Top 5 Healthiest Cities for Women

The Healthiest Cities for Women

1. Raleigh, North Carolina
Look to the Future

What does it take to be number one? A smart dose of prevention—something the women of healthiest-overall-city Raleigh know well. A whopping 90 percent of them have perfect Pap smear timing (the American Cancer Society recommends that women over 30 who have had three normal Pap tests in a row get one every three years), and 81 percent of those over 40 stay on track with regular mammograms. Both tests can save lives by detecting cancers early. "It's very important to be proactive about preventive measures that have proven benefits," says Andrew Berchuck, M.D., director of gynecological oncology at Duke University Medical Center. Ask your doctor how often you should be screened, and while you’re at it, get a physical (yes, even if you feel totally fine).

2. San José, California
Let 'Em See You Sweat

Give some people 300-plus days of sun a year and they might spend it lounging on the beach. Not these women, who rank second in our survey for overall fitness as well as for the number of women who run, swim, or lift weights. Sure, all that sweat can lead to a tight, toned body; it can also lead to top-notch health. Moderate exercise enhances the immune system and can strengthen your respiratory muscles, says Peggy Plato, Ph.D., an associate professor of kinesiology at San José State University. Accordingly, this city's gals have a very low death rate from chronic lower-respiratory disease (i.e., lung problems, a major female threat). If the view from your window is more snowy than sunny, strap on some cross-country skis or snowshoes (exercising with either scorches 490 calories an hour!) or stay inside and try alternating pushups, squats, and planks with jogging or climbing stairs for 30 minutes five days a week, says Plato.

3. Madison, Wisconsin
Stay Happy, Stay Healthy

It may sound New Age-y, but nothing spells long life better than a solid mind-body connection. Case in point: Women in Madison are some of the happiest around. Fewer than 3 percent of them report feeling sad all or most of the time, and less than 2 percent say they feel hopeless. And their life expectancy is over 80. Make like them and bolster your mood, because depression can take a toll on your physical health in the form of infrequent exercise, poor eating habits, and lack of sleep, says neuropsychiatrist Louann Brizendine, M.D., author of The Female Brain. Create standing dates with your close pals, she advises. "During social interactions, the brain releases the hormones dopamine and oxytocin, both of which combat depression." Better yet, make those plans with upbeat friends—happiness is contagious.

4. Austin, Texas
Chew Away the Big C

Better known for their mean barbecuing skills, Austin's women also have a way with fresh produce. They ranked highest in healthy diet, thanks to the fact that 35 percent of them scarf down five or more servings of whole foods every day. All those fruits and veggies not only keep them trim but can also lower their risk for several forms of cancer, says Alice Bender, R.D., a dietitian for the American Institute for Cancer Research. In other words, eating low-calorie plant foods—instead of fat- and sugar-packed processed foods—is a cancer-fighting one-two punch that keeps your weight in check and delivers such Big C slayers as fiber, phytochemicals, and antioxidants. Load up on cabbage, leeks, and cranberries, for example, and you’ll help protect yourself from colon, stomach, and mouth cancers, respectively.

5. Minneapolis, Minnesota
Keep Up the Beat

We've heard it so often that it's easy to just tune out: Heart disease is the number one killer of women. These Midwesterners still take the warning to, well, heart. "People in our city are very active and do regular cardio that keeps their blood pressure and cholesterol down," says cardiologist Elizabeth Grey, M.D., of the Minneapolis Heart Institute. It's paying off: Women in Minneapolis have low rates of death from heart disease (19 in 100,000) and stroke (five in 100,000). One way to keep your ticker in shape? Hop into bed. During sex, your arteries dilate and a release of endorphins and immunoglobulins protect your cardiac health, says Suzanne Steinbaum, D.O., director of women and heart disease at the Lenox Hill Heart and Vascular Institute of New York.