Create a Year of Wellness

CREATE A YEAR OF WELLNESS — By Lisa M. Belisle, M.D., M.P.H., Yarmouth, Maine. (Farmers' Almanac 2008; her first national publication)

Albert Schweitzer once said, "I'll tell you a secret. We doctors do nothing. We only help and encourage the doctor within." How can you help your body be its own best doctor? Commit to making 2008 a "Year of Wellness."

Start by creating a personal plan for change: - Take inventory: Determine what you are already doing well, and what you might improve. - Write it down: Put your intentions on paper, and place the paper where you can see it. - Prioritize: Tackle things that will have the most impact first. - Start slow: Break the process into pieces and do one thing at a time. - Set a date: Decide when you are going to begin making changes. - Enlist assistance: Ask others to help you get where you want to go. Though you may be your own best doctor, your healthcare provider is still a critical resource. If you're not sure what changes you'd like to make, consider giving each month a specific health focus. Start with:

JANUARY — Body Basics: Wondering where to begin? Maintaining (or getting to) a healthy weight should be a top priority. When we carry too much weight, we experience joint pain and ailments such as diabetes and heart disease. Celebrate January's Healthy Weight Week (Jan 20-26, 2008) by calculating your Body Mass Index (BMI) at www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi.

FEBRUARY — Healing the Heart: Heart disease is the number one killer of American adults. Risk factors include smoking, a diet high in fat and cholesterol, exercising less than 30 minutes most days, total cholesterol over 200 mg/dL, blood pressure over 120/80, fasting blood sugar over 100 mg/dL, BMI over 25, and waist circumference over 35 inches. Take the online 'Risk Assessment' at www.americanheart.org.

MARCH — Eat, Sleep and Be Merry: Hippocrates said, 'Let food be your medicine.' Calculate your personal nutrient needs during National Nutrition Month at www.mypyramid.gov. March 4-10, 2008 is also National Sleep Awareness Week; most Americans get far less than the recommended eight hours. Visit www.sleepfoundation.org.

APRIL — Combat Cancer: Cancer is the second leading cause of death in American adults. Get up to date on screenings during National Cancer Control Month: cervix (pap tests), breast (see October), prostate (PSA + digital rectal exam after 50), colorectal (after 50). Visit www.cancer.org.

MAY — Spotlight on the Spirit: When our spirits are well, our bodies enjoy equilibrium. Attend to your spirit during National Mental Health Month. Read Jon Kabat-Zinn's Wherever You Go There You Are (Hyperion, 2005) and Herbert Benson's Relaxation Response (Harper, 2000).

JUNE — Strive for Home Safety: Unintentional injuries at home result in nearly 20,000 deaths and 21 million medical visits each year. Download a 'Hands-On Home Safety Checklist' during National Safety Month from www.homesafetycouncil.org, and revisit your Year of Wellness plan.

JULY — Fun in the Sun: Protect skin with hats, light-colored clothing and SPF 15 sunscreen (www.aad.org); protect eyes with UVA/UVB-blocking sunglasses (www.aao.org); use flotation devices while boating; wear insect repellent; examine skin daily for ticks.

AUGUST — Giving It Your Best Shot: Consider a tetanus/Td or TDaP shot every ten years; Hepatitis B series and yearly flu shot for high-risk individuals; MMR booster; pneumococcal shot for those over 65 or with chronic disease; and Hepatitis A, varicella, meningococcal and/or HPV shots depending on risk. Obtain information during National Immunization Awareness Month at www.cdc.gov.

SEPTEMBER — Conquering Cholesterol: Healthy adults should have a cholesterol test every five years after age twenty. Aim for total cholesterol under 200 mg/dL, LDL under 100, HDL 50 or higher, triglycerides under 150. Visit www.nhlbi.nih.gov.

OCTOBER — Being Aware of Breast Cancer: Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in American women, and the reason October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Get a clinical breast exam (every 1-3 years age 20-30, yearly from 40), consider self-examination, and get a mammogram every one or two years beginning at 40. 85% of cases are not inherited. Visit www.nbcam.org.

NOVEMBER — Deciphering Diabetes and Taming the Tobacco Urge: More than 20 million Americans have diabetes. Risk factors include age over 45, a parent or sibling with diabetes, African-American or Hispanic-American heritage, gestational diabetes or delivering a baby over 9 pounds, obesity, inactivity, and high blood pressure/cholesterol/triglycerides. Take the 'Diabetes Risk Test' during American Diabetes Month at www.diabetes.org. The Great American Smokeout (Nov 20, 2008) is a good quit date; www.cancer.org.

DECEMBER — Happier Holidays: It's not about what you buy, it's about what you give, and the best gift of all is you. Spend time rather than money: ice-skating, caroling, potluck dinners, simple homemade gifts. Be grateful, and share with those who have less.

THE YEAR IN REVIEW: Now that you've completed your Year of Wellness, go back to the changes you planned in January, see where you stand, and share concerns with your healthcare provider. Congratulate yourself for what you accomplished as your own best doctor. And remember, if there are still adjustments to make, there is always 2009.

[Sidebar] A DAY FOR WOMEN? According to legend, women may use leap years to propose marriage, a tradition traced to St. Patrick and St. Bridget; in 1288 Scottish law granted women the right to propose during a leap year (if a man refused, he had to pay her a pound).