You want better health but don’t want your life to revolve around workouts and special diets.
Here are quick and easy steps you can take now to improve your health and decrease the odds of medical problems developing in the future.
Read on to find out how to start today.
1. Exercise
Eliminate thoughts of marathons or grueling exercise from your mind. The simplest way to improve your health isn’t through arduous hours at the gym but through exercises that are easy on both your joints and your patience.
Qi gong is a system of martial arts that uses coordinate movement and breathing to improve health. It includes meditation and takes a holistic approach to well-being that includes both the mind and body. Another option is walking. Regular walking has been shown to provide many health benefits. For those with joint and mobility issues, exercising in a swimming pool can be an excellent option.
2. Food
Let’s face it, our diets can be a problem. Too much of the wrong foods or extreme dieting are all bad for our health. Unfortunately, we tend to go with an all or nothing approach. Either depriving ourselves or switching back to our usual diets when we become tired of the deprivation.
The solution is to make a few very small changes you can easily incorporate into your life. Most people fail to get the recommended amount of vegetables in their diets. This doesn’t mean you need to switch to daily salads, that means you should take a couple of additions to your regular meals.
Add baby carrots to your brown bag lunch. Put spinach into your morning omelette and double up on your serving of vegetables with dinner. You’ll feel fuller and more satisfied while you receive more of the nutrients you need.
3. Check-Ups
Too often our healthcare centres around crisis management rather than preventing problems from developing in the first place.
Even if you hate going to the doctor, getting regular check-ups is still one of the easiest ways to stay healthy.
Have routine laboratory work completed (blood and urine) so you can go over results with your doctor. Make sure you are up-to-date of vaccinations like tetanus and hepatitis A & B. As you age, get the recommended screening tests for your age group like mammograms, prostate exams, and colon testing.
Taking these steps will help you and your doctor identify any issues early and correct them before they get worse.
4. Hydrate
For many of us, dehydration has become a way of life. We spend our time with giant cups of gourmet coffee and fancy sports drinks. You don’t have to give up your favourite beverages, just learn to mix and match them with water.
Alternate beverages and make a point of consuming extra water if you’ve been exercising or working outside. In the winter it can be even easier to become dehydrated given the drier air caused by heating systems and the cold air outside.
5. Teeth
An increasing amount of medical research is showing a link between dental health and overall health. Gum disease has been linked to heart disease and other serious medical problems. Make time to brush your teeth and floss daily.
Schedule regular visits to your dentist to receive teeth cleaning and address any problem with your teeth and gums. Your health could depend on it.
