Take charge of your health in the New Year by resolving to have the following health tests important for women’s health –

• Hearing – beginning at age 50, this should be a yearly requirement but if you are subject to a lot of loud noise or hear a lot of loud music over headphones, earlier would be a good idea.
• THS screening to diagnose hypothyroidism is particularly important if you have symptoms such as constipation, weight gain, feeling tired or cold, various aches and pains and so on. Otherwise this should be done each year after the age of 50.
• Pap smear – this should ideally start at age 21 to detect cervical cancer early. Women aged 30 and older should have it once in three years if there have been three consecutive normal smears.
• Blood tests – cholesterol levels should be checked even when in your 20’s and then once each five years. After 40 you should ideally have blood sugar and cholesterol checked each year.
• Colonoscopy – this will help detect cancerous polyps. Those with a family history of colon cancer should have this done each year.
• Depression – women are particularly at risk of depression and if there are any unusual symptoms such as irritability, mood swings and sleep changes and so on, a test to detect depression is even more important.

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Vegetables, fruits, and grains are normally low in fat and have no cholesterol. Most are great sources
of dietary fiber, complex carbs, and vitamins. The American Heart Association recommends that you
eat foods that are high in complex carbs and fiber.
Below are some tips for making healthy food choices:
- Coconut is high in saturated fat, while olives are high in monounsaturated fats and calories. You
should use these items sparingly to avoid getting too many calories from fat.
- When vegetable grains are cooked, saturated fat or cholesterol is often added. For example, egg
yolks may be added to bread or even pasta.
- Processed, canned, or preserved vegetables may also contain added sodium. With some people, too
much sodium (salt) may lead to high blood pressure.

There are some food companies that are actually canning vegetables with less salt. You can look
for these in the market area or choose fresh and even frozen vegetables.
- Nuts and seeds tend to be high in calories and fat, although a majority of the fat is polyunsaturated
or monounsaturated. There are some varieties, macadamie nuts for example, that are also high in
saturated fat. Foods that are high in soluble fiber are a great choice as well. Examples include oat bran,
oatmeal, beans, peas, rice bran, barley, and even apple pulp.

Whenever you are looking for healthy food choices, always make sure you read the nutrition label
or information about the food. You can then determine what the food contains and how healthy
it truly is for your body. By taking your time and making your healthy food choices wisely,
you’ll have a lifetime to enjoy the foods that
will take care of you.