Tips for Staying Healthy, Body and Mind

[Lisa Donovan]

Rather unfortunately for all of us, staying healthy involves a lot of factors we must take into account. However, good health also means lower risk of dangerous conditions like heart disease and cancers. Thus, striving for a good health, despite being sometimes tedious would eventually protect you in future. Here are some of the things you should do to maintain your physical and mental health.

Eat healthier

Your health depends to great extent on what you eat. Making healthy food choices and having overall well-balanced nutrition will help to prevent a good number of conditions and even cure some. Healthy meals would help if you have diabetes and heath condition. Staying fit also cannot be achieved without proper nutrition. Today we have many temptations when it comes to food choice, however, there are also many digital tools to assist you: mobile apps for grocery shopping, cooking, calorie counting, etc.

Exercise on a regular basis

A moderate amount of exercise is another essential component to a good health. Physical activity can prevent diabetes, strokes and even some types of cancer. It is also known to increase the level of endorphins, which helps to fight depression. People who exercise regularly get fewer traumas, have a lower risk of osteoporosis or blood pressure issues. Any amount of physical activity is better than none. Trying to be active from 30 to 60 minutes about 5 days a week would be enough to make you feel better and maintain a healthy weight.

Shed excessive weight

Being overweight increases the chances of health issues and is connected with severe conditions such as gallbladder disease, heart disease, some types of cancer, high blood pressure, cholesterol and type 2 diabetes. Excessive weight could also provoke arthritis in your spine, hips, and knees as these joints carry all the additional weight. Plus, each pound of extra fat requires a mile of blood vessels to feed it. Imagine the extra strain you put on your heart!

Have safe sex

Safe sex is good for your emotional and physical health. And the safest sex is the one be between two people who only have sex with each other. Using condoms will protect you from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Be sure to talk to your doctor about STDs testing.

Protect your skin

Unregulated exposure to the sun often leads to skin cancer – the most common cancer in the United States. Limiting the time you spend outside in the sun is essential, especially if you live in the south. Wear hats and protective clothes if you are to stay outside for a long time, plus use a sunscreen all year around on your face and hands, as they are the most exposed. The sunscreen should be at least SPF 15 or more, and it should block both UVA and UVB rays. It is also advisable to ban the tanning booths from your life.

Limit your alcohol intake

Too much alcohol is damaging your liver, so limiting alcohol consume is as essential as balancing your meals and controlling weight. Men and women have slightly different daily norms – women should not have more than one drink a day (one drink equals about 1.5 ounces of liquor, 5 ounces of wine or 12 ounces of beer). Alcohol abuse can cause liver and pancreas cancer.

Quit smoking

Smoking and other tobacco use are critically harmful to your health. Being the leading factor of obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema, smoking often leads to lung cancer and heart disease. Given time, your body can neutralize the destruction caused by smoking, but the sooner you quit the better.

Other things to consider

Preventive care can detect and avert diseases before they start, so consulting doctors on a regular basis is important for keeping your health in check. Have regular appointments with your GP, dentist, and ophthalmologist.

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death among women, so you should make time for breast checkup as well. FYI, men can get breast cancer too, so everyone should stay cautious. Check your family history for breast cancer – any case in the past should be a reason for regular screening and mammograms. Having a list of medicines you are taking would be handy, as well as planning annual flu shot and other protective shots.