Susan Blumenthal, M.D.

Public Health Editor at HuffPost and Former U.S. Assistant Surgeon General

In 2011, thanks to the triumph of public health and medical interventions, Americans will live 30 years longer, on average, than they did a century ago. In fact, there are more than 100,000 people in the United States who have lived to be more than 100.

This New Year, make and keep resolutions to improve your health -- you will feel better and live longer. Listed below are some key ingredients of a prescription for a healthier future in 2011:

Find a doctor with whom you feel comfortable and get routine check-ups. Enter into a partnership with your doctor for your health. If you ever have doubts about a physician's recommendations, get a second opinion. Make sure you obtain regular screening exams (cholesterol, blood pressure, pap smears, mammograms, prostate checks and colonoscopies depending on your age and sex). Keep your immunizations current, including pneumonia and seasonal flu vaccinations. Early detection and regular preventive care reduces the risk of disease and disability and saves lives and billions of dollars in health care costs for our nation.

Know and keep a record of your family health history. Some diseases run in families. Talk with your relatives to get information. Share this knowledge with your doctor. Learn about the signs and symptoms of these illnesses so that you can detect them early.

Quit smoking. If you don't smoke, please never start. If you do smoke, make a plan to stop and see it through. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in America and is linked to heart disease, cancer, stroke, emphysema and other chronic illnesses. Second hand smoke also significantly impairs the health of those who are in contact with smokers.

Eat smart. Eating a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, fiber, whole grains, vitamins, folate and calcium that is low is saturated fats and salt is a critical ingredient in the recipe for a healthier future. Limit your fat intake to 30 percent of daily calories. Also try to incorporate lean meats and other sources of protein that are low in fat like tofu and legumes. Portion control is a key element!

Exercise regularly. Physical activity is one of the most important steps you can take towards a healthier future. If you are not currently exercising, start slowly and build up. Aim for at least 30 minutes at least five days a week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, or 1 hour and 15 minutes per week of high-intensity aerobic exercise. Cross train to avoid injury. Also remember to strength train all of your major muscle groups at least twice a week, and don't forget to stretch! Pick activities you like -- take stairs instead of elevators, dance, take a power walk instead of a power lunch. Try a pedometer and aim for 10,000 steps a day! Walking with others or going to the gym with friends can make exercise more enjoyable.

Exercise your mind as well. Turn off the TV! Playing Sudoku, doing crossword puzzles, joining a book club, or learning a new language or skill are great ways to keep your mind sharp and engaged. Choosing fun and meaningful activities also makes life more enjoyable.

Get enough sleep. Most adults need 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night. Getting a good night's rest leaves you refreshed, alert and ready to tackle the day's challenges. Adequate sleep can also help to reduce stress and give your body a chance to heal from illness and injury. To take advantage of these benefits, the National Sleep Foundation recommends establishing a regular bedtime routine, avoiding caffeine, alcohol, heavy meals, and exercise right before bedtime, as well as creating a dark, quiet, and comfortable environment to fall asleep in.

Limit alcohol intake -- if you drink, do so responsibly and only in moderation. While one glass a day of red wine might help prevent heart disease, remember that serious health issues are associated with its use including car crashes, alcohol abuse, increased risk of liver disease and some cancers. For women, more than 1 drink a day is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. [8] Avoid alcohol totally if you are pregnant. Never drink and drive. And drugs? Don't, unless they are prescribed for you and then be sure to take them for the recommended period of time.

Schedule regular skin exams. Skin cancer is on the rise. Perform self-exams looking for growths with irregular shapes and colors. Have your skin checked annually. Above all, practice preventive medicine. Use sunscreens and be a shade worshiper. While adequate vitamin D from the sun has been shown to have important health benefits, taking a supplement to get sufficient amounts may be necessary for some people.

