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Your twenties. They’re supposed to be the best years of your life, right?
So far, I’m finding this statement to be true. In the past six months alone, I’ve been able to travel to some amazing places like Punta Cana, Fort Myers, Charleston, the Catskill Mountains, and Atlanta. I also got to experience the magic at Walt Disney World and Universal Studios’ Harry Potter world.
It’s been a crazy, adventurous year so far, and I’m already looking forward to a number of trips still to come in 2018. I’m ready to make the most of my twenties and experience as much as I can, but this would all be impossible to do if it weren’t for one thing…
Being in good health.
It’s easy to take good health for granted, especially when you’re young. In fact, it wasn’t until my dad got sick last year and I had a health scare myself a few months ago, that I really started to appreciate how important it is to be healthy.
Good health is one of those things that’s easy to overlook when you have it, but it’s all you can think about when you don’t. That’s why I’m starting to look into new ways to take control of my health in my twenties and set myself up for a long, healthy life.
There will always be some factors out of our control, but luckily the ones I’m listing below are not. In fact, they can make all the difference!
How I’m taking Control of My Health in My Twenties
1. I’m eating a healthier diet.
I’m not going to lie, I don’t have the healthiest eating habits. I was in pretty good shape when I was in college, because I was responsible for planning all my meals myself, and I was able to hit the gym regularly with friends. I lost a lot of my motivation when I moved back home and started living with my parents, though.
It’s hard to stick to nutritious, healthy foods when there’s tons of temptation in your own house. My parents also love to eat out at restaurants, so I find myself getting into sticky situations with that, too. That being said, R. and I are moving into our first home soon! So, I’m looking into healthy recipes I can make, and I’m starting to plan what foods I want to keep in our new house.
I can’t wait to move in and have no distractions from ‘eating clean’ 90% of the time!
2. I’m getting active.
Another thing I’m doing to improve and take control of my health in my twenties is getting more active. I’ve ridden horses for my entire life, but that’s part of my regular routine. Now I’m trying to push myself to get stronger and try new workouts that challenge me in addition to riding my horse.
Studies have shown that being in good physical shape and staying active can help not only improve quality of life, but longevity too. It’s easy to push off or make excuses for not working out, but I’m going to try to stop doing that and develop healthier habits now while I’m still in my twenties…hopefully that’ll build a good foundation for the rest of my life!
3. I’m keeping up with doctor’s appointments.
I recently had to have a conversation with R. when I found out he hadn’t been scheduling his annual physical exams. Believe it or not, there is a reason why doctors recommend you come in to visit them at least once per year. A lot of times, even if you feel healthy, they can catch a potential issue before it becomes a real problem.
For example, my dad pushed off his dentist appointments for a while and ended up finding out later that he had throat cancer — something that dentists can catch even before other doctors in some cases. He’s okay now, but it was pretty scary learning how far the cancer had spread before he started treatments. We’ll never know if the dentist could have caught the cancer earlier, because my dad slipped up on scheduling his appointments because he ‘felt okay’.
4. I’m taking control of my reproductive health.
Another thing I think is really important for women in their twenties (or women of any age, actually) is taking control of their reproductive health. Our society makes this difficult to talk about, and there are sometimes stigmas associated with certain contraceptives.
The contraceptive option I hear the most misinformation about is Plan B One Step, which should be used as an emergency contraceptive if you have unprotected sex or a slipup with your regular birth control. Many of you have probably heard of Plan B before, but there are so many rumors regarding this emergency contraceptive that I feel like it’s something we really need to talk about more openly.
First off, Plan B is NOT an abortion pill. That’s fake news, folks.
Plan B works by delaying ovulation, which helps prevent pregnancy before it begins. It will not affect an existing pregnancy, and the active ingredient (levonorgestrel) is the same ingredient used in many birth control pills — just at a single, higher dose.
Plan B works better the sooner you take it, and you don’t need an ID or prescription to purchase it. I’ll admit, I actually didn’t know all of this information before doing my research. It’s so important to be educated, though, and to be prepared in the event of an emergency.
Also, half of the women who use Plan B are between the ages of 18-24, and the other half are 25+. There’s no specific “type” of woman who uses emergency contraception. It’s not just for teenagers, or women who aren’t in a stable relationship. It’s not for regular contraception but for those rare mishaps or accidents of contraceptive failure or unprotected sex. That can just happen and Plan B is an option for anyone! And seriously don’t be shy about asking for Plan B, either. I didn’t know where it was in CVS when I stopped in to pick it up for this post, so I just asked the pharmacist. It was in the “Family Planning” aisle, right on the shelf.
There’s no shame in taking control of your body and doing what you feel is best for you, whether that involves taking Plan B or not. Never be embarrassed. Even if you are, it’s worth it in the end to feel a little uncomfortable and just talk about what’s going on and get the help that you need.
In my opinion, it never hurts to have Plan B on hand. Hopefully you’ll never have to use it, but if you do, you won’t have to wrestle with the decision of whether you should go out and purchase it or not.
As they say, it’s better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.
5. I’m monitoring my mental health.
With all of the above tips on taking control of your body, please do not forget to monitor your mental health too. Practice self care, don’t be too hard on yourself, and don’t be afraid or embarrassed to seek the help of a professional if necessary.
Your mental health is just as important as your physical health in your twenties, or at any age!
Do you have any tips for taking control of your health in your twenties? Anything I didn’t mention?
Don’t forget to check out Plan B One-Step at CVS if you’re looking for an emergency contraceptive to keep on hand, too!
