Exercise is a big commitment in terms of time. Unfortunately, if you take this commitment it means that you have to sacrifice time that could be spent with your family. However, if you get a little creative you can do both. In this article I will be discussing 4 fantastic family exercise ideas that allow you to spend time with your family and improve your fitness.

1) CYCLING:

Cycling is a fantastic way to get some exercise and take your family on a mini-adventure. So if you have nothing planned on 1 of your weekend afternoons prepare your route, get the bikes ready and head off for a cycle. You can even make it a bit more interesting by cycling somewhere for lunch and then cycling back. 1 hour of light cycling burns 400 calories so if you make an afternoon of it you can break the 1,000 calorie mark.

2) FOOTBALL:

Football (or soccer if you are from the USA) is a brilliant team based family exercise idea. For a full game you need 2 teams of 11 people but you can realistically have a casual match with much lower numbers than this. Even if it’s just you the wife and the kids you can still have an enjoyable kick about. All you need is a football, some open space such as your garden or the local park and optionally some goal posts. A relaxed kick about will burn through a notable 476 calories per hour.

3) SNOWBOARDING:

If you want to take the family on a day out and stay active in the process, snowboarding is a brilliant choice. All you need to do is find a snowboarding centre that is nearby, book the whole family in and get yourself there. Snowboarding gets through a reasonable 429 calories per hour so if you do a few hours these calories will really add up.

4) WALKING:

Walking is a top family exercise. You don’t need equipment and as long as there is a footpath you can do it anywhere you like. Walking is not as intense as football or snowboarding but it is still a better option than sitting at home and watching TV and burns a reasonable 240 calories per hour.

SUMMARY:

Including your family in your exercise plans is a really good idea. It allows you to have fun with them, get yourself fit and get them fit with you. The best part is it’s not too difficult either. All you need is a little creativity and you can come up with plenty of amazing family exercise ideas that everyone will enjoy.

Tom Parker owns Free Fitness Tips which contains a wide range of articles on fitness. You can get even more family exercise ideas by visiting his website.

Winter holidays are full of hustle and bustle, shopping, decorating cooking, and celebrations. While the holidays are a time of merriment and good cheer, they can also be a time of stress and overexertion.

Following these 10 chiropractor tips for the holidays can help you enjoy a healthy, low-stress holiday season.

Use proper lifting techniques

Protect your back when moving and unpacking boxes of decorations from the attic, basement, or garage, and loading and unloading shopping packages to and from the car. Chiropractors stress that we can never be reminded of proper lifting techniques too often. Remember to bend from your knees, use your legs not your back to lift, and never bend or twist your body while lifting. Use a back brace for support if necessary.

Shop early

Shopping early has many advantages. Early shopping can reduce your stress levels and the amount of time you spend waiting in lines. If you find yourself waiting in long lines, try to ease the stress on your back by practicing correct standing posture. Stand straight yet relaxed; stand tall and lengthen your spine comfortably. Keep your knees soft, not locked.

Use the stairs

Holidays are notorious for adding a few extra pounds to the belly. Get a head start on your new year’s resolutions by using the stairs instead of the elevator and walking up and down the escalator.

Use a cart instead of a hand basket

Chiropractors recommend using a push-cart for your shopping activities. This will help reduce the amount of stress on your back, neck, and shoulders. If you must use a hand basket, the best way to carry the basket is to hold it by the handle with both hands, centered close to your torso. Avoid carrying it on one side or hanging it on your wrist.

Pay attention to your online shopping posture

Online shopping is a great way to help reduce stress and long lines but long periods at a computer can cause pain and stiffness if proper sitting posture is not practiced. Sit with your feet flat on the floor, with your back naturally against the chair, and relax your shoulders back and down. Remember to allow regular breaks from sitting to walk and stretch.

Stay hydrated

Drink plenty of fluids to help your body stay hydrated. Consume alcohol and caffeinated beverages in moderation. Water helps flush out toxins and is a natural choice for rehydration, especially if you have overindulged in some holiday spirits.

Make smart food choices at holiday parties

Be mindful of what you eat. The amount and types of food you eat affect your mood, energy, and physical state of being. Limit sweets, starches, and salt. Vegetables are a healthy snack; so stand close to the veggie platter.

Learn to say “no thank-you”

You don’t have to attend every holiday party just because you receive an invitation. If you are overwhelmed with engagements, it’s okay to thank your hosts for the invitation, send your best wishes, and let them know you are already committed to another engagement.

Take a few moments to breathe deeply

Poor breathing limits your oxygen intake and adds stress to the smaller muscles in your upper body, producing tension and fatigue. To breathe correctly, use your diaphragm, the large muscle between your lungs and abdomen. Place one hand on your chest and one hand on your stomach. Take a deep breath. If your stomach moves out, you are using your diaphragm for regular deep breaths. Practice slow, deep breathing to re-energize yourself.

Laugh and smile

Laughing and smiling produces endorphins that relieve stress and promote health. Enjoy your family and friends this holiday season and consider volunteering your time or donating a gift to someone in need.

Learn more about Acupuncture Kansas City and Chiropractors In Kansas City at Chiropractorinoverlandpark.Com.

One of the things that make a woman beautiful is the contour or the sexiness of her body. Now the question is how to make her feel so great in a couple of weeks? Below are 3 techniques on how to have the best diet to lose weight. Take a look and try it for yourself.

Ways #1 self-assessment. In this, what you will need is something of an honest opinion about yourself. Do not try to convince yourself that you are thin, sexy or skinny to be a ramp model, if you can see it with your both eyes that you are as fat as you can imagine. Be honest so that you can assess if you have lost weight after doing the 3 best ways to lose weight diet techniques that is being shared to you here.

You can use the weighing scale and record your weigh in pounds. Also get the measuring tape and measure your waistline, the width of your arm and legs and the butt and bust measurement as well. Record them in a piece of paper. Put it in a visible place in your room so that every time that you are going to your room and have a time to rest, you will be reminded that you are fat and that you need to lose weight.

After that, buy jeans or blouse that is quite smaller in size than yours. Have or set a goal that by the end of the scheduled dieting, you will have it worn by you in a way that people will see the beauty that you have.

Ways #2 the second thing that you need to practice is has the best diet to lose weight. It is eating right, gradually reducing its quantity and eating more fibrous and juicy fruits and less protein-rich ones, when it is said less protein that does not mean eating foods which do not have protein in it. Less means there is something, a little portion, so do not try to abruptly eat nothing because you might get sick. You may not want getting anorexia nervosa, right?

These foods will give you a glimpse of right foods as compared to thinning ones yet unhealthy. Spinach is more than just Popeye’s food; it is also something that can reduce your risk of acquiring osteoporosis or other bone-related diseases. It is also being made to lower your cholesterol rate, and at the same time raising your I.Q. Very much appropriate in your body, you need not go hopeless and neglect eating this because it is very good for your heart and other vital organs, bones and stomach.

Eggs must not be forgotten also. Dieters just eat one egg a day and it is very much helpful to carry out the body’s resistance for the whole day. So to serve, you need to have an omelette containing veggies and wrap it in a wheal wrapper. There is a need that the wrap is whole wheat because of the fiber that you might be getting from the wheat. You may also use eggs together with Italian tuna and other seasonings like vinegar or olive oil.

Fruits like blueberries should be considered as indispensable because it has more nutrients that you will need. So to serve this fruit, you will have to use the fridge and blender, add honey and add spinach again, and make it a salad for your cravings. Imagine you will be getting nutrients as if you have eaten 60 different fruits and veggies, which are really good to avoid glaucoma, cataracts and even ulcers.

Ways #3 the last one is eating on time. First is the power of self assessment and right thinking, second is eating the right food with less quantity, and last is eat on time. If you eat on time, with right foods and less in quantity, and with your positivity and right thinking, well there is nothing to worry and surely, the jeans or the blouse you bought will surely be fit to you after say 1 to 2 months. Simple yet true best diet to lose weight, try it now!

My name is Leah Faith Villahermosa and I owned “In Shape Review” site where I offer a free guide online to help people decide which program would help them in losing weight and to stay in shape. For more information please visit my site http://www.inshapereview.com/index-22424.html Enjoy!

Losing weight can be a daunting journey if you do not have the right information to make it easier and faster. There are certain actions you can take that will create weight loss success. There is no reason that you can’t have that lean body. Whether you want to lose weight or keep that svelte figure, it is your metabolism that will ultimately take you there.

Strength Train!

As we age, our metabolism slows and it starts in our mid 20′s. This is mainly due to the loss of muscle we experience as time marches on. Each decade we can lose five to six pounds of muscle..and guess what? Muscle is an important component of a stoked metabolism. To raise your metabolism, strength training is key. Muscle is metabolically active and burns calories even at rest. Therefore, it is vital, in order to keep your metabolism humming, that strength training be a part of your exercise regimen.

Incorporate strength training 2-3 times per week to raise your metabolism.

Don’t Diet!

Diets deprive you of energy and nutrients. If your body thinks it is starving, everything slows down to hold on to the body’s stored energy by slowing down its metabolism. If you continue to deprive your body of food, your body will start burning muscle. This alone lowers your metabolism allowing for further fat gain. Remember: muscle burns calories even at rest.

Eat Breakfast!

Those who eat breakfast are leaner, fitter and healthier than those who do not. People who skip breakfast are missing out on effective weight loss because breakfast may increase resting metabolism by 10 percent. According to Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., professor of nutrition at Penn State University and author of The Volumetrics Weight-Control Plan: “Your metabolism slows while you sleep, and it doesn’t rev back up again until you eat again.”

Jumpstart your metabolism in the morning and keep it humming all day long.

Drink Water!

Every process in the human body requires water. The intake of water is vital for optimal health and it is key for boosting your metabolism as well. Room temperature water warming up to body temperature can increase a person’s metabolic rates by 30 percent after drinking approximately 17 ounces of water. This metabolic increase is sustained for over an hour!

Dehydrated cells do not function optimally and thus slow down. When your cells slow down…so does your metabolism and weight gain ensues. If you are dehydrated, you may be burning up to 2 percent fewer calories. This is why hydrating is an important key to weight loss and optimal health. Do not rely upon your thirst as an indicator to drink water. By the time you are thirsty, you are already 1-2% dehydrated.

Drink a minimum of 8-12 eight ounce glasses of water each day to increase your metabolic rate.

Add Protein!

Proteins are the basic building blocks for the human body and help build muscle. Remember that muscle is important in raising metabolism – it burns calories 24/7. If you don’t supply your body with the essential amino acids it needs, your body will be limited in the amount of protein it can use to build muscle.

To boost your metabolism and see your weight decrease, slowly incorporate 10-35% of your total daily calories from lean protein such as fish, chicken, low-fat cheese, yogurt and beans. If you are on an 1,800 calorie diet, 360 to 630 of those calories should be protein.

Add a serving of lean protein with every meal and snack.

Raising your metabolism allows you to live a lean and healthy life. If you would like to learn more about seriously boosting your metabolism, please visit me here: http://www.dlsHealthWorks.com/ and while you are visiting, please sign-up for your FREE book “The Health Attraction System: Your 7 Steps to Creating Optimal Health” At DLS HealthWorks you will find everything you need to create optimal health and weight loss in your life.

The health benefits associated with bio ceramic water have been widely understood in counties like Japan and Korea for centuries, but they are very new to western countries like North America. The term filter is somewhat of a misnomer, as the bio transformation takes place after the filtration process in modern water filter systems. However, the positive effect on the quality of drinking water is certainly no less astounding.

So what is bio ceramic water amplification (or conditioning), and how does it benefit us? To begin with, ceramics are hardened materials that through intense heat have formed a crystalline structure. It’s that crystalline structure that creates the electrical energy that triggers the bio transformation process. As as result of this bio ceramic process, the molecular structure of the water is completely changed, offering a number of important benefits.

