With the ever increasing costs of health care, it makes sense to prevent health problems by taking better care of your body and mind. Even if you have lived a life of excess in the past, these easy steps can lead you down a path to better health. Simply follow these ways to wellness.
Physical ways of wellness
Our bodies work very hard to process every single thing we eat, drink, inhale, or put on our skin. When we overindulge in sweets, processed foods, salt, alcohol, and unhealthy fats, or when we develop bad habits such as smoking or drinking alcohol to excess, our bodies have to work that much harder, placing undue stress on internal organs such as the liver or kidneys.
The best way to combat these old habits is to rid our homes of unhealthy things. Toss the potato chips, butter, and processed foods with high fat or salt contents. Instead, fill your refrigerator with fruits, vegetables, and healthy proteins. When we have healthier choices, we tend to make better choices, so next time you want something crunchy, go for the celery sticks or a handful of almonds.
Partnering a healthy diet with adequate exercise not only strengthens the body, but also increases your energy levels, can help you avoid injuries from falls, and can even brighten your mental acuity. Make sure you get both cardio exercise and strength training. Most physicians recommend at least 30 minutes per day three time per week.
You don t have to have a gym membership to exercise, either. There are lots of little ways to increase your physical activities that add up in the long run. If you take two buses to work, consider walking one of the routes. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Instead of searching for the closest parking spot at the mall or grocery store, park farther away. Start a routine of walking your dog or playing with your children in the yard each day.
Mental ways to wellness
Stress negatively affects health in many ways. Prolonged exposure to stress can cause chronic fatigue syndrome, headaches, digestive ups and can increase the danger of heart attacks and strokes due to higher blood pressure. It also affects the blood cells that help you fight infections, so you may be more likely to get colds and viruses.
More importantly, stress can lead to behaviors that contribute to disability or death, such as alcoholism, drug abuse, or smoking, and can make it even more difficult to take additional steps to improve your health.
If you suffer from stress, look for ways to alleviate it. Practice relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing. Indulge in an occasional massage. Learn to meditate each day in order to clear your mind of daily stresses. Many health professionals use biofeedback, which teaches you to control responses to stress, as a useful to in decreasing stress as well. Using techniques such as these can lower blood pressure, slow your heart rate, increase your body s production of endorphins, which act as the body s natural painkiller, and can even increase energy levels.
If, like many people, you have overindulged in the past, it is never too late to change. If you want to have an accurate view of your health before you begin to make changes, a mobile health screening is convenient, affordable, and can highlight potential problems that could lead to heart attack or stroke if left unchecked.
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