Health: Are you Informed?

Do you know what affects your health? Are you aware or unaware of various things that may affect your health or the way you make your health related decisions?

Your level of education can impact your health and your health literacy or competency. How well do you understand your health, how to live healthy, make healthy choices, get adequate healthcare and regular check-ups, take vitamins or supplements, manage medications if needed, have knowledge of side effects or medication interactions? Do you understand disease processed you have or how to avoid chronic or acute disease? How are you becoming informed to make efficient and effective health care decisions for you and your family? Are you learning from the right sources? Are the sources reliable and valid?

Your financial standing can play a role as well. Can you afford healthcare and medications? Can you afford healthy nutrition? Do you spend wisely or mismanage your finances on unwise choices? Many with lower income are at a higher risk for health related issues and lack of adequate insurance and access to care placing them at risk for health disparities.

Where you live and your environmental surroundings can also affect your health! Is there alot of pollution? High income or low income neighborhood? High risk for injury, crime, disease, or high risk populations? Do you live in an area where there is a lack of access to care such as a very rural area where there may be little to no clinics or healthcare facilities?

Do you have support or are you on your own? Sometimes it is helpful to have help in navigating through the healthcare system as well as through healthcare related issues whether a condition, injury, chronic disease, etc. Team work and more heads working together to collaborate care is definitely more effective and efficient than one!

Do you get regular care and check-ups with preventative care? Do you do what you can do to remain healthy and injury free to avoid problems? Stay informed. Stay pro-active. Stay healthy!