Healthy living Best way to manage diseases is to not allow it to prop up. Best way to do it is to internalize habits consistent with healthy living. Healthy living is not just exercises diets or special approach. It is holistic perspective towards life including daily stress less routine, proactive and positive approach towards social environment; in addition to above. Some of habits for healthy living are enumerated below.
Keep Moving Daily 30 minutes exercise is not only important for your heart, but it is also essential for maintaining a healthy weight and general well being. Not only can regular exercise half your chances of developing coