Preventative health ideas

Ideas for a healthier you!

There are many things you can do to help improve and maintain your health. Make sure you get plenty of physical activity every day. The minimum recommended amount is 30 minutes of any activity, 5 days a week. If you're trying to lose weight, you should aim for 60 minutes of activity, 5 days a week. Just taking the stairs instead of the elevator can make a significant difference over time. Try to mix up your routine by incorporating different aerobic activities with strength training.

From a dietary perspective, try to eat 3 meals a day and perhaps a light afternoon snack. Skipping meals will only lead to overeating at other meals. It will also cause your metabolic rate to drop. Also try to eat a varied diet with fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates, proteins and fats. One idea is to have 4-5 different colored foods in each meal. Aim for a balanced diet and keep moderation in mind. For weight loss, the total amount of calories is the key. It doesn’t matter what diet plan you use, as long as you burn more calories than you take in.

Sleep is just as important as your diet and physical activity. Most people require at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night. One good way to determine if you are getting the proper amount is to see if you ever oversleep or sleep in on the weekends. If you do those things, then your body is telling you that you need more sleep overall. You always want to wake up feeling refreshed and ready to run a marathon (not really, but you get the point.) I can always help you with proper sleep.

Avoid or quit tobacco! All forms of tobacco will significantly shorten your lifespan and increase your risk for diseases. If there is one thing that you can do to make a huge difference in your health, then it would be to avoid tobacco. Don’t think that you shouldn’t quit since it’s too late. Once you quit, your risk for heart disease and cancers drop significantly in the first 1-2 years after being tobacco free. So just do it!

Remember to exercise your brain! Reading books, newspapers and magazines will help. Puzzles are a fun also. Taking educational classes at any school will help too. Don’t forget about spending time with family and friends. Social interactions can exercise the brain as much as anything else can.