Be safe. Be safe in your home, in your workplace, on your bike, in your car, outdoors and in your sexual practices. Wear a helmet, use your seat belt, wear sun screen, check your smoke alarms and install a carbon monoxide detector in your home.

Be ready in case of an emergency. Be prepared in the event of a disaster such as a tornado, hurricane, terrorist attack or flu pandemic. Develop a family plan and communication strategy. Know what you can do to keep safe from the flu: practice good hygiene, wash hands, cover coughs, get vaccinated for seasonal flu.

Find your own stress buster. Find time in the day that's just for you. Take a walk, read a book, practice yoga. Make sure you have time to engage in the activities in life that bring you joy and satisfaction.

Stay connected with your social network. Having strong connections to others can improve your health and longevity. It's also more fun and easier to engage in healthy behaviors if others join you. Many studies have shown that relationships influence our long term health in ways that are as powerful as a healthy diet and getting enough sleep. These benefits extend to givers and receivers of support. A lack of connections, on the other hand, is associated with increased mortality by as much as 50 percent, depression, and a decline in cognitive function later in life. It's the quality of relationships that makes the difference, so visit with your friends and family regularly, reach out to new contacts, and enjoy developing meaningful connections.

Know your health care plan. The recently passed health care reform legislation, The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, ensures that all Americans have access to quality health care by 2014. It also ends discriminatory health insurance practices such as denying health insurance due to a pre-existing condition, removes the lifetime cap on insurance benefits, and requires insurance companies to spend 85 percent of every health insurance dollar on benefits rather than administrative costs or profits. 44,000 Americans lose their lives because they don't have access to health care. [9] The new law will expand access to health services, helping to enroll as many as 32 million Americans who currently lack insurance coverage. In 2014, the new state health insurance exchanges will regulate the quality of participating insurance plans and will provide consumers with standardized information about the various plans that is easy to compare. But you don't have to wait until 2014 to benefit from the law. Starting now, certain health plans are required to cover preventive services, and for seniors the Medicare "donut hole" -- the gap in prescription drug coverage -- will begin to close. Choose a health care plan that is right for you and your family. For more information, visit healthcare.gov.

Be a savvy health consumer. Read as much as you can and use trustworthy Internet sites (see list below) for reliable health information. Know your health plan. Be informed. Knowledge is power when it comes to your health and the health of your family, business and community.

By following the steps in this prevention prescription, we can move towards a healthier future for ourselves, our families, and our country in the New Year and beyond.

From heart disease to breast cancer to depression, WebMD gives you the inside info on why women are at high risk for these problems but may not know it.

By Dulce Zamora
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Imagine living without illness to slow you down. While there are no lifetime guarantees, enough scientific research has been done to make long, healthy living a possibility.

To help women boost health, WebMD examined five medical conditions that are of great concern to them: heart disease, breast cancer, osteoporosis, depression, and autoimmune diseases.

We looked at the risk factors for each disease and asked the experts what women could do to prevent such ailments.

In order to make full use of this information, Saralyn Mark, MD, encourages women to take charge of their health. She says women need to work in partnership with their doctors by finding out their family medical history, educating themselves on health issues, and paying attention to their bodies.

"You know what makes you feel good, you know when you don't feel well. Understanding your body is key," says Mark, senior medical adviser for the Office on Women's Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Heart Disease

Heart disease is the leading killer of both men and women. In women, the condition is responsible for about 29% of deaths, reports the CDC.

Yet death in itself isn't the biggest problem for women with heart disease. The real trouble is in premature death and disability, says Cindy Pearson, executive director of the National Women's Health Network.

"There are far too many women dying of heart disease in their 60s, when no one expects to die because that's too young in this country," says Pearson. "There are (also) women, who, for many years, are really ill with heart disease -- being out of breath, not being able to walk up one flight of stairs … because heart disease impairs their ability to get around."

Although more men die of heart disease than women, females tend to be underdiagnosed, often to the point that it's too late to help them once the condition is discovered.

