Important health reminders

1. Preventing heart disease is a family affair

   Adults, teens and even children can have high blood pressure, which is a big factor in heart disease. Blood pressure should be 130/80 or less and cholesterol less than 200 mg/dL to prevent heart disease at any age. Stay healthy by eating fruits and vegetables, doing family activities, not smoking. You can also learn more about your risk factors.
   
   Learn more about heart disease risk factors.

2. An asthma action plan for all ages

   Ask your doctor for an asthma action plan for you and your kids to help:
   • Recognize early warning signs
   • Know when to take medicines
   • Know when to call the doctor or go to the emergency room
   To control asthma, take long-term control medicines even when you feel better. Take quick-relief medicines only when needed. You can also enroll your child in asthma camp or asthma case management. Learn more about managing asthma.

3. Chlamydia screenings

   Get the facts about this sexually transmitted infection on our website.
   • Learn why it’s important for sexually active women ages 16 to 25 to be tested
   • Learn why parents need to be prepared to talk with their teens
   • Get information about testing
   Learn more about chlamydia risk factors, signs and symptoms, and prevention.

4. Know your family’s risks for cancer

   
   
   Breast cancer
   Most women need a mammogram by age 40. It can detect changes in your breasts long before you can see or feel anything. If your family has a history of breast cancer, ask your doctor when to begin screenings. You can get breast cancer even if there’s no family history.
   
   Find mammography locations near you, and view tips to reduce your risk, available tests and treatment options.
   
   Cervical cancer
   Cervical cancer is often preventable if you get a routine Pap test. This test finds abnormal cells on the cervix and can often be treated before cancer develops.
   
   Learn more about risk factors, Pap test frequency and treatment options.
   Colon cancer
   People ages 50+ need to get screened because often there are no symptoms. If you have a family history of cancer or polyps, your doctor may screen earlier. A colonoscopy is the best option because it looks at your entire colon.
   
   Learn more about colorectal cancer prevention. 

5. A healthy pregnancy: We can help

   Our resources below can help you get started and stay on track.
   
   Reproductive life plan
   Have you set personal goals for having children? Get ideas on how you will achieve your goals.
   
   Preconception
   Because many pregnancies are unplanned, every woman of child-bearing age should take a vitamin with 400 mcg of folic acid to prevent brain and spinal cord birth defects. 
   
   Learn more about staying healthy and preventing low-birth-weight babies and birth defects.
   
   Pregnancy
   See your doctor during the first 12 weeks of your pregnancy so that you can be enrolled in our HealthyEncounters^SM Maternity program. You’ll receive an educational packet with information on:
   • Pregnancy
   • Labor and delivery
   • Postpartum checkup (4 weeks after delivery)
   • Quitting smoking, and more!
   HospitalIf you choose the minimum stay at the hospital, you can get a phone assessment and home visit from a nurse after your baby is born. Learn more now.
   
   Care for you after your baby is born
   Visit your doctor for a postpartum checkup 4 - 6 weeks after you deliver your baby. Your doctor will make sure you’re back to full health and breastfeeding is going well. Your doctor will also check for postpartum depression and talk to you about birth control options. You can also call Behavioral Health at 800 673-8043 for postpartum depression help.
   
   Learn more about postpartum care.

6. Find out if you’re at risk

   Are you or your family members at risk for health problems? Find health risk questions on body mass index (BMI), diabetes, alcohol abuse, heart disease, depression and more. Show your doctor the results and create an action plan for staying healthy.
   
   Find health risk questions for your whole family.

Don’t forget well-child visits and developmental screenings

All children should have the chance to grow up healthy. But sometimes they have problems with growth and learning. That’s why well-child checkups are so important at 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 30 months of age.

At well-child checkups, your doctor can:

• Give a lead poisoning test or vaccines
• Find health and learning problems early
• Measure your child’s height, weight and BMI

At the 9, 18, and 30-month well-child checkups, your doctor will do a developmental screening to see if your child is developing normally. Your doctor will check how your child speaks, plays and acts. This will tell your doctor if your child is learning age-related basic skills or if there may be a problem.

Young children need a checkup once a year at age 3 – 7 and again at age 11 or 12. For more information, visit cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/facts.html.

Take Action

Get a complete physical exam
Call your doctor if you haven’t had a physical exam in the past year. When you see your doctor, be sure to discuss all health conditions. Be sure to discuss conditions you may have had for years. Tell your doctor about any new concerns you have and talk about all the medicines you take.

Topics: Preventive care, Health disease, Asthma, Womens health, Pregnancy, Children's health