Annual Resolutions That Won’t Hurt a Bit
Year after year, many of us make the same New Year’s resolutions: lose weight, exercise, quit smoking. Although critically important, they are often quickly broken. Here are several healthy resolutions you can add to your list this year that may be a bit easier to keep:
* Check the smoke detectors in your home. Many installed detectors are inoperable, usually because their batteries are dead. Test all alarms every month and replace the batteries at least once a year. If you do not already have smoke detectors, install them. Mount them throughout your home on the ceiling or on walls close to the ceiling. It is critical to have one alarm in every bedroom of the house and, in homes with more than one floor, there should be at least one alarm on each level.
* Clean out your medicine cabinets. Check every label, and discard any medications that have passed their expiration date. Replenish supplies of over-the-counter medications that are useful to have on hand, such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen.
* Update your immunizations. Adults should be reimmunized against tetanus every 10 years. After the age of 65, every adult should be immunized once with the pneumococcal vaccine. Create an immunization card for yourself so you will remember when you need to return for your next shot.
* Create a list of emergency phone numbers and post it next to one or more telephones in your home. The list should include all of the physicians used by members of your household. Other useful numbers to include: the nearest hospital, your pharmacy, the poison control center, and family members or neighbors who could be called to help in an emergency.
* Sign an advance directive for health care. This tells others how you want to be treated medically in the event you are not mentally competent or physically able to decide for yourself (it can also be used to describe the circumstances under which you want treatment withheld). Consider also signing a durable power of attorney, which authorizes another person to make medical decisions for you if you cannot do so for yourself.
* Check your cholesterol. The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends that all adults 20 and older have their total blood cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL cholesterol) levels measured at least once every five years.
* Take a class in cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It takes only about four hours to learn CPR and receive your certification from the American Heart Assn. To enroll in a class, contact the association at (800) 242-8721 or go to its Web site at https://www.americanheart.org.
* Replace your toothbrush. The American Dental Assn. suggests replacing your toothbrush every three to four months. Change your brush earlier if the bristles show signs of wear.
* Buy all of your medications at one pharmacy. Some medications can produce dangerous reactions when taken with other drugs. To reduce your risk, use a pharmacy that checks the drugs you use for possible interactions. This is particularly important if more than one doctor is prescribing drugs for you.
* Get cancer-screening tests appropriate for your age and gender. Screening tests identify medical problems in their earliest stages, at a time when they are most easily treated and when it is easiest to prevent serious complications.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends the following screening tests. Cervical cancer: After becoming sexually active or reaching the age of 18, all women should have Pap smears at least every three years. Breast cancer: Women 50 to 60 years old should have mammograms every one to two years. Colon and rectal cancer: All men and women age 50 and older should have their stool tested every year for the presence of blood, or they should have periodic sigmoidoscopic exams.
* Create an earthquake preparedness kit. The American Red Cross recommends keeping the following items close at hand: a portable radio with extra batteries, a flashlight with extra batteries, a first-aid kit and book, a small fire extinguisher, a manual can opener, an adjustable wrench (for turning off gas and water) and a one-week supply of bottled water and canned or dried foods for each member of your household. Homes and apartments with multiple floors should also have a portable fire escape ladder.
*
Dr. Jonathan Fielding is the director of public health and the health officer for the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. Valerie Ulene is a board-certified specialist in preventive medicine practicing in Los Angeles. They can be reached by e-mail at yourhealth@dhs.co.la.ca.us.
