5 Key Health Tips for Women in Their 20's + a Cool Website

[KnoxvilleDoula]

Five Key Health Tips For Women In Their 20s

04 Jun 2009  

GameStop (NYSE: GME) teamed with the National Women's Health Resource Center (NWHRC) to provide five key practical health tips for women in their 20s. The national video game retailer also asked 20-something celebrities Cote de Pablo (NCIS) and Michelle Trachtenberg (17 Again) to share their personal fitness tips as well. These tips and more health and fitness information can be found at http://www.gamestop.com/fitatanyage.

Trachtenberg, age 23 says, "In your 20s, you feel invincible and think you can eat anything and everything in sight and still fit into your skinny jeans the next day. You're not realizing that not being conscious of what you're consuming has long-lasting effects."

"A lot of women in their 20s make the mistake of putting off establishing good eating and fitness habits, but this is the best time to create a foundation of healthy living," says Elizabeth Battaglino Cahill, RN, executive director of NWHRC.

Here are five key health tips from the NWHRC for women in their 20s:

1. Establish an exercise routine (that you enjoy!)

Staying active will help you develop a strong body that looks and feels good as you age. It can lower your risk for disease, reduce stress and protect your bones and joints. So it's important to take part in physical activities that are not only challenging, but also fun and motivating. Keep things interesting by mixing it up; whether it's a dance class or a kayaking trip, don't be afraid to try something new.

CBS's NCIS co-star Cote de Pablo stays in shape by doing a combination of core training and yoga four or five times a week. "I try to find time either in the morning before work or after. I definitely work out on the weekend, because it's the only time I'm sure I won't be working.

2. Maintain healthy eating habits

Stop worrying about your weight, and start thinking about your health. Eating mostly whole foods, including lots of veggies, fruits and whole grains, is the key to feeling and looking your best. Start by adding an additional serving of fruits and vegetables to every meal.

Lower your chance of osteoporosis later by consuming more calcium now. Calcium can be found in dairy products including milk, yogurt and cheese, and also in other foods, such as leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale, broccoli and tofu. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium so it's important to take a supplement, eat foods fortified with vitamin D or take a walk outdoors in the sunshine.

de Pablo shares an eating habit secret that works for her, "If you're going to have a really big meal, make it breakfast and then progressively eat less throughout the day. Do not eat heavy, heavy meals at night. Drink lots of water and lead an active lifestyle."

3. Protect your skin

You're never too young to start taking care of your skin. Healthy habits today will pay off in later years. The key to healthy skin lies beyond which soap you use. It depends on what you eat, whether you exercise, how much stress you're under and even the kind of environment in which you live and work. Eating a diet rich in vitamins and minerals, wearing sunscreen and getting regular body scans by a dermatologist can keep you looking young and feeling good as you age.

4. Get a good night's sleep

Not getting enough sleep can interfere with your memory and ability to reason and concentrate, make you more susceptible to injury, increase stress levels and reduce your body's ability to fight infection or heal. If you have trouble getting a good night's rest, try going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day or taking a hot shower before bed.

5. Manage stress

It's easy to get overwhelmed with balancing a new job, friends and everything else happening in your life. Breathe; slow, deep, diaphragmatic breaths can trigger a relaxation response in your whole body.

New Web Site For Information

The gamestop.com/fitatanyage Web site includes five health and fitness tips specific to women in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s provided by the National Women's Health Resource Center (NWHRC). Within each decade, there is a listing of important health screenings, immunizations and questions women should ask their physicians as they age through the decades. Women can check out NWHRC's Web site, http://www.healthywomen.org, for additional health/fitness and wellness information.

The Web site also includes personal conversations with women celebrities representing these milestone decades of life. Each celebrity shares her personal struggles, triumphs and tips on how to stay fit and healthy while leading busy lives, both personally and professionally. Featured celebrities include Trachtenberg and de Pablo as well as Ana Ortiz (30s), Virginia Madsen (40s), and Marg Helgenberger (50s).

[RanaAurora]

Jun. 8, 2009 at 1:06 AM

I giggled.  As someone who struggled with weight her whole life, then got pregnant and developed PCOS at 19 and gained almost 100 pounds before getting a diagnosis at 22, my 20's have been anything BUT "feeling invincible."

That said, it's so much easier to get a good, healthy routine going when you're fit and healthy, instead of trying to undo weight gain and muscle loss.

[KnoxvilleDoula]

Jun. 8, 2009 at 1:15 AM

Oh wow -- PCOS stinks :( I'm sorry.

You're right though, it's easier to STAY healthy than try to recover. Now that I am in my 30's I think wow I wish I had the energy I did 10 years ago! 20 - something's -- take care of yourselves!

(Original Poster)