"The symptoms for women are typical for women, and they are often missed by doctors and the patient themselves," Mark explains. "We often think of symptoms … like chest pain. Some people may have that, but others may just have a little bit of jaw pain, shoulder ache, nausea, vomiting, or shortness of breath."

The American Heart Association lists risk factors for heart disease as:

• Increasing age
• Male sex (men typically develop heart disease at a younger age)
• Heredity (including race). People with family history of the disease have greater risk. So do African-Americans, Mexican-Americans, Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, and some Asian-Americans.
• Smoking
• High blood cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Physical inactivity
• Obesity and overweight
• Diabetes

Burke says people can reduce their risk of heart disease by modifying lifestyle to include a well-balanced diet and exercise.

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. It is second to lung cancer as the leading cause of death for women.

Experts say the fear of breast cancer can sometimes be exaggerated, stopping women from going to their doctors for screening, or pushing women to make rash decisions about mastectomy, when it may it may not be necessary.

"There's a lot of treatment for breast cancer," assures Diane Helentjaris, MD, immediate past president of the American Medical Women's Association. "It's not a death sentence."

The American Cancer Society lists the following as risk factors for breast cancer:

• Increasing age
• Genes. Nearly 5% to 10% of breast cancer is linked to mutations in certain genes (most commonly, the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes).
• Family history of the disease
• Personal history of the disease
• Race. White women have a slightly greater risk of getting breast cancer compared with African-American women. Yet African-Americans have a greater chance of dying from this disease.
• Earlier abnormal breast biopsy
• Earlier chest radiation
• Early onset of menstruation (before age 12) or menopause after age 55
• Not having children
• Medication use, such as diethylstilbestrol (DES)
• Too much alcohol
• Obesity

Stephen F. Sener, MD, president of the American Cancer Society, recommends controlling your weight, exercising, quitting smoking, and talking to your doctor about your risk and appropriate screening for breast cancer. He also says to keep risk factors in perspective.

"Just because your mother didn't have breast cancer, it does not mean you are immune to this problem," says Sener. At the same time, it's also important to note that some women who have one or more risk factors never get breast cancer.

Osteoporosis

Hunched backs, back pain, and frailty used to be things older women had to accept before doctors knew anything more about osteoporosis. Now, there are steps women and girls can take to avoid such problems.

Osteoporosis threatens 44 million Americans, of which 68% are women, reports the National Osteoporosis Foundation.

"Osteoporosis is largely preventable," says Mark. "The behaviors that women develop in their childhood, in their adolescence, and in their early adult years really play a significant role in the development of the disease."

That's because bodies build up most of bone mass until age 30. Then new bone stops forming and the focus is on maintenance of old bone.

It is never too late to keep bones strong and avoid fractures.

"Your body will do what it can to repair bone damage, but you have to provide the tools for it, such as adequate calcium consumption and weight-bearing physical activity," says Mark.

Risk factors for osteoporosis include:

• Female sex
• Increasing age
• Small, thin-boned frame
• Ethnicity. White and Asian women have the greatest risk.
• Family history
• Sex hormones. Infrequent menstrual cycles and estrogen loss due to menopause may increase risk.
• Anorexia
• Diet low in calcium and vitamin D
• Medication use, particularly glucocorticoids or some anticonvulsants
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Smoking
• Excessive alcohol

Talk to your doctor about your possible risk of osteoporosis, and what you can do to prevent problems.

Depression

Depression appears to affect more women than men. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that about 12 million women are affected by a depressive disorder each year compared to about 6 million men.

Dorree Lynn, PhD, a psychologist and author of Getting Sane Without Going Crazy, says women need a connection with others in their lives.

"They need that sustenance," says Lynn. "If they don't have it, they tend to get depressed."

Sometimes, hormonal changes can also trigger the condition, particularly after pregnancy (postpartum) or around menopause.

