Are you getting health care you don't need?

Ever wonder if every medical test or treatment you've taken was truly necessary? Or are you inclined to get every bit of health care you can? Maybe you feel good about getting the most out of your health insurance. Perhaps a neighborhood imaging center is advertising discounted screening tests, your employer offers health screens as a perk, or you're intrigued by ads touting supplements for a seemingly endless number of conditions.

But keep in mind: just because you could get a particular test or treatment or take a supplement doesn't mean you should. One study suggests that as much as 20% of all health care in the US is unneeded. In short: when it comes to health care, more is not always better.

Isn't it better to be proactive about your health?

We're all taught that knowledge is power. So it might seem reasonable to want to know as much as possible about how your body is working. And isn't it better to take action before there's a problem rather than waiting for one to develop? What's the harm of erring on the side of more rather than less?

Workout Workbook

The numbers are shocking. Just three out of 10 American adults are active enough to stay healthy and fit, and nearly four out of 10 admit they aren’t active at all, despite reams of research proving that exercise is a powerful preventive, and sometimes an antidote, for disability and illness. Which side of this divide are you standing on — and why? Maybe you’re not sure what blend of exercise is best. Or perhaps you know exactly what you need to do, but your workouts have become so humdrum that it’s harder than ever to dig up the energy to do them. Do you want to jump-start your sputtering exercise program? Or are you stuck on a plateau and wishing you could kick it up to the next level?

Workout Workbook: 9 complete workouts to help you get fit and healthy

The numbers are shocking. Just two out of 10 American adults meet recommended levels of physical activity. Nearly three out of 10 Americans ages 6 and older admit they aren’t active at all, despite reams of research proving that exercise is a powerful preventive, and sometimes an antidote, for disability and illness. This Special Health Report, Workout Workbo 10 complete workouts to help you get fit and healthy, features nine excellent workouts that will challenge your body and spirit in a variety of ways while warding off boredom.

The numbers are shocking. Just three out of 10 American adults are active enough to stay healthy and fit, and nearly four out of 10 admit they aren’t active at all, despite reams of research proving that exercise is a powerful preventive, and sometimes an antidote, for disability and illness. Which side of this divide are you standing on — and why? Maybe you’re not sure what blend of exercise is best. Or perhaps you know exactly what you need to do, but your workouts have become so humdrum that it’s harder than ever to dig up the energy to do them. Do you want to jump-start your sputtering exercise program? Or are you stuck on a plateau and wishing you could kick it up to the next level?

This special report is just the ticket. The nine excellent workouts inside will challenge your body and spirit in a variety of ways while warding off boredom. Each workout includes step-by-step instructions and photographs for every exercise. And we’ve designed the exercises so that you can tailor each one to your fitness level. Is an exercise too hard? Try the easier option. Too easy? We tell you how to make it more challenging. So go ahead. Set your goals. Check our safety tips. Select one or more workouts you’d like to master. And mix it up every month to six weeks to stay motivated. Your body — and mind — will thank you.

The truth is that knowledge is not always power: if the information is irrelevant to your specific situation, redundant, or inaccurate, the knowledge gained through unnecessary health care can be unhelpful or even harmful. Unnecessary tests, treatments, and supplements come with risks, even when they seem harmless. And, of course, unnecessary care is not free — even if you're not paying a cent out of pocket, it drives up costs across health systems.

Recommended screening tests, treatments, and supplements can be essential to good health. But when risks of harm outweigh benefits — or if proof of any benefit is lacking — think twice. Save your time, money, and effort for health care that is focused on the most important health threats and backed by evidence.

Cancer screening: When to stop?

Screening tests for some cancers are routinely recommended and can be lifesaving. But there's a reason they come with a recommended stop age. For instance, guidelines recommend that a person at average risk of colorectal cancer with previously normal colonoscopies stop having them once they turn 75. Similar limits apply to Pap smears (age 65) and mammograms (age 75). Studies suggest that beyond those ages, there is little benefit to continuing these screens.

Screening tests, wellness strategies, and treatments to reconsiderDietary supplements are a multibillion-dollar industry. And a whopping 70% or more of US adults take at least one, such as vitamin D, fish oil, or a multivitamin. People often consider them as insurance in case vital elements are missing from their diet, or they believe supplements can prevent dementia, heart disease, or another condition.

Yet little evidence supports a benefit of routine supplement use for everyone. While recent studies suggest a daily multivitamin might slow cognitive decline in older adults, there's no medical consensus that everyone should be taking a multivitamin. Fish oil (omega-3) supplements haven't proven to be as healthful as simply eating servings of fatty fish and other seafood low in toxic chemicals like mercury and PCBs. And the benefits of routinely taking vitamin D supplements remain unproven as well.