The structural changes include increased hydrogen levels in the water, the creation of electrical energy in the form of electrolytes, increased alkalinity and the formation of antioxidants. Each of these changes or additions to the water has its own benefits and we will explore them in some detail. But before we do, it’s also important to note that this water is not as unnatural as it may sound. In fact, many years ago, all the world’s fresh water was structured this way, and still is in some very remote places. It’s only pollution and chemicals added to our municipal water supplies that prevent us from still enjoying this kind of water naturally. Today, we can enjoy such water thanks to bio ceramic water filter cartridges.

The increased hydrogen levels have a big impact on the rate at which our body cells are rehydrated. One glass of bio ceramic water has the same cell rehydration qualities as five glasses of untreated water.

Electrolytes are minerals found in the body that carry electronic impulses or signals to body cells. Our body’s cells need electrolytes in order to properly function by transferring electrical impulses across cell membranes. This in turn allows our muscles and nerves to function at optimum levels. A bio ceramic water filter cartridge is a convenient and inexpensive alternative to sugary sports drinks.

Increased alkalinity in water is another very important benefit of bio transformation. As many people are aware, humans are nearly 70% water and alkaline water at that. Today, in places like North America, people’s bodies tend to be overly acidic. This is primarily due to poor diet characterized by too much processed food and insufficient fresh fruit and vegetables. A pH imbalance in our bodies can result in health and wellness issues. Our vital organs such as heart, liver, lungs and kidneys all require a slightly alkaline level to function properly. If they detect an overly acidic state, they will seek to correct the imbalance from alkaline reserves in the body. Typically this will come from alkaline properties such as calcium and magnesium from bones. This can deplete our bones of these vital nutrients. Therefore low pH levels can result in symptoms such as tiredness and insufficient bone density.

Finally, we are told that antioxidants are good for us because they fight free radicals. But what really are antioxidants and free radicals? Our body needs oxygen and when oxygen is used, at least one electron is lost from the oxygen molecule.This is known as oxidation and the electron is called a free radical. Free radicals attack every cell in the body leading to a breakdown of the immune system and an increase in the aging process. Antioxidants like vitamin A and C, consume free radicals to the point where they can do so no longer. They therefore need replacing on a continual basis via the food and water we intake.

Check out the water filter cartridges blog for for information.

Instead of setting new year resolutions that are soon broken, consider making some simple changes to your diet and lifestyle which you can adopt throughout this year and beyond.

1. Aim to eat a minimum of 5, but preferably 8 to 10 fruits and vegetables a day.

2. Choose “negative calorie” vegetables which use up more calories to digest than the number of calories they contain. Examples are broccoli, carrots, celery, lettuce, asparagus, cauliflower, chilli peppers, cucumbers, garlic, onions, spinach, turnip.

3. Fruit is best eaten in the morning – for example, a fruit smoothie for breakfast, or as a snack between meals. Negative calorie fruits include apples, tangerines, papayas, pineapple, raspberries, strawberries, cranberries, grapefruit, lemons, mangos, oranges.

4. Include some raw vegetables in your diet each day, such as a side salad or crudités but avoid high sugar and fat dressings or dips.

5. NEVER cook vegetables in a microwave as it destroys most of the nutrients and can be harmful to health. Steaming is the best cooking method.

6. Unless you have an allergy to them, nuts and seeds make an ideal snack instead of crisps or chocolate. They are best eaten raw and a handful is not as fattening as you may think.

7. Choose lean cuts of meat but only eat a small portion. It’s not necessary to eat meat every day.

8. Eat at least one portion of oily fish a week such as salmon, tuna or mackerel.

9. Use a smaller plate. Psychologically, you will feel more satisfied eating from a full, small plate than a half empty, large plate.

10. Go easy on the dairy products. They can be quite fattening and are not essential for health. Green, leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds are a far superior source of calcium.

11. Natural, pro-biotic yogurt can help aid digestion by providing millions of good bacteria to the gut but avoid yogurts with fruit, sugar or artificial sweeteners.

