Got 5 minutes? It Could Save Your Life

Five minutes could make a big difference in your health.

"In the time it takes to file or clip your nails, blow your hair or shave, you could instead be taking lifesaving steps and performing quick health checkups that can add years to your life," says Marie Savard, MD, a clinical associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Lassoing Your Waist

"Pull out your tape measure and your check waist circumference or waist-to-hip ratio," says Savard, author of Apples and Pears: A Revolutionary Diet Program for Weight Loss and Optimum Health. "Everybody's got a tape measure and this is so important that doctors are starting to call it the new vital sign," she says. For women, an optimal waist is less than 35 inches and for men, it's less than 40 inches.

"The lower the waist circumference, the better," she says. For example, "women with a waist of 35 inches or more means that they have increased amounts of dangerous fats which spew out chemicals and hormones, increasing risk of diabetes, heart disease, breast cancer, and stroke." The good news is that walking 30 minutes per day burns waist fat and shrinks the waist first --- even before we tip the scale very much," she says. "Losing just 2 inches of waist size will reduce risk of diabetes by 58% or more," she tells WebMD.

Smiling in the Mirror

"Gum disease is associated with systemic inflammation and a growing list of diseases and conditions including heart disease and preterm birth," Savard says. But if you have a spare moment or two, "pull down your lower lip and pull up your upper lip and check your gum line in the mirror," she says. Look for signs of redness or bleeding, which can mean infection. "If you notice these signs, talk to your dentist, it could save your life and your smile!"

Peeking Under the Lid

This may sound gross, but "check your bowel movements," Savard says. "Healthy, large, bulky stool means you are eating enough fiber, which helps to prevent colon problems, hemorrhoids, diverticulosis (a condition that occurs when certain pouches in colon become infected or inflamed), and maybe even colon cancer down the line," she says. "It's the best kept secret and it takes less than five minutes," she says. The simple solution may be to up your daily fiber intake, she says. High-fiber foods include whole-grain breads, pasta, cereal and brown rice, dried beans, and fresh fruits and vegetables.

While you are looking, check your urine, too. "If urine is real dark and concentrated, it's a sign that you are not drinking enough fluid and should start drinking more water," she says. "If it's cloudy or has blood, it may be a urinary or vaginal infection," she says. Talk to your doctor.