Other risk factors for depression include:

• A previous depressive episode
• Family history of depression
• History of heart problems
• Serious chronic illness
• Marital problems
• Substance abuse
• Use of drugs that could trigger depression, such as medicines for high blood pressure or seizures
• A stressful life event, such as job loss or death
• Diseases that could trigger depression, such as vitamin deficiency and thyroid disease
• Recent serious illness or surgery
• Childhood history of physical or sexual abuse
• Being a worrier or being overly anxious
• Having an eating disorder or an anxiety disorder

To help reduce risk of depression, Lynn recommends finding a reason to get up in the morning. She says things such as work, community, love, pets, and volunteering can be good reasons.

"Statistically, the healthiest adults, both in women and men, are people in significant caring relationships," says Lynn. She says adults not in nurturing relationships can reduce their risk of depression by making efforts to reach out into the community.

Autoimmune Diseases

Autoimmune diseases are a group of disorders in which the immune system attacks the body and destroys or alters tissues. There are more than 80 serious chronic illnesses in this category, including lupus, multiple sclerosis, and type 1 diabetes.

According to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA), about 75% of autoimmune diseases occur in women. By themselves, each disease appears to be uncommon -- except for diabetes, thyroid disease, and lupus -- but as a group, the disorders make up the fourth-largest cause of disability among American women.

It is not known what causes the body to turn on itself, but genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors are suspects.

"That's such a major area of needed research," says Helentjaris.

Since autoimmune diseases are not very well understood, pinpointing specific risk factors is difficult. Symptoms can also be nonspecific, hampering proper diagnosis. However, if you know something is wrong with you or a loved one, it's important to become an active health advocate.

"It's very common for women to make multiple visits to multiple doctors to finally get a diagnosis," she says. "Insist that someone take your symptoms seriously."

If you don't feel like your doctor is taking your complaints seriously, Pearson advises finding another doctor that will take the time to investigate your symptoms.

You want to get more exercise, but you just don't have the time. Between working, sleeping, eating, socializing and those four hours of required television viewing, you just have too much to do during the day to actually worry about getting some exercise.

The good news is that there are many ways to get a proper workout without having to spend major amounts of money or blow three hours of your day. As long as you have a carpet or mat-like floor surface and a few household items, you can construct a top-notch home exercise routine.

Some things to keep in mind:

1. This routine is easy on the wallet, but not necessarily easy on the heart rate. Just because you're doing it cheap and quick doesn't mean that you aren't going to sweat.

2. Before undertaking any new physical hobby, let your doctor know about your new exercise plan.

3. You may have to buy something, like a ball or a jump rope.

Assess Your Fitness Goals

Before you even lift a finger (much less a heavy object), figure out why you want to exercise. There are different goals (and combinations thereof), and yours will affect what your routine will look like. What's your primary reason for wanting to work out?

1. You want to lose weight. This, along with reason No. 2, below, is the most common reason for wanting to get some exercise. If you want to lose weight, your exercise routine will consist mainly of cardiovascular exercises. Also consider that, for any cardiovascular exercise to be of any benefit to you, you must do it for at least 25 minutes.

2. You want to tone or strengthen your entire body (or a specific part of your body). Are you sporting more of a one-pack than a six-pack? Whether you want to be sleeker and firmer or huge and muscled, there are many things you can do at home without spending any money.

For toning and strengthening, you are going to concentrate on lifting heavy objects (for toning, you do more lifting with a lighter weight; for strengthening, you do less lifting with a heavier weight).

3. You just want to feel better in an all-around kind of way. Beta-endorphins are your brain's "feel-good" drug, and any form of exercise gets those endorphins pumping through your body, making you feel better both physically and mentally. This is especially true if you exercise in the morning: Studies show that substantial exercise in the morning keeps your endorphin levels elevated throughout the day.

4. You need an activity to help you relax and relieve stress--the "catharsis" argument. Some people feel that if they kick along with a Tae Bo tape, it helps them unleash frustration and anger, relieving stress in general.

Ideally, a proper exercise routine will help you accomplish all of the above. Exercising on a regular basis is bound to help you lose weight (as long as you're not scarfing down cheeseburgers 24/7), tone up, feel better about yourself and relax.

Assess Your Lifestyle

Figure out how much time and money you're willing to devote. A home workout means that both of these potential negatives will be much lower than if you had to go to a gym, but to create a proper regimen, you still need a general idea.

Here's how to arrange a time schedule for your exercise routine:

1. Sit down with a daily schedule and pick out times in your week that could be devoted to exercising. The available slots in your schedule will determine what types of exercise you put into your routine. For instance, if you only have time late at night to exercise, you won't want to jog around your neighborhood as part of your routine.

2. Don't forget to consider those 10- to 20-minute lags in your day (probably the times you usually grab a snack). You can do stomach crunches in the morning while you wait for your coffee to drip. You can do a power aerobics session (such as jumping rope) while you wait for your clothes to dry.

3. Longer slots of time can be used for slower-paced activities like walking or hiking. This is especially appropriate for weekends. Chances are the time is somewhere there in your schedule. The trick is to find activities that fit into your lifestyle and to keep it fun. There are probably a lot of other activities that you would consider more fun, but as soon as those beta endorphins start kicking in, you'll be hooked.


"Cheap" doesn't mean "free." So you may have to spend some money on a few items:


1. Sneakers: Almost any exercise that you do will require a good pair of sneakers. Even though you're in the comfort of your house and you'd like to exercise barefoot and naked, you need to wear sneakers to save the wear and tear on your joints.

2. Safety equipment: This equipment (for example, a helmet and/or wrist guards) is necessary if you decide to go biking or rollerblading. If you don't want to buy the equipment or can't afford it, don't do those activities.

3. Exercise surface: If your entire apartment is hardwood floors, you'll have to get either an exercise mat or a piece of carpet big enough for you to work out on. It's just too hard on your body to do vigorous exercise on hard floors.

Plan a Routine

1. Power-Walk. Many people love to go jogging. However, jogging takes a serious toll on your knees and doesn't necessarily do much more for you than a brisk walk. Thus, we recommend power-walking for exercise. Although power-walking doesn't burn quite as many calories as jogging, most doctors agree that power-walking is better for you in the long run anyway (it exercises more muscle groups).Try power-walking in areas where you'll have to walk uphill. You'll burn more calories and tone your muscles quicker.

If you don't feel that your heart rate is up quite high enough, try alternating jogging and power-walking. You should be sweating and pleasantly red, but you shouldn't feel as if you've just run a marathon. Find a happy medium.

If you get a cramp in your stomach, slow down a little and breathe evenly. Most stomach cramps during workout sessions come from the exerciser not breathing properly. So fight the tendency to hold your breath while you work out. Take long, even breaths, and the cramps should go away.

2. Jump rope. Jumping rope isn't only for little girls in pink dresses and pigtails. It's a fantastic way to get cardiovascular exercise while staying within the comforts of your home. Five minutes of jumping rope has the calorie-burning power of jogging one mile. Of course, you have to engage in real jumping-rope action--going quickly, not doing those little "double hops" in between each turn. Rent "Rocky" and learn from the master.

3. Use workout videos. There are tons of good titles out there, most of which are relatively cheap. But avoid celebrity or high-profile videos, which usually get bad reviews from the experts. Try to find a video with a lower-key veteran of the exercise world. You can pick these up for cheap at most video stores. If money is very tight, record a few ESPN shows and use those.

4. Tone up without those fancy home gyms. You can get the same toning effects without fancy machines and without the guilt. Almost any kind of strengthening or toning exercise (like push-ups, squats and sit-ups) can be done by using your body weight as natural resistance. Gyms aren't nearly as necessary as you think.

