By Lisa M. Belisle, MD, MPH
Originally published 2008 Farmers' Almanac

Albert Schweitzer once said, “I’ll tell you a secret. We doctors do nothing. We only help and encourage the doctor within.” How can you help your body be its own best doctor? Commit to making 2008 a “Year of Wellness.” Create a personal plan for change by: 

• Taking Inventory: Determine what you are already doing well, and what you might improve. 
• Writing it Down: Put your intentions on paper, and place them where you can see them. 
• Prioritizing: Tackle things that will have the most impact first. 
• Starting Slow: Break the process into pieces, and do one thing at a time. 
• Setting a Date: Decide when you are going to begin making changes. 
• Enlisting Assistance: Ask others to help you get where you want to go. Though you may be your own best doctor, your health care provider is still a critical resource. 

If you’re not sure what changes you’d like to make, consider giving each month a specific health focus. Starting with… 

January: Body Basics 

Wondering where to begin? Maintaining (or getting to) a healthy weight should be a top priority. Our bones and tissues are meant to support a predetermined number of pounds. When we carry too much weight, we experience joint pain and ailments such as diabetes and heart disease. Celebrate January’s Healthy Weight Week by determining whether you are at your ideal: calculate your “Body Mass Index” (BMI), at www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi. 

Maintaining an ideal weight is made possible by a reasonable diet and adequate activity. Adequate activity consists of more than the typical ‘couch to fridge’ or ‘office chair to water cooler’ commutes. It should include pastimes that improve aerobic endurance, strength and flexibility. Keep track of your exercise success through the “Exercise Diary” at www.justmove.org. 

February: Heeding the Heart 

Heart disease is the number one killer of American adults. In addition to being a man older than 40, a menopausal women, or having a family history of heart disease, risk factors include: 

• Smoking, 
• A diet high in fat and cholesterol, 
• Exercising less than 30 minutes most, if not all days of the week, 
• Total cholesterol greater than 200 mg/DL (and other abnormal cholesterol numbers—see September), 
• Blood Pressure greater than 120/80 mmHg, 
• Fasting Blood Sugar greater than 100 mg/dL, 
• Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 25 Kg/m², and 
• Waist Circumference greater than 35 inches.   

Find out whether you are headed for heart disease during Healthy Heart Month by taking an ‘Online Risk Assessment” at www.americanheart.org. 

March: Eat, Sleep and Be Merry! 

Hippocrates said, “Let food be your medicine.” Each of us requires slightly different proportions and quantities of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and high quality fats. Calculate your personal nutrient needs during National Nutrition Month, at www.mypyramid.gov. 

March is also National Sleep Awareness Week. Most Americans get far less than the recommended eight hours of sleep. Our bodies respond by being more susceptible to depression and chronic pain. Television, video games, excessive work—all of these rob our bodies of crucial slumber. We must steal this time back, and lay our bodies down. For sleep-related suggestions, visit www.sleepfoundation.org. 

April: Combat Cancer 

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in American adults. Get up to date on your cancer screenings during National Cancer Control Month. For people without a family history of cancer (or other risk factors) these include: 

• Cervix (women): pap tests every 1-3 years after first intercourse, or age 21, 
• Breast (women): see October, 
• Prostate (men): yearly prostate specific antigen (PSA) and digital rectal exams after age 50, 
• Colorectal: five options possible after age 50. 

For more information on colorectal and other cancer screening options, visit www.cancer.org. 

May: Spotlight on the Spirit 

When our spirits are well, our bodies enjoy equilibrium. Attend to your spirit during National Mental Health Month. For more information, read Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Wherever You Go There You Are (Hyperion, 2005) and Herbert Benson’s Relaxation Response (Harper, 2000). 

June: Strive for Home Safety 

Do you live in a “Home Safe Home?” According to the Home Safety Council, unintentional injuries at home result in nearly 20,000 deaths and 21 million medical visits each year. Download a “Hands On Home Safety Checklist” during National Safety Month at www.homesafetycouncil.org. 

While you’re checking things off your list, go back to your original “Year of Wellness” plan (if you haven’t already) and: 

• Reward yourself: Give yourself kudos for doing what you set out to achieve. 
• Re-evaluate: Make sure your goals are still important and realistic. 

July: Fun in the Sun 

Still on that June safety kick? Make the rest of your summer a safe one as you: 

• Protect skin with hats, light-colored clothing, and SPF 15 sunscreen (FMI, visit www.aad.org), 
• Protect eyes with UVA & B blocking sunglasses (FMI, visit www.aao.org), 
• Use flotation devices while boating, 
• Engage in safe swimming practices, including use of the buddy system 
• Leave fireworks to the professionals, 
• Wear long pants and insect repellant to guard against disease-causing insect bites, 
• Examine skin daily for ticks, 
• Exercise care when using grills or open flames for food preparation, and 
• Keep milk and egg-based food picnic products refrigerated. 

August: Giving It Your Best Shot 

When the last time you thought about shots? The average adult should consider: 

• A Tetanus (Td) or Tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap) shot every ten years, 
• A Hepatitis B series and yearly Flu shot for high risk individuals, 
• A Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) booster for those who are no longer immune to these diseases, 
• A Pneumococcal (pneumonia) shot for individuals over 65, or those with heart, lung or other chronic diseases, 
• Hepatitis A, Varicella (chicken pox), Meningococcal (meningitis) and/or Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) shots, depending on risk factors, and 
• Shots for diseases common in countries where travel is planned. 

Obtain vaccination information during National Immunization Awareness Month, by visiting www.cdc.gov. 

September: Conquering Cholesterol 

Do you know your cholesterol levels? Healthy adults should have a cholesterol test every five years after the age of twenty. A “fasting lipid profile” gives a breakdown of good and bad cholesterol. Aim for: 

Total Cholesterol: Less than 200 mg/dL 

LDL (“Bad”) Cholesterol: Less than 100 mg/dL 

HDL (“Good”) Cholesterol: 50 mg/dL or higher 

Triglycerides: Less than 150 mg/dL 

Take the time to know your numbers during National Cholesterol Education Month. For more information, go to www.nhlbi.nih.gov. 

October: Being Aware of Breast Cancer 

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in American women—and the reason that October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. If you are a woman: 

• Get a clinical breast exam every 1-3 years from age 20-30; yearly beginning at age 40. 
• Consider routine breast self-examination. This is no longer an official recommendation, but it makes sense to know one’s own body. 
• Get a mammogram every 1-2 years, beginning at age 40. 
• Talk to a health care provider about your specific risk of the disease. If your mother, sister, or other close female relative has had breast cancer before reaching menopause, you may benefit from genetic testing. 
• Realize that not having a relative with breast cancer doesn’t mean you aren’t in danger: 85% of cases are not inherited. 

For more information, visit: www.nbcam.org.  

November: Deciphering Diabetes and Taming the Tobacco Urge 

More 20 million Americans have diabetes, which can lead to problems such as heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and impotence. Risk factors include: 

• age greater than 45, 
• a parent or sibling with diabetes, 
• African-American or Hispanic American heritage, 
• gestational diabetes or delivering a baby weighing more than 9 pounds, 
• obesity, 
• inactivity, and 
• high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or high triglyceride levels (See September). 

Take the “Diabetes Risk Test” during American Diabetes Month at www.diabetes.org. 

If you are a smoker who has made it this far into your “Year of Wellness” without quitting, the Great American Smokeout is a perfect time to do so. For more information on this nationwide quit date, visit www.cancer.org. 

December: Happier Holidays 

Want to keep your holidays happy? Remember that it’s not about what you buy, it’s about what you give—and the best gift of all is you! Instead of spending money, spend time. Arrange low-cost activities, such as ice skating and caroling, with those you love. Organize potluck dinners, and exchanges of simple, homemade gifts. Be grateful for your blessings, and remember to share with those who have less abundance in their lives. 

The Year in Review 

Now that you’ve completed your “Year of Wellness,” go back to the changes you hoped to make in January, see where you stand, and share any concerns with your health care provider. Finally, congratulate yourself for the things you accomplished as your own best doctor. And remember, if there are still adjustments that need to occur, there is always 2009…