Safe and Healthy Bride
Say, "I do" to your health! Follow these tips to help you be a safe and healthy bride.
Eat healthy.
Make smart choices to help you look and feel good for your wedding, showers, parties, and new life together. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. Limit foods and drinks high in calories, sugar, salt, fat, and alcohol. Choose healthy snacks.
If you want to lose weight, eat smaller food portions, lower the amount of fat in your diet, and be active. Avoid crash dieting. Meet with your doctor or nurse to talk about your best approach, especially if you have any health problems.
Include healthy meals and snacks for your guests. Add seasonal fruit or vegetables, low-fat snacks, and low-calorie drinks or desserts.
Be active.
Be active for at least 2½ hours a week. Include activities that raise your breathing and heart rates and that strengthen your muscles. You don’t have to do it all at once. Spread your activity out during the week, and break it into smaller chunks of time during the day.
Be smoke-free.
Choose smoke-free venues for the wedding reception and other activities. Breathing in other people's smoke (secondhand smoke) causes health problems similar to those of smokers.
Prepare for your new life together by quitting smoking. Quitting smoking has immediate and long-term benefits. Within 20 minutes after smoking that last cigarette, your body begins a series of positive changes that continue for years. Know that secondhand smoke causes health problems similar to those of smokers. Keep your home smoke-free.
Manage stress.
Trying to juggle wedding planning, work, school, and the other activities can be stressful. Early warning signs of stress include headache, sleep problems, difficulty concentrating, short temper, upset stomach, job dissatisfaction, and low morale. Take steps to recognize and manage stress. Talk to your doctor or nurse if you feel stressed or if you think you are losing control.
Style your hair with care.
If you’re changing hairstyles or hair color on your own, follow all directions, cautions, and warnings on hair products. Dyes and relaxers can hurt skin, hair, and eyes. Do a patch test before using dye on your hair. If a rash develops, don’t use the dye. Never dye eyebrows or eyelashes, as it might cause blindness. If in doubt, let the professionals do your hair.
Test cosmetics and skin-care products before use.
Trying something new for your wedding? Test any new cosmetics or skin care products way before the wedding. For some people, using cosmetics like make-up or deodorant may cause itching, redness, rash, sneezing, or wheezing. Allergies may happen the first time a product is used or after multiple uses. Always test a product in a small area first. Follow all directions, cautions, and warnings on the label. Stop using the product if problems develop. Remove it before bedtime to prevent skin and eye irritation.
Prevent injury.
Wear comfortable shoes that won’t affect how you walk, stand, or dance. High heels may be in style, but they may also increase your chances of falling if they’re too high, uncomfortable, or not something you usually wear.
Long dresses or trains should be comfortable to wear and not be a trip or fall hazard. Be aware of these issues when getting your dress fitted.
If you’re using candles at your wedding, ensure that they are placed properly so as not to burn anyone or set anything on fire. Place other decorations in such a way so as not to increase the risk of injury.
If alcohol will be served at the wedding or other activities, be aware of how much you and others are drinking. Do not drink and drive. Encourage others to designate a sober driver before the event.
Get a check-up.
Check with your doctor or nurse to see what tests and exams you need based on your age, sex, and health history. Regular health exams and tests can help find problems before they start. They also can help find problems early, when your chances for treatment and cure are better. By getting the right health services, screenings, and treatments, you are taking steps that help your chances for living a healthier life.
Talk to your doctor or nurse about preconception care and your and your partner’s family histories. Are there any issues that are of concern that both of you need to discuss with your health care provider? Are there any issues that can potentially cause health problems if you decide to have children?
If you have a health problem, make sure you are taking steps to manage it. Don’t neglect your health while planning your wedding. Continue treatment plans unless your doctor or nurse instructs you to do otherwise. Be sure to get any refills on prescription medications. Be realistic about what you can do. Talk to your doctor or nurse if you have any questions.
Check-Up Checklist: Things to Do Before Your Next Check-Up
Get enough sleep.
Get 7-9 hours of sleep each night. How you feel and perform during the day is related to how much sleep you get the night before. If sleepiness interferes with your daily activities, more sleep each night will improve the quality of your waking hours.
Build a healthy relationship.
Being a bride and having a great wedding are two things some women dream about. There is sometimes a mix of reality and fantasy in thinking about being a bride and wife. After the honeymoon, life and marriage may not live up to the expectations. Establishing and maintaining a healthy relationship is important before and during marriage. Adults and children who experience a healthy marriage can benefit from better health, increased wealth and financial stability, and longer life expectancy.
Determine if you have realistic expectations of what marriage will be like and what your and your partner’s roles are. Do you or your partner behave in ways that may not demonstrate a healthy relationship? Have you or your partner verbally, emotionally, or physically abused the other? Are there things about your partner or relationship that make you uncomfortable? Several factors can increase the risk that someone will hurt his or her partner. Talk to your doctor, nurse, counselor, or someone else you trust if you need help.
If you are a victim of intimate partner violence, contact your local battered women's shelter or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE (7233).
National Healthy Marriage Resource Center (NHMRC)
Two of Us (NHMRC)
Travel safely.
If you’re taking a cruise, know your ship’s recent inspection scores. If you're traveling internationally, make sure you have all the vaccinations required for that area. Always wear your seatbelt while riding in a motor vehicle. Protect yourself from sunburn, mosquitoes, and ticks.
Go green.
Recycle all the magazines you read while preparing for the wedding. Consider using favors, utensils, decorations, and accessories that can be easily recycled or reused.
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Page last modified: August 14, 2009
Page last reviewed: March 20, 2009