Pick up a couple of issues of an exercise magazine to develop a list of toning exercises that target your "problem" areas. Use heavy soup cans for exercises in which weights are needed.

5. Make use of your stairs. Play some music on the CD player and start walking up and down the stairs. Push from the heel, not the knee, and alternate between going up every step and skipping a step. And don't hold onto the handrail. Keep your heart rate up, but stop if you feel dizzy; the stairs are not the best place to collapse in a heap. As you advance, start walking up and down with soup cans.

6. Dance. Blast the radio and enjoy. Stomp those feet. Flail those arms. Move to the beat. Don't worry; no one's watching. It's cheap, easy and sweaty.

7. Ride your bike or roller-blade. Again, don't forget the safety equipment. Rollerblade to the market to pick up some milk. Bike your way to work and back. You'll save money on bus fare, and you'll arrive at work with your beta endorphins pumping.

8. Take a hike. Again, make sure you have the right shoes. Unfortunately, there may not be places around you to hike, but there's no reason that, on a sunny Saturday, you couldn't hop in your car and head to a hilly outskirt of the city.

9. Clean. Cleaning burns tons of calories. Chase the dust bunnies and burn the fat.

If you're extra busy one week, try to compromise. Combine exercise with things you have to do anyway. Run around the block a few times with your dog. Jog to the corner market instead of driving. These things are free and easy, and they'll help ease some of the guilt you'll feel from wavering from your usual routine. Do not keep doing an exercise that you hate; it'll make you quit. Instead, switch to another exercise. And to keep yourself from getting sick of your exercises, vary your routines every couple of weeks.

Below are 6 tips for having a healthy dinner out (while still enjoying your meal like normal!):

• Watch Your Drinks – By not ordering an alcoholic beverage, you've saved yourself a considerable number of calories. Try sipping iced tea sweetened with a noncaloric sweetener, a diet soft drink, or water with lemon. You'll be glad you did when you consider the calorie savings.

• Have A Salad – One of the best menus to have is salad. Not only will it fill you up so you'll consume fewer calories overall, but it will also give you a hefty dose of antioxidants which are heart healthy. Be sure to ask your waitress to hold the croutons and cheese which will further reduce your caloric load. Also, choose your dressing wisely. Avoid cream based dressings and go for the vinegar based ones. You also have the option of using vinegar and olive oil which is heart healthy.

• Don’t Order An Appetizer Unless Necessary – Do you know that some appetizers have more calories and fat than the main course? Plus, many appetizers are fried and served with heavy sauces which will add to your intake of saturated fat as well as trans fats and calories. It's not a healthy way to start your meal.

•  Choose The Right Kind Of Foods - Go for broiled and grilled rather than fried. Not only will you save calories and fat grams, you'll also avoid trans fats which are so prevalent in fried foods. Instead, consider asking for a doubles order of vegetables with your entree. Very few Americans are getting the 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables recommended for optimal health. Plus, by avoiding the starch, you'll be reducing your caloric and carbohydrate load. Also, stick to tomato based sauces rather than cream based and you'll enjoy a considerable calorie savings. Lastly, ask for the sauce to be served in a separate dish on the side so you can control the amount you eat.

• Don’t Overeat - Today, many restaurants are serving larger quantities of food than in the past. If this is the case, put aside a portion of your entree at the beginning of the meal to take home with you. If you remove it from your plate before you start eating, you'll be less tempted to overeat.

• Say “No” To Sugary, Fatty Desserts - Instead, go for a low fat or low carbohydrate dessert selection such as a low carb cheesecake. These are wise choices for the health conscious eater and still allow you to end the meal on a sweet note. If a healthy dessert option isn't available, try a cup of coffee with skim milk to help satiate your desire for something sweet.

The next time you go out for dinner, keep the above tips in mind. You will be surprised how many calories you are able to slash out of your meal just by ordering the right menus! Happy healthy eating!