Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.

Five Steps to Prioritize Your Health in 2025

Black woman, exercise or tired after training, running or workout for balance, wellness or health outdoor.

Here at Pfizer, we have a long history of innovation. Over our 176 years (and counting), our doctors and scientists have been at the forefront of some of the most impactful developments in the healthcare field. We aren’t leaving the business of making breakthroughs for our patients anytime soon, but we know that no one is better equipped to manage their own healthcare than our patients themselves.

So, as we make our way into 2025, we want to make sure you’re doing what you can to ensure a healthy, and happy new year. We hope that you make 2025 the year that you embrace a proactive approach to health, and to help you get started, we've put together a quick list of simple steps you can take to prioritize your health in 2025 – and beyond.

By prioritizing your health with these five steps, you can feel better, help prevent disease, and identify conditions early, when they can be most effectively treated.

1. Get a medical checkup.

Getting a regular health checkup with your primary care provider can keep you aware of emerging health conditions and educate you with information you need to stay well. Routine health checks have been shown to recognize chronic diseases early, allowing for more timely and effective treatment.1 Talk with your healthcare provider about which exams and screenings are right for you this year.

2. Make sure you’re current on vaccines.

Are you up to date on your vaccines? At the least, all adults should be current on their flu vaccine, COVID-19 vaccine, and Tdap (tetanus, diptheria, and whooping cough) or Td (tetanus, diptheria) vaccine2. Some adults may need additional vaccines, due to age, pregnancy, health conditions, or travel plans. Talk with your healthcare provider about which vaccines you’re due to receive.

3. Protect your mental health.

If you’re at risk for a mental health disorder, ask your primary care provider for a screening. They may refer you to a mental health provider, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, or counselor, for care or additional tests. There are many effective treatments, and a screening is the first step to connect you to the care needed to begin healing.

Caregivers should pay special attention to their mental health, through self-care and, if needed, mental healthcare. While their focus is often on someone else, caregivers are prone to chronic stress and depression. This affects a large group of people, as one in five adults in the U.S. cares for a relative or friend with a chronic health condition or disability.3

4. Get cancer screenings when they’re recommended.

If you’re a woman over 40, it’s probably time for a mammogram. Have you celebrated your 45th birthday? Get ready for a colonoscopy. Are you — or were you — a long-time smoker? Consider a lung cancer screening.4

Talk with your doctor about which cancer screenings you may need this year; any risk factors you have may affect the standard recommendations. Detecting cancer early will give you the best chance at an effective treatment, or maybe even a cure.

5. Embrace a healthy lifestyle.

Some of the most effective preventive medicine happens at home. It happens when you eat a balanced diet that includes fruit, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. It happens when you go for a walk or lift weights. People who embrace five key healthy habits live a decade longer than those who don’t.5

  • Eat a nutritious, balanced diet
  • Exercise regularly, about 3.5 hours each week
  • Avoid alcohol or drink moderate amounts, which equals one drink or less a day for women and two or less for men
  • Maintain a healthy weight (a body mass index between 18.5 and 24.9)
  • Don’t smoke

Sources: 

[1] Liss DT, Uchida T, Wilkes CL, Radakrishnan A, Linder JA. General Health Checks in Adult Primary Care: A Review. JAMA. 2021;325(22):2294-2306. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.6524

[2] Vaccines and Immunization. World Health Organization. Accessed January 10, 2025. https://www.who.int/health-topics/vaccines-and-immunizationextlink label

[3] Changes in Health Indicators Among Caregivers – United States, 2015-2016 to 2021-2022. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last reviewed August 29, 2024. Accessed January 10, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7334a2.htmextlink label

[4] Screening Tests. National Institutes of Health: National Cancer Institute. Updated September 27, 2024. Accessed January 10, 2025. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/screening/screening-testsextlink label

[5] Healthy Habits Can Lengthen Life. National Institutes of Health. May 8, 2018. Accessed January 10, 2025. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/healthy-habits-can-lengthen-lifeextlink label