Staying healthy isn’t just about eating a balanced diet and getting eight hours of sleep a night. Your health is made up of a variety of emotional and physical components. Sometimes this is called a holistic view of health. Here are five health tips for GLBT teens that are just as important as laying off the trans-fats and ditching the cigarettes.

2. Find a GLBT friendly doctor
3. Finding a GLBT friendly doctor or health care provider, ideally one specializing in youth, is important. This might seem tough, but you have a right to non-judgmental health care. Plus, you are much more likely to see a doctor who “gets” you, and who you can be honest with, than one who makes you uncomfortable or whom you can’t open up to.
   
   A lot of teens continue seeing the family doctor or pediatrician they have grown up with. Sometimes this works out great. Sometimes it doesn’t. If you feel like you are ready to move on, you might want to consider an Adolescent Medicine Doctor. If you find one in your area, don’t be shy to call and ask if the doctor has experience working with GLBT teens. If you aren’t comfortable with the answer then this might not be the person for you.
   
   Another option is to contact the closest Gay and Lesbian Community Center and ask if they have any referrals, or check out the website of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association.
   

1. Have a good support network
2. A good support network is crucial! Whether it is made up of friends, family or an online community, having someone you can talk to about the serious issues in your life can make a world of difference. Though therapy isn’t for everyone, some GLBT teens find it really helpful to talk to a counselor whom they trust.
   
3. Practice safer sex
4. If you are sexually active, you need to practice safer sex. Even if you are exclusively involved with the same sex and pregnancy isn’t an issue, sexually transmitted infections still can be. Practicing safer sex means that you use a condom every time you have vaginal, anal, or oral sex performed on a guy, and a dam or saran wrap when performing oral sex on a woman.
   
   Some people also choose to use latex gloves for manual sex play (hand-jobs or fingering). Using these barriers can help cut down on serious infections!
   
5. Keep substance use in check
6. Unfortunately, GLBT teens have a higher rate of substance use problems than their straight counterparts do. Though there are serious reasons for this, many of which stem from the lack of acceptance for GLBT youth, ultimately what is being harmed is your health.
   
   In addition to the toll substance use can take on your body, there is also the issue of your decision-making ability while under the influence. When you are high or drunk you are less likely to make smart choices and more likely to take risks that you wouldn’t have taken when you were sober.
   
   If you think you have a substance abuse problem there’s no time like the present to seek help.
   

1. Accept yourself
2. Given that many teens live in homophobic communities, it can be hard to accept a GLBT identity. However, teens who are comfortable with their sexual orientation or gender identify are much more likely to make smart, health promoting choices and much less likely to deal with issues like substance use and depression.
   
   The OutProud website is a great place to read about how other kids have dealt with being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.