Healthfinder.gov
Healthfinder.gov is a Federal Government website where you will find information and tools to help you and those you care about stay healthy. When making decisions about your health, it's important to know where to go to get the latest, most reliable information. healthfinder.gov has resources on a wide range of health topics selected from over 1,600 government and nonprofit organizations to bring you the best, most reliable health information on the Internet.
Public Health & Safety
Get Important Shots
Adults need shots (vaccinations) just like kids do. Next time you get a checkup, talk with the doctor or nurse about getting these important shots.
- Get a flu shot every year. The seasonal flu vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and others from the flu.
- Get a Td booster shot every 10 years to protect against tetanus (“TET-nes”) and diphtheria (“dif-THEER-ee-ah”).
- If you are under age 65 and haven’t received it yet, get the Tdap shot instead of your next Td booster. Tdap protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough (pertussis).
- If you are age 60 or older, you may need a shot to prevent shingles. Shingles causes a rash and can lead to pain that lasts for months or years.
- If you are age 65 or older, get a pneumonia shot. This shot is sometimes called PPSV. Most people only need to get the shot once.
Stay Safe at Work
Work can put a lot of wear and tear on your body. Back injuries are the most common type of workplace injury.
Make simple changes to prevent injuries and stay healthy:
- Lift things safely.
- Arrange your equipment to fit your body.
- Take short breaks and stretch your muscles.
- Eat healthy and stay active.
- Get enough sleep.
View more information on important shots, staying safe at work, or other public health and safety topics (i.e. first aid, preventing infections, protecting against poisons, bike safety).
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Everyday Health & Wellness
Get Enough Sleep
Everyone needs to sleep. A good night’s sleep helps keep your mind and body healthy.
How much sleep do I need?
Most adults need 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. If you are having trouble sleeping, make changes to your routine to get the sleep you need.
Kids need even more sleep than adults.
- Teens need at least 9 hours of sleep each night.
- School-aged and preschool children need 10 to 12 hours of sleep.
- Newborns sleep between 16 and 18 hours a day.
Protect Your Skin from the Sun
The best way to prevent skin cancer is to protect your skin from the sun.
- Stay in the shade as much as possible between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Use sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher.
- Cover up with long sleeves, a hat, and sunglasses.
Why do I need to protect my skin from the sun?
Protect your skin from the sun today to help prevent skin cancer later in life. Most skin cancer appears after age 50, but damage from the sun can start during childhood.
Staying out of the sun and using sunscreen can also help prevent:
- Wrinkles
- Blotches or spots on your skin
- Other damage caused by the sun
Quit Smoking
Quitting smoking is one of the most important things you can do for your health. The sooner you quit, the sooner your body can begin to heal. You will feel better and have more energy to be active with your family and friends.
How can I quit smoking?
Start by thinking about why you want to quit. If you’ve tried to quit before, think about what worked and what didn’t. This will help you find the right quitting strategies.
Here are some things you can try to help you quit:
- Make a quit plan.
- Change your routine. For example, go for a walk instead of having a cigarette.
- Eat healthy snacks instead of smoking.
- Get medicine from your doctor or pharmacy.
- Get support from family, friends, and coworkers.
Nicotine is a drug in cigarettes that’s just as addictive as heroin or cocaine. It’s the nicotine in cigarettes that causes the strong feeling (craving) that you want to smoke. Quitting is hard, but it can be done.
Want more information on getting more sleep, protecting your skin from the sun, quiting smoking, or other everyday health & wellness topics (i.e. managing stress, preventing allergy attacks, taking charge on your health care, talking to your doctor about depression)? Check out Everyday Health & Wellness on healthfinder.gov.
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Nutrition & Fitness
To stay at a healthy weight, you need to balance the calories you eat with the calories you burn (use up). To lose weight, you need to use more calories than you eat. A healthy diet and physical activity can help you control your weight.
Calories are a measure of the energy in the foods you eat. You burn calories when you are physically active.
How do I know if I’m eating the right number of calories?
Use this tool to find out how many calories your body needs each day. This is the number of calories you need to maintain your current weight. If you are overweight or obese, burn more calories than you eat to lose weight.
Want more information on nutrition and fitness? Check out Nutrition & Fitness on Healthfinder.gov.
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Important Screenings
Screenings are medical tests that check for diseases. Screenings can help doctors find diseases early, when the diseases may be easier to treat.
Getting screening tests is one of the most important things you can do for your health. You may need to be screened for:
- Some types of cancer
- High blood pressure and cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Osteoporosis (weak bones)
- Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
- Hearing and vision loss
Use the myhealthfinder tool to find out which screening tests you may need.
Enter your age, sex, and pregnancy status to get a list of recommendations. Print out the list and take it with you to your next doctor’s appointment.
Want more information on screenings? Check out Important Screening Tests on Healthfinder.gov.
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Heart Health
You can take steps today to lower your risk of heart disease and heart attack. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States.
To help prevent heart disease, you can:
- Watch your weight.
- Quit smoking and stay away from secondhand smoke.
- Control your cholesterol (“koh-LEHS-tuh-rahl”) and blood pressure.
- If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation.
- Get active and eat healthy.
- Take steps to prevent type 2 diabetes.
- Manage stress.
Want more information on heart health? Check out Heart Health on healthfinder.gov
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Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease. When you have diabetes, there is too much sugar (called glucose) in your blood.
There is more than one type of diabetes, but type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the disease. People who are overweight and inactive are more likely to get type 2 diabetes. Talk to your doctor about how you can prevent type 2 diabetes.
What do I ask the doctor?
Visiting the doctor can be stressful. It helps to have questions written down before your appointment. Print out this list of questions, and take it with you the next time you visit the doctor.
- Am I at risk for type 2 diabetes?
- Does my weight put me at risk for diabetes?
- Are there any warning signs of diabetes I should look out for?
- How can I find out if I have diabetes?
- What should I eat to prevent or delay diabetes?
- How much physical activity should I do to prevent or delay diabetes?
- If I’m overweight, how many pounds do I have to lose to prevent or delay diabetes?
- What are healthy ways to lose weight and keep it off?
- What are my blood pressure numbers and cholesterol levels? What should they be?
- Do my blood pressure and cholesterol numbers put me at risk for diabetes?
- Can you give me information about preventing diabetes to take home?
Learn about lowering your risk for type 2 diabetes
Want more information on diabetes? Check out Diabetes on healthfinder.gov.
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For Older Adults
Getting older doesn’t have to mean losing your health. To stay healthy as you age:
- Choose healthy foods
- Keep your body and mind active
- Get regular checkups
- Take steps to prevent accidents
Remember, it’s never too late to make healthy changes in your life.
Stay active to live longer and better.
Staying active can help you:
- Reduce your risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer
- Avoid falls and other injuries
- Live on your own longer
- Prevent depression
Plus, staying active may help keep your mind sharp.
Want more information on health & older adults? Check out “For Older Adults” on healthfinder.gov.
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Parenting
Protect Your Child from Injury
Children are at high risk for injuries. You can help keep your child from getting hurt by taking action ahead of time.
A few minutes now could save your child’s life.
These simple steps can help prevent injuries inside and outside your home.
- Use the right child safety seat in the car.
- Use smoke alarms and make a fire escape plan for your home.
- Keep medicines, vitamins, and cleaning products out of your child’s reach.
- Teach your child to swim and closely watch your child in or near water.
- Make sure your child wears the right safety gear (like a helmet or pads) when playing sports.
Good habits like these can help protect your family from food poisoning:
- Buy food from stores that look and smell clean.
- Don’t buy food past “sell by,” “use by,” or other expiration dates.
- Wash your hands often with warm water and soap – especially before and after touching food.
- Make sure food is cooked to a safe temperature.
- Keep raw meat and seafood away from cooked and ready-to-eat food.
- Keep cold foods cold. Keep hot foods hot.
Protect Your Family Against Food Poisoning
Food poisoning (foodborne illness) is when you get sick from eating or drinking something that has harmful germs (like bacteria, viruses, or parasites) in it. Two common causes of food poisoning are E. coli and Salmonella.
Good habits like these can help protect your family from food poisoning:
- Buy food from stores that look and smell clean.
- Don’t buy food past “sell by,” “use by,” or other expiration dates.
- Wash your hands often with warm water and soap – especially before and after touching food.
- Make sure food is cooked to a safe temperature.
- Keep raw meat and seafood away from cooked and ready-to-eat food.
- Keep cold foods cold. Keep hot foods hot.
Talk to Your Kids About Tobacco, Alcohol, and Drugs
Talk to your child about the dangers of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. Knowing the facts will help your child make healthy choices.
What do I say?
- Give your child clear rules.
- Find out what your child already knows.
- Be prepared to answer your child’s questions.
- Talk with your child about how to say “no.”
When do I start talking with my child?
Start early. By preschool, most children have seen adults smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol, either in real life or on TV. Make sure your child knows right from the start that you think it’s important to stay safe and avoid drugs.
Here are more reasons to start the conversation early:
- Many kids start using tobacco by age 11 and are addicted by age 14.
- Between ages 9 and 13, kids begin to think that using alcohol is okay.
- Some children are already abusing drugs at age 12 or 13.
What if my child is older?
It’s never too late to start the conversation about avoiding drugs. Even if your teen may have tried tobacco, alcohol, or drugs, you can still talk about making healthy choices and how to say “no” next time.
Get more information on keeping kids healthy and drug free.
Want more information about injury prevention, food poisoning, talking to your kids about tobacco, alcohol, and drugs, or other parenting topics (i.e., making the most of your child's doctor visits, watching for signs of speech delays, preventing bullying)? Check out "For Parents" on healthfinder.gov.
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For Men
Get screening tests to find diseases early.
Screenings are medical tests that check for diseases. Screenings can help doctors find diseases early, when the diseases may be easier to treat.
- Get your blood pressure checked at least once every 2 years.
- Talk to your doctor about getting your cholesterol checked. Doctors recommend that most men get their cholesterol checked at least once every 5 years.
- Get tested for colorectal cancer if you are over age 50. Ask your doctor what type of screening test is right for you.
- If you are between ages 65 and 75 and have ever smoked, talk with your doctor about abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).
- Most men feel stressed, anxious, or depressed from time to time. If these feelings last for more than 2 weeks, talk to a doctor about screening for depression. Most men with depression feel better when they get treatment.
Talk to your doctor if you have questions about your prostate.
Ask your doctor about taking aspirin every day.
If you are over age 45, taking aspirin every day could lower your risk of heart attack. Talk with your doctor about whether daily aspirin is right for you.
Do you know what it takes to stay healthy? Take this men’s health quiz to find out.
Want more information on health & men? Check out “Men: Take Charge of Your Health” on healthfinder.gov.
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For Women
Get Tested for Breast Cancer
Mammograms can help find breast cancer early. You have a better chance of surviving breast cancer if it’s found and treated early.
- Women ages 40 to 49: Talk with your doctor about when to start getting mammograms and how often you need them.
- Women ages 50 to 74: Get a mammogram every 2 years. Talk with your doctor to decide if you need one more often.
What is a mammogram?
A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast. Mammograms use a very low level of x‑rays (called radiation). A mammogram is very safe.
- When you get a mammogram, the nurse will place your breasts, one at a time, between 2 plastic plates and take pictures of each breast. Mammograms may be uncomfortable for some women, but they don’t hurt.
- A mammogram lasts less than 15 minutes.
What if the doctor finds something wrong with my breast?
Mammograms let the doctor or nurse look for small lumps inside your breast. If a lump is found, the doctor or nurse will do other tests to find out if it’s cancer.
- The doctor or nurse may take a small bit of tissue from the lump for testing. This is called a biopsy (“BY-op-see”).
Preventing Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis (“os-tee-oh-puh-ROH-sis”) is a disease of the bones. It means your bones are weak and more likely to break. Anyone can get osteoporosis, but it’s most common in older women.
Ask your doctor or nurse about steps you can take to prevent weak bones and lower your risk for osteoporosis. If you are age 50 or older, talk to your doctor about testing your bone strength.
Screening for osteoporosis is covered under the new Affordable Care Act for some women over age 60. Depending on your insurance plan, you may be able to get screened at no cost to you. Talk to your insurance provider.
What do I ask the doctor?
Visiting the doctor can be stressful. It helps to have questions written down before your appointment. Print out this list of questions, and take it with you the next time you visit the doctor. You may want to take a family member or close friend along to take notes.
- What puts me at risk for osteoporosis?
- How can I find out if I have weak bones?
- What foods should I eat to help prevent osteoporosis?
- How active do I need to be to help prevent osteoporosis?
- Am I currently taking any medicines that cause bone loss?
- How much calcium and vitamin D do I need each day?
- How can I get enough calcium?
Getting Enough Folic Acid
Women of childbearing age (typically ages 11 to 49) need an extra 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day. Folic acid is found in vitamins and foods like breakfast cereals that have 100% DV (daily value) of folic acid.
Why is folic acid important?
Everyone needs folic acid in their diet. Folic acid is especially important for women who are pregnant or who may become pregnant.
It’s important to get enough folic acid, even when you aren’t planning to get pregnant. Folic acid is a vitamin that can prevent birth defects. It’s needed during the first few weeks of pregnancy, often before a woman knows she’s pregnant.
Want more information on health & women? Check out “For Women” on healthfinder.gov.
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Pregnancy
It’s important to take care of yourself and your baby during pregnancy. To keep you and your baby healthy:
- See your doctor or midwife regularly.
- Get important prenatal (“pree-NAY-tuhl”) tests.
- Don’t smoke or drink alcohol.
- Prevent infections.
- Eat healthy foods and stay active.
To get more tips for a healthy pregnancy:
Want more information about pregnancy? Check out Pregnancy on Healthfinder.gov.
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