Discovery Fit & Health : Sara Novak

12/15/2012

Pack your bags...whether for a trip or if you're looking to start anew, why not choose one of the healthiest cities in the country?

This month Self magazine looked at the healthiest cities in the country for women. In all, the magazine looked at 50 criteria including cancer and depression rates, access to healthcare, air quality, crime, exercise, diet, and smoking rates. California took the majority of the the top five positions, but there were a few surprises.

Healthiest Cities For Women

1. San Jose, CA

2. Bethesda, MD

3. San Francisco, CA

4. Santa Barbara, CA

5. Honolulu, HI

6. San Ana, CA

7. Minneapolis, MN

8. Fargo, ND

9. Portland, ME

10. Burlington, VT

Self also looked at the cities with the highest rates of skin cancer like in Santa Rosa, CA; West Palm Beach, FL; Daytona Beach, FL; Jacksonville, FL; and Asheville, NC; as well as the highest rates of binge drinking like Wilmington, DE; Anchorage, AK; and many cities in the Midwest. It seems people drink a lot more when it's cold outside. They looked at exercise rates, highest in Chicago, IL; Los Angeles, CA; San Francisco, CA; Washington, DC; and New York, NY.

Of course my native South Carolina did not make the list for overall health, but we do have ample farmers’ markets. Where did your city fall on the list? Are you surprised or maybe a little disappointed?

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