calorie burn), heart rate monitor, and fitness diaries. Then your coach works with you during weekly phone sessions and unlimited guidance via e-mail to achieve your goals.

Check out our website www.healthybalancefitness.com or call 310-200-6223 for more information.

A wonderful gift for any working mom this Mother’s Day is a book called Briefcase Moms written by Lisa Martin. Most women struggle to find time to do all that they need to do in a day. In this book, Lisa Martin shares proven practices to balance working mother’s lives and help them put themselves back on their to do list. Here is a sneak peak of some of her great ideas.

1. Focus on Your Priorities – Understand what is important to you. Then select what you do each day so it is in alignment with your priorities.

2. Set Limits – Say “yes” to your priorities and “no” to everything else.

3. You Come First Sometimes – Spend at least one hour each day on an activity you enjoy outside of work or someone else’s needs.

4. Ask for Help – Friends and family are all outlets for support. Most people want to help. You just have to ask.

5. Schedule the Day – Communicate and negotiate roles and responsibilities. Try family meetings to schedule meals, transportation and chores.

6. Leave Work at the Office – Set office hours and turn off your computer and cell phone at the end of the day.

7. De-clutter your Home and Mind – Develop a system and get rid of the junk weighing you down and stealing your time.

8. Learn to Say No

9. Release Guilt – When you align your expectations with your reality, you will feel guilt slide away.

10. Practice Appreciation – Give thanks for all the abundance in your life on a daily basis.