How Healthy Are You? 10 Easy Self-Checks

How Well Do You Handle Pressure?

Your body perceives stress as a threat and goes into defend-and-protect mode. "Your immune cells can't focus on restoring and repairing your body, so a host of other physical conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome, bladder problems, and severe PMS, can appear," says Stephanie McClellan, MD, a coauthor of The Ultimate Stress-Relief Plan for Women.

Select your answers:

Do you regularly have trouble falling asleep or wake up feeling unrefreshed? YES / NO

Have you found yourself recently being more critical of yourself or others? YES / NO

Has your skin recently developed eczema or started to look sallow, with dark circles under your eyes? YES / NO

Does your midsection feel more bloated than usual, or have you gained weight there? YES / NO

Has your hair changed texture or started falling out? YES / NO

> 2 YESES = Poor
1 or 0 YESES = Good

Health Rx

Try this speedy stress controller: Jump rope 100 times, do 20 push-ups, and finish with a quick round of 15 biceps curls, triceps dips, and shoulder presses with light weights. "It gets rid of pent-up energy and takes six minutes max," Dr. McClellan says.