Posted by on September 23, 2011 - 6:00am

SEND US YOUR IDEAS!  Being healthy and safe takes commitment, but it doesn't have to be time-consuming, painful, or boring. Most things are simple and take so little time that you'll wonder why you've been avoiding them. Even small steps can mean big rewards in preventing illness and injury.

Find out what you can do in five minutes or less to make a difference to your health and safety. Some things even take less than one minute. Here is a sample of activities you can do to help protect yourself and your family in five minutes or less (SEND US YOUR IDEAS--we'll post the best ones!):

Wash hands (20 seconds)
Buckle up (4 seconds)
Test smoke alarms (10 seconds per alarm)
Eat healthy (2 minutes to make a salad)
Take the stairs (2 minutes to walk two flights)
Make a doctor’s appointment (2 minutes)
Put on a condom (less than a minute)

Remember that maintaining and improving your health is a lifetime journey. So don't get discouraged if you don't "see" those preventive rewards, like the extra pounds you didn't gain, the high blood pressure you didn't get, or the emergency room visit you avoided.