Take Control of YOUR Health

Preventable deaths- The Center for Disease

Control has named the five leading causes of
death to be: heart disease, cancer, chronic lower
respiratory diseases, stroke, and unintentional
injuries. The CDC continues to state up to 40% of
annual deaths are preventable. Your health is
important! The following information can help you
prevent costly, burdensome, and even lifethreatening illnesses.

Immunizations have
prevented more than a
billion deaths and
countless illnesses in
the U.S. in the past 50
years. Fortunately, for
those who have
Medicaid, the Utah County Health Department
administers vaccines at a low-cost for children.

Tobacco strongly affects

several leading causes of
death. Smoking increases
stress on your heart, raises blood pressure and
cholesterol, paralyzes the part of the lung that
cleans mucous and dirt from your airway,
increases the susceptibility of cancer, weakens
your immune system, and increases anxiety.
Quitting smoking will ease the financial stress of
this addiction and improve your overall wellbeing.
For help including one-on-one counseling,
classes, and nicotine patches please visit
http://www.health.utah.gov/tobacco/ut_tob_res_di
r-county.html, http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_
smoking/index.htm, or www.smokefree.gov.

The Utah County Health Department also

provides low-cost health screening for those who
qualify. These services include: womens and
childrens exams, family planning, STI testing and
education, low cost laboratory tests, and
supplemental fluoride for children. Completing
annual health exams allows providers to screen
for preventable diseases including high blood
pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, cancer, and
more. Dental exams provide education for
individuals to create positive and healthy habits
to take the necessary steps to prevent tooth
decay and dental diseases. Brushing alone only
cleans 60%. Flossing is necessary for
appropriate oral hygiene. Eye exams help with
early detection of vision changes. Approximately
14 million Americans aged 12 and older selfreport vision changes. Of those, 11 million report
better visual acuity with optical correction (i.e.
glasses/contacts). Dont delay annual exams and
make an appointment today!

A well-balanced diet is important to maintaining

health. The food we eat fuels our bodies. The
United States
Department of
Agriculture created a
tool to guide healthier
food choices called My
Plate. Eating a proper
diet combined with
physical activity can help prevent obesity. It is
recommended to participate in at least 20-30
minutes (one hour is optimal) of moderate
intensity activities. Studies show cardiac risks
decrease 30-50% with adequate exercise.

General safety guidelines: Wear a seatbelt

when in a car, wear a helmet when on
a
skateboard, bicycle, motorcycle,
etc, consume alcoholic
beverages sensibly, refrain from
recreational drugs, take
appropriate measures to prevent sexuallytransmitted diseases, and exercise caution when
using firearms.