12. Keep processed foods to a minimum, especially starchy carbohydrates, as they are high in calories and soon leave you craving for more.

13. Avoid “white” foods such as white bread, pasta, rice and sugar. Instead, use the wholemeal or brown versions.

14. Avoid all artificial sweeteners as they are harmful to health and actually stimulate your appetite! Xylitol, a natural sweetener, is a safer alternative with few calories.

15. Drink at least 2 litres of fluid a day, ideally water.

16. If you feel hungry between meals, try a glass of water, first. Thirst lets us know we are dehydrated but sometimes we mistake it for hunger.

17. Keep caffeinated drinks to a minimum as they can be dehydrating.

18. Alcohol is high in calories, so limit the amount you drink.

19. Avoid fizzy drinks full of empty calories. Even the diet versions are bad and will make you want to eat more!

20. To make up the shortfall in nutrients in our food today, take a broad-spectrum multi-vitamin and mineral supplement. Liquid versions are usually best for absorption.

21. Take a probiotic supplement with billions of “good” bacteria (acidophilus and bifidus) to aid digestion and absorption of nutrients in the gut.

22. Take fish oil, either in capsules or as a liquid for omega 3 fatty acids.

23. If you are deficient in Vitamin D, your ability to lose weight will be harder. A supplement with Vitamin D3 can help raise your levels. Most people in the UK are deficient during the winter months.

24. Avoid eating after 7pm. Any carbohydrates not used as energy will be stored as fat.

25. Get active. No need to sign up for the gym. A brisk walk, running up and down stairs, parking further away from your destination, doing housework… can all help burn extra calories and keep you fit and healthy.

26. Finally, some people struggle with weight control due to an underlying medical condition. The most common are Hypothyroidism (underactive Thyroid Gland), Insulin Resistance (Pre-Diabetes/Type 2 Diabetes), or a Food Intolerance. If you suspect you may have a problem, consult a health practitioner for a health check.

Sue Bedford is a Registered Nurse with a Diploma in Nutrition, specialising in health screening and health promotion. More information can be found at http://www.pulsescreening.co.uk/

There are 4 main locations of the smaller muscles that make up the overall hip flexor muscles: the abdomen/hip region, the front of the thigh, the gluteus, and the inside of thigh/groin.

(Illiopsoas)

Psoas Major/Minor

The Psoas Major is a tapered muscle that runs along the front of your pelvic bone down to your hip joint; it is probably the most important of the hip flexor muscles. While it does help lift the leg up, it also greatly aids in external rotation (moving your leg away from your center of gravity). The Psoas Minor also helps in this role, but only about 50% of people have this muscle! This is also one of the highest risk muscles for a hip flexor injury due to its’ central position.

Illiacus Muscle

The Illiacus Muscle is located right beside the Psoas, but it is a much smaller, triangular muscle. The Illiacus is actually important for two types of movements, the first: open-chained (like when you are standing), it helps to raise the leg/knee forward. In closed-chained positions (think lying down), it can help lift the upper half of the torso up, like in a sit-up. Because of the heavy loads often placed on the Illiacus it is often a source of hip flexor pain.

Muscles on Front of Thigh

Rectus Femoris

This is what most people would call their quadriceps muscle, but it is actually part of the hip flexor muscles. It obviously is involved in hip flexion, but it also is the primary muscle when extending the leg (knee flexion) in a standing position, like kicking a soccer ball. Note that it is not the primary muscle for this same movement in a seated position when the hip is already in a flexed position, it has limited power, so other muscles are use.

Sartorius

The Sartorius is a long thin muscle that runs from the hip joint all the way down to the knee over top of the thigh. It aids in 4 major movements: Flexion of the knee and hip, rotation of your leg, and adduction (pushing your legs together). Because of its’ many facets of movement, it primarily plays a support role to other hip flexor muscles.

Gluteal Component

Tensor Fasciae latae

The Tensor Fasciae latae is primarily an adductor and stabilizing muscle. In many activities, walking, running, snow activities, and many more, it is heavily used to stabilize the leg and support the knee.

Inner Thigh Muscles

These 4 hip flexor muscles all have extremely similar functions for the scope of this article. The Pectineus, Adductor longus and brevis, and the Gracilis all are located in what most people would consider the groin region. They are responsible mainly for moving the leg laterally, although they support in the flexion of the hip as well.

As you can see, there are several hip flexor muscles that all work together to facilitate hip flexion while fulfilling other functions as well.

Information is power; you owe it to yourself and your body’s health to understand your injuries. If you are able to understand injuries, you can diagnose them faster, treat them better, and recovery to the highest possible levels.

If you need more information about a hip flexor injury or other hip flexor topics, visit my website.

Adoption DNA testing is probably one of the most frequently performed types of testing that is done. Many people who were adopted when they were young grow up with an incredible curiosity about the people who created them and the families they might have come from. When you are growing up you generally know the majority of your cousins, aunts and uncles. You hear the family stories and see the family photographs that prove to you your connection to this group of people and also what common traits you have inherited from them. You may even be aware of your genetic predisposition to have certain diseases because you know your family.

Adoption DNA testing allows the person that did not get to know all of these things about their family and their history to be able to discover these facts. Some facts such as the genetic predisposition to certain diseases will be of major importance to the individual as they will be able to inform their doctors of things they should be watching for.

Some adoption agencies require that the mother and father be tested when the baby is given up for adoption. In this way they can prove that they received the baby from the people who were the child’s legal, biological parents who had the right to give the child up for adoption. This could save the adoption agency and the adoptive family a lot of grief in the future should someone show up claiming to be the biological parent of the child and wanting to revoke the adoption.

Adoption DNA testing is usually performed on the child when they find their birth parents, in order for them to confirm they have found the correct family. This test is done by taking a saliva sample from the mouth of the individuals to be compared. Sometimes the birth parents are no longer alive for the testing to be performed and in that case the adopted person may have a sibling relationship test performed to prove they share a parent with another individual.

The sibling test can give results even if the people share only one parent. You can even prove that you share a common ancestor with a cousin or other relative that is not as close as a parent or a sibling. These tests are often performed when someone claims to be a relative of a person who is famous, rich, or high profile.

For Information about DNA Testing please visit this site: DNA TEST.

1. Daily meditation – sit for 10, 15, 20 minutes a day and just breathe. Pick the time of day and the length of time that works best for you. For me 20 minutes before bed works best. Start small and work your way up to longer times. Consistency is the key to maintaining the practice

2. Once a week make a meal with a new vegetable, grain or spice. Many different foods have great healing properties so get out of a food rut and set aside one day to make something new. Visit a farmers market to find local, seasonal food for the best quality and nutrition. Look online for cooking tips or recipes.

3. Try a new physical activity. Enjoy the outdoors? Go snowshoeing. Love to dance? Try Zumba. Want to work out some aggression? Give kickboxing a go. Every month try something new. Check community centres for drop in classes. Once you find something fun that gets your heart beating sign up for a series of classes. It’s easier to stay motivated when you have already paid for something.

4. Weekly low tech time. Walk through the woods, read a book down by the ocean, take pictures in the mountains, have a coffee at a local café and people watch. Whatever or wherever it should be electronic free. Let your mind slow down by taking some time to unplug.

5. Take probiotics and vitamin D, especially in the winter. I usually encourage a varied diet to get all the vitamins and minerals needed but these two supplements have a powerful impact on the overall health of the body.

6. 20-30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity. Find a jogging buddy, take a walk after dinner, go for a swim before work, take an exercise class at lunch.

7. Have a monthly health treatment. Many alternative therapies have multiple benefits. Try massage, homeopathy, cranio-sacral, acupuncture, osteopathy or reiki. Check with your extended health care provider to see which therapies are covered. Ask for a referral from a friend or trusted health care professional and see which ones work best for you on a physical and emotional level.

8. Volunteer. Find an organization or cause that resonates with you. Studies have shown volunteering has many health benefits, especially in older adults. Higher functional ability, increased longevity, lower incidence of depression and heart disease. Two hours a week is considered optimal. If making a weekly commitment doesn’t work for you many organizations have special events or busy times of year where extra help is needed.

9. Play. Create a new game, spend time with young kids and follow their lead. Most of our adult life is structured including the activities we take part in. Play is unstructured time that can help improve creativity and spontaneity.

10. Pick a brain activity. Crossword, puzzles, Sudoku or online brain games such as Brain Workshop- a Dual N-back game. Do it daily, weekly or whenever you have some spare time. Waiting for an appointment, on the bus, coffee break at work.

11. Treat yourself at home. Self massage is therapeutic and relaxing. Foot massage, head massage or hand massage are all accessible and require little skill to be beneficial. 10 – 15 minutes while watching the news or listening to a podcast is all it takes. Wanting to achieve more specific health benefits speak to an acupuncturist to give you tips on points that would benefit your condition and different techniques. There are also many books available on basic acupressure.

12. Keep a journal. Busy mind, unexpressed emotions, scattered thoughts can have a detrimental on ones health leading to insomnia, feelings of anger or frustration, poor concentration or difficulty completing tasks. By writing thoughts, feelings or things to do down it puts the mind at rest.

I hope these tips inspire you to take charge of your health this year and explore new ways to achieve optimal health. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions please share here, on Facebook or twitter.

Have a happy, healthy new year!

Angela Foran is a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine with a private practice in Vancouver, Canada. Patient education is an important part of her practice. She encourages and supports all clients on their quest to achieve optimal health. Learn more about her Vancouver acupuncture practice here.

There have been tremendous advances in medicine and healthcare over the last twenty years, affecting everything from our understanding and treatment of certain diseases to the best timing to screen for certain conditions in both men, women and children. Breast cancer, HIV, prostate cancer, Alzheimer’s…our ability to identify risk factors and provide early treatment is continually progressing and evolving.

That’s why it has become important to discuss what tests an individual should have done – and when – with their primary care physician. Routine checkups and screenings are the key to good preventative medicine.

Health screening schedules are very specific to each person, and are based on their specific general health, age, gender, hereditary factors and pre-existing conditions. A doctor may recommend more frequent screenings, or screenings at a younger age due to any of these factors.

Below are some of the more common health screenings and doctor’s exams a patient should undergo – arranged by gender and age – as recommended by the National institutes of Health as well as various health advocacy groups.

Health Screening Schedule

Men*:

18-40 years old: general physical exam, every 1-2 years

21-40 years old: prostate exam, every 2-3 years

40+ years old, prostate exam, every year

40+ years old: general physical exam, every year

50+ years old: colon cancer screening, every 5-10 years

50+ years old, osteoporosis screening, as indicated by your physician

Women*:

18-40 years old: general physical exam, every 1-2 yrs

40+ years old: general physical exam, every year

All women: Tetanus/Diphtheria: every ten yrs

All women: pap smear, every 1-3 yrs

All women: breast exam, every 1-3 yrs

40+ years old: mammogram, every year

50+ years old: colon cancer screening, every 5-10 yrs

60+ years old: osteoporosis screening, every 2-5 yrs

Children*:

Regular checkups and immunizations are critical for children. Within two weeks of birth, the first two checkups will typically occur. Additional checkups occur at 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 and 24 months of age. Children over the age of two typically go for a checkup once a year, with other visits happening throughout the year when the child is injured, ill, or exhibiting signs or symptoms the parent may be concerned about. The child’s pediatrician will determine an accurate schedule for immunizations and visits based on your child’s health condition and history.

*Always follow a doctor’s guidance regarding the timing and frequency of medical visits, tests, screenings and treatments. Note: the above list is not comprehensive.

Brent M. Nickischer, D.O. is the Medical Director of Saucon Valley Medical Center. Dr. Nickischer has devoted his career to primary care, urgent care, occupational health care, and is board-certified in internal medicine. He is an experienced Impairment Rating Physician who provides expert testimony. He serves on staff at both St. Luke’s and Lehigh Valley Hospitals, and is a clinical assistant professor at DeSales University.