In
today’s hectic world that we live in, maintaining our good health is important.
It's easy to let stress take center stage and set us up for poor diet and
lifestyle choices. Our diet, exercise and behavioral choices can have a
significant effect on our health. If you have a poor or unhealthy diet, you may
run the risk of weight gain or increased your risk of chronic diseases (like
diabetes or high blood pressure). If you're not active regularly, you may also
run the risk of gaining weight but also miss out on the many benefits of
exercise. If you smoke, don't manage stress or don't sleep well, you again can
run the risk of having negative side effects on your health. Maintaining a
generally healthy body will require you to make sure you're making healthy
choices in a multiple areas of your life.
Quit smoking. Most people know smoking is considered an unhealthy
behavior that can be linked to a variety of negative health problems. If you
currently smoke, seriously consider quitting to help improve your general
health.
- Smoking has been linked to numerous health problems including: lung cancer and disease, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, blindness and mouth disease.
- There are many different methods to help you quit smoking or other tobacco products. There are over-the-counter options (like gums), patches, prescription medications and even counseling programs.
Limit alcohol. Some studies have actually shown that very moderate alcohol
consumption (less than one to two glasses every few days) can have positive
effects on your health. However, many people drink more than this and higher
amounts of alcohol can have negative side effects on your health.
- Heavy drinking or more excessive drinking (more than three drinks per day or more than seven drinks each week) can cause a variety of adverse health issues including: pancreatitis, stroke, high blood pressure, liver and brain damage.
- The recommendations for alcohol consumption are: women less than one glasses or servings daily and men less than two glasses or servings daily.
Get enough sleep. Regular and consistent sleep is very important to having a
generally healthy body. When you don't get adequate sleep this can negatively
affect your health.
- Lack of sleep can cause a variety of things including: weight gain, increased hunger, fatigue, poor concentration, inability to concentrate or retain information and even increased mortality.
- Get at least seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Go to bed earlier, stay in bed later to help you get those extra hours.
- Also, make sure to turn off your TV, smartphone, tablet, or laptop. The light from these devices can make it difficult for you to fall asleep.
Manage stress. Chronic low-grade stress is very common today. It may not
seem like it can have a negative effect on your health or body, but it actually
has a major impact.
- Stress can cause a variety of adverse health issues including inadequate sleep, weight gain or weight loss, mood swings, fatigue/exhaustion, and many more.
- Managing stress is very important when you want to maintain general health. There are a variety of things you can do to help manage your stress including: talk to a friend or family member, go for a walk, meditate, take a short nap, or listen to your favorite music.
- If you're having more difficulty managing stress, consider seeing a therapist for additional help.
Weigh yourself. Your weight is a big determinant of whether you have a
generally healthy body. Being either overweight or underweight is not healthy
and can contribute to adverse health effects.
- Get on the scale and get your weight. Most experts suggest weighing yourself once a week, at the same time of day (right when you wake up is best), wearing the same clothing. If you are trying to lose weight, you may want to step on the scale about three times a week.
- If your weight is either too low or too high, consider making appropriate changes in your diet, exercise routine or lifestyle to help support a more healthy weight.
- Remember that weight is constantly in flux, and your weight can change throughout the day and month based on many different variables (menstrual cycle for women, what you ate, if you are dehydrated, etc.).
Visit your doctor regularly. One of the most important parts of maintaining a generally
healthy body is meeting with your primary care physician or other physicians.
These doctors can help you manage any current health conditions you have but
also be able to help you prevent any chronic healthy conditions you may be at
risk for.
- You should meet with your primary care, dentist, or any other doctor at least one to two times a year. Going even when you're healthy is important so that particular doctor can get a healthy baseline for your body.
- Consider seeing a registered dietitian. You may also want to consider seeing a registered dietitian. These health professionals can guide you towards a healthy diet to help you maintain health or improve it.
- Think about meeting with a life coach or therapist. Many times maintaining a healthy diet or exercise plan is easy. It maintains the stresses of life that can be more difficult. If you find that you cannot manage stress or are not happy, consider meeting a life coach or therapist to help you manage your emotions more appropriately.
