Patrolling your own health...

PREVENTION is an important part of good health. Each one of us is responsible for knowing what keeps us healthy and how to avoid health risks. Force Health Protection is not only a command responsibility, but an individual duty. Healthy, fit Soldiers optimize mission accomplishment and their contribution to their Families' and colleagues' well-being. HOOAH 4 HEALTH is here to help everyone in the Army Community know what measures to take to prevent illness and injury. The Army recognizes and supports the concepts of holistic health - health of body, mind, and spirit. The Prevention section provides information for everyone in the Army Community about preventive maintenance for total health. Being healthy is a combination of living a healthy lifestyle, knowing about preventable health risks and taking steps to be risk-free, and managing any known physical or behavioral conditions to stay fit and ready. Most preventable deaths in this country are the result, at least in part, of chronic illness1 (see box), with accidents being the exception. While we don't know yet how to prevent some kinds of cancer or Type 1 diabetes, we can take steps to prevent many cancers and Type 2 diabetes. Also, some accidents are outside of the control of the victim, but most are preventable by someone. Lifestyle factors are a major contributor to preventable illness, injury, and death. For example, tobacco use - because of its strong ties to the first four Leading Causes - is the single most preventable cause of disease, disability, and death in the United States.2 Visit the Stop Tobacco Shop for more information. Use the many resources in this section to protect your and your Family's good health. -- PREVENTION Resources -- Men's Health Women's Health Disease Prevention Injury and Trauma Prevention Putting Prevention Into Practice - A Guide to Good Health Best Protected Species What is Wellness?

Leading Preventable Causes of Death Heart disease Cancer Stroke Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases Accidents Diabetes   Click on the soldiers above for information on Men's and women's health issues.

Prevention Eat smart, exercise regularly, and get routine health screenings. Be an active participant in managing your health. Start leading a healthy lifestyle.3

Exercise & Fitness - Show Details Physical Activity for Everyone (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Find physical activity guidelines for children, adults, and seniors. Learn how to add exercise to your life. Learn about measuring the intensity of your workout. View videos. Then get started! Exercise and Physical Fitness en español (MedlinePlus®) Get the basics, health check tools, tutorials, the latest news and more. Exercise for Older Adults (NIHSeniorHealth.gov) Put safety first before beginning an exercise routine. Read how to do strength, balance, stretching and endurance exercises.

Diet, Nutrition & Eating Right - Show Details Dietary Guidelines for Americans (U.S. Department of Agriculture & HHS) Get advice on how good dietary habits can promote health and reduce risk for major chronic diseases (2 years to adult). MyPyramid.gov (U.S. Department of Agriculture) Create a personalized eating plan and use interactive tools to assess food choices. Eat Healthy Learn the basics, the benefits, and take action. Nutrition.gov (U.S. Department of Agriculture & HHS) Find easy-to-read information on food and nutrition.

Healthy Lifestyle - Show Details Weight Loss & Obesity What are Overweight and Obesity?en español (National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, NIH) Learn about causes, risks, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Healthy Weight - It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle! (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Read about balancing calories, preventing weight gain, losing weight, healthy eating, physical activity, and get tips for parents to help prevent childhood obesity. Smoking & Tobacco Smokefree.gov (National Cancer Institute, NIH) Get accurate information and professional assistance to help you stop smoking and stay quit. Smoking and Tobacco Use (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Watch podcasts and learn about the health effects of smoking and secondhand smoke. Secondhand Smoke: What It Means to You (PDF - 11.6MB) (The Surgeon General) Learn why secondhand smoke is so harmful and what you can do to prevent exposure to this kind of smoke. Drinking and Alcohol Make a Difference: Talk to Your Child about Alcohol (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) Get tips on talking to your child or teen about alcohol, how to host a teen party, how to help your child resist peer pressure to drink, warnings signs of a drinking problem, and an action checklist. Alcohol - Frequently Asked Questions (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Read about drinking levels, excessive alcohol use, drinking problems, and more. Injury & Accident Prevention Injury, Violence & Safety (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Read about preventing injury and violence, how to stay safe at home, school and work, safety on-the-go, and safety at play. Safety & Prevention (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, CDC) Explore an alphabetical list of workplace safety topics with links leading to in-depth information.

Vaccination / Immunization - Show Details Child & Adolescent Immunization Schedules For ages 0-6 years, 7-18 years, and "catch-up" schedules; en español. A Parent's Guide to Kids' Vaccines Offers useful information about the benefits and risks of vaccines, along with steps to take when children are vaccinated. Adult Immunization Schedule For anyone over 18 years old; en español. Adolescent and Adult Vaccine Quiz Take this quiz and print out a list to take to your healthcare practitioner. Traveler's Health (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Get information on the shots/vaccines, medications, and other measures to prevent illness and injury during international travel (search by country name). National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) (Health Resources and Services Administration) Ensures an adequate supply of vaccines, stabilizes vaccine costs, and provides a forum for individuals found to be injured by certain vaccines.

Health Screenings - Show Details Men Men: Stay Healthy at Any Age-Checklist for Your Next Checkup en español (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) Men: Stay Healthy at 50+-Checklists for Your Health en español (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) Women Women: Stay Healthy at Any Age-Checklist for Your Next Checkup en español (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) Women: Stay Healthy at 50+-Checklists for Your Health en español (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality)

The Environment and Your Health - Show Details Environmental Health (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Extensive list of links for health issues in your surroundings. Bisphenol A (BPA) General information for parents. Toxic Substances Portal (Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry) Get information on over 150 toxic substances and see how they affect our health. Public Health Assessments (Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry) Find reports on contaminants in your area. Human Health (Environmental Protection Agency) Learn about water, fish, wildlife and swimming advisories, children's health and school environments, exposure to pollutants, pesticides on food, risk assessment, health effects of chemicals, occupational health, sun protection, and toxicity assessments.

"A unit cannot afford to lose key personnel because of dental emergencies." Click on General I.M. Information to learn more about the military implications of dental disease (HQDA GTA 8-9-1/AR 40-35 & AR 600-8-101).

Health Risk Assessments are designed to help individuals target areas for health improvement or maintenance. Please take a few minutes to complete an interactive Health Goals Checklist designed by the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine. This tool is designed to help you assess your health risk areas and determine where you might like to make changes.			Staying Healthy Learn about the preventive services you need, some of the ways used to treat chronic conditions, and how to become an informed healthcare consumer.
Children's Health Keeping children healthy involves more than good nutrition, exercise, and a safe environment. Click here to learn more.			Healthy People is a national health promotion and disease prevention initiative that brings together national, state, and local government agencies; nonprofit, voluntary, and professional organizations; businesses; communities; and individuals to improve the health of all Americans, eliminate disparities in health, and improve years and quality of healthy life.

Prevention and Force Health Protection Healthy People 2010 is the prevention agenda for the Nation. It is a statement of national health objectives designed to identify the most significant preventable threats to health and to establish national goals to reduce these threats. Healthy People 2010 builds on initiatives pursued over the past two decades and is managed by the US Department of Health and Human Services. The Department of Defense (DOD) has established its own goals relating to health force protection and readiness. A healthy soldier is the most valuable resource in the Army's arsenal. Source: Leading Causes of Death, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, FastStats How do you stack up? Which of the leading causes of death play a role in your life? Which of the DOD health goals have you met? Which health and wellness changes could you make to enrich and lengthen your life span?

Do you know the basics of a healthy lifestyle? Did you know that implementing some very simple, self-care tips could cut health risks and prolong your life? Exercise regularly - Just 20 minutes of exercise a day is beneficial--exercise not only burns calories, but relieves stress. Eat right - Review the elements and portions suggested by the Food Guide Pyramid. Take time to manage stress - Even a 15 minute breather can reduce tension. Visit your physician and dentist regularly - Preventing a health risk is always less expensive than treating a health problem. Practice safety - Buckle up even on short trips...three out of four car crashes occur within 25 miles of home. Practice good dental hygiene - Flossing your teeth every day can reduce your risk of heart disease and infections. Don't smoke - Smoking is still the number one preventable cause of death in the U.S. and the number one cause of home fires. Get enough sleep - Too little sleep can lead to workplace accidents and stress. Embrace life - Laughter and love are good for the body, mind, and spirit.