Understanding your own personal health begins with knowing your body. Some people have health issues they have dealt with their entire lives, or which are a consequence of an accident or recent diagnosis.
Whatever your health concerns are, three important factors that play a huge role are what you eat, your sleep patterns and habits, and how much stress your body undergoes each day. It’s a good idea to search for a doctor you trust to go over what you can do to take control of these issues.
While there may be many things outside of your control, working on these factors either on your own or with a competent physician is essential to achieving your best possible health.
The 3 Factors
Since grade school, the food pyramid has been on walls in classrooms and doctors’ offices. Suffice it to say that everyone probably knows that fruits and vegetables should be the bulk of what people intake daily. Being aware of every bite you take or sip you drink is the first step in taking control.
Just knowing what’s in your food and how it’s been put together will give you the knowledge to make informed choices. Organic and unprocessed, fresh food prepared at home is your best chance for healthy eating. Your hair to your toenails and everything in between is healed or damaged by what you put into your body. It’s always best to check with your physician so you can plan the right menu for your body and health concerns.
Still in your control, although seemingly allusive is sleep. It is during this time of rest that your mind and body restore themselves. It is believed you should have between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per day. During the deep sleep portion of your rest cycles, your muscles, cells, and immune system work to repair themselves. Additionally, your brain processes memories and newly learned skills. Ways you can improve your sleep are:
- Nightly bedtime routines
- Turning off electronics 30 minutes before bed
- Reading instead of watching television
- Using fans for white noise
- Diffusing or applying calming essential oils
Often considered a silent killer, stress can wreak havoc on your physical and mental health. Cortisol is the main stress hormone and is connected to heart disease, weight gain, and decreasing the body’s immunity to illnesses. Because today is so fast-paced and the pressures on people are so extreme, it’s no wonder people succumb to its effects. Constant stress is incredibly hard on all of your systems and if you find you cannot cope with it yourself, it’s time to seek out a doctor who can help you maintain a healthy stress level.
The Best Help
Find the right physician who is willing to sit down with you and discover better life habits or perhaps the right medication to regulate better sleep and stress control. Don’t let searching for a doctor stress you out further. Research reviews on some of your choices and search out their histories. Look up any malpractice issues they may have had. Some states fair better than others in this regard. For instance, it’s interesting to note that Ohio medical malpractice suits put that state at number fourteen in the country while Louisiana came in at number one. Finding the right physician for you may take time, but it’s worth the research.
There are a lot of good habits you can begin which will put you in control of some of the major components affecting your health. It’s a good idea to work with a competent doctor on issues like proper diet, methods leading to plenty of sleep, and monitoring stress. Do what’s in your power to work toward the healthiest you.
