KNOW THYSELF
Know your body composition.
A study published in the International Journal of Obesity found that 25 to 30 percent of young women with a normal BMI (19 to 25) still carry excessive body fat. The easiest way to check your body composition is with bioelectric impedance analysis, available in many gyms and doctors’ offices.
Know your family’s health history.
Quiz the hell out of relatives, then download everything you learn to your M.D. Need help coming up with a list of questions? The U.S. Surgeon General’s Family Health Portrait (www.familyhistory.hhs.gov) offers easy instructions.
Know your cancer risk.
The American Cancer Society’s Great American Health Check (www.cancer.org/ greatamericans) asks a few questions about your personal and family health history and then generates a list of recommended screening tests, plus tips on how to reduce your health risks. (We were told to nix the second margarita at
happy hour and cut out the Cadburys.)
Know your cholesterol levels.
A survey by the Society for Women’s Health Research revealed that less than a third of American women know their numbers. Get your cholesterol checked We called more than 70 top authorities on health and wellness, and asked each of them the same question: What are the most important things a woman
can do to stay healthy? After weeks of taking notes and poring over research, we’re passing the information on to you: a list of the 76 smartest tips, from the tried and true to the brand spanking new. Your strategy: Pick five this week. Implement. Next week, five more. The week after that—well, you get the idea.
every five years, starting at age 20. You’re in the clear if your total number is under 200 mg/dL, with an LDL (that’s the bad kind) of less than 100 mg/dL and an HDL (that’s the good kind) of 50
mg/DL or more.
Know your resting heart rate.
The lower the number, the less your heart has to work (and that’s a good thing). Take your pulse in the morning, when you’re most relaxed. Measure the number of beats in 10 seconds, then multiply by six. Your number should be between 60 and 80--even lower if you’re athletic.
Know your waist-to-hip ratio.
The best test for predicting heart attacks may be the proportion of your waist to your hips. Measure your waist at the smallest point, then measure your hips at the widest point. Divide the first number by the second number: an ideal ratio is 0.8 or lower.
EAT THESE FOODS. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
Broccoli sprouts.
Turns out broccoli sprouts contain up to 50 times the amount of cancer-fighting compounds found in mature broccoli heads.
Canola and olive oil.
Stop sidling up to the bar: Replace the butter and margarine in your stir-fries with vegetable oils. The omega-3 fatty acids and unsaturated fats may help slash cholesterol levels as well as your risk for, heart disease.
Low-fat milk and cheese.
Your body absorbs calcium most effectively from food, not from chocolate-flavored supplement chews. Along with vitamin D, absorbing 1,500 to 2,000 milligrams of the moo mineral daily (a cup of milk has about 300 milligrams) will significantly reduce your risk of joining the osteoporosis club.
Fermented foods like sauerkraut, miso, and yogurt.
Studies show they may reduce breast cancer risk, protect against yeast infections, and boost immunity.
Cinnamon.
Become a spice girl: This antioxidant-rich seasoning slows down the rate at which your stomach unloads
that enchilada lunch, which prevents blood sugar spikes and crashes. In fact, studies show that a half-teaspoon a day lowers blood sugar and cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes.
OJ.
A six-ounce glass of 100 percent juice (that means no added sugar) every day reduces your risk of stroke by up to 20 percent. Bonus points for gulping the kind with fiber-rich pulp.
Nuts.
Popping a handful daily has been shown to lower heart disease risk by 35 percent.
Tea.
Green, black, and white are all teeming with antioxidants. However, green tea is uniquely high in a chemical
called EGCG, one of the most potent anticancer
compounds ever found. Steep any color for at least three minutes and squeeze the bag at the end for an extra
antioxidant punch.
Hot cocoa.
You can improve your ticker’s health with an eight-ounce cup of hot chocolate as much as you can with a glass of merlot--minus the hangover. Go healthy with 100 percent unsweetened and non-alkalized cocoa
powder (like Hershey’s Cocoa) and fat free milk.
Berries.
Scientists in Finland found that eating five ounces a day offers a healthy-heart triple play by reducing the
risk for cardiovascular disease, improving levels of good cholesterol, and lowering blood pressure.
