Lively Women

5 Critical Health Tips for 20somethings

by Kristen King on August 3rd, 2007

Ladies, you and I may have our whole lives ahead of us, but if we want those lives to be long and healthy, we cannot put off taking care of ourselves now. Being young is not a get-out-of-jail-free card for health. SO! Do you know what you need to do to make sure you’re creating a good foundation for lifelong health? Here are 5 tips.

1. Health insurance is not optional. About a year ago, a friend of mine was working two part-time jobs and had no insurance. “It’s not a big deal,” she said. “I’m young, and pretty healthy, so I’ve got time.” Uh, no. Think of it this way. If you, God forbid, are diagnosed with cancer right now, while you’re young and free and have no insurance, you’re going to be uninsurable for the rest of your life. If you get in a car accident and end up with a debilitating injury that causes chronic pain and long-term health problems, you’re going to be uninsurable. Not to mention the fact that unless you’re an heiress or you snagged some impossible sweet job right out of college, you can’t afford to pay full price for that stuff. My four-hour trip to the ER with food poisoning would have been more than $1000 between the hospital and the individual physician bills. I ain’t got money for that, yo! Tighten your belt and make it happen. You can’t go without insurance.
2. Annual exams should be annual. Especially since you’re young and your body and hormones are still changing, and particularly if you’re sexually active and have more than one partner, you must, must, must see your gynecologist annually — if for no other reason than to get a renewed prescription for your birth control. And of course you need to get your yearly Pap smear to make sure your cervix is all shiny and cancer free. Also, don’t skimp on the breast self-exams. They’re important, and 20somethings do get breast cancer. Haven’t you read Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy?
3. Sleep deprivation is not cool. Yeah, yeah, yeah, gather ye rosebuds while ye may, make hay while the sun shines, whatever. You need sleep, and you need it every night. Working ridiculous hours to climb the corporate ladder or partying like you’re 18 and can sleep through your first 3 classes is a very expensive health choice. Sleep deprivation damages your immune system, your reaction time, and, if you’re anything like me, your ability to be rational in stressful situations.
4. Smoking is also very uncool. A full 80% of lung cancer cases occur in smokers, not to mention the fact that smoking causes all kinds of nasty health and physical effects. If you want some good reasons to quit, read this Lively Women post and this Healthbolt post. And if you’re not a smoker but you hang out with smokers, you’d better rethink that choice. Secondhand smoke is dangerous, too.
5. Exercise isn’t just for people who want to “get their figures back.” If you start (or keep) exercising now, you’ll enjoy faster metabolism, healthier overall body functioning, better muscle tone, increased endurance, a healthier heart… I could go on for ages. Don’t wait. Now is the perfect time to develop lifelong habits — and it’s easier to do it while you’re younger than to wait until you have another decade or two of bad habits to break.

Now that you know what to do, what are you waiting for? Get healthy today, while you’re young enough to lead a long, healthful existence.

Have some health tips of your own? Share them in the comments!

(Photo credit: Joanne Veerbeek)

Contents © Copyright 2007 Kristen King

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POSTED IN: Aging, Exercise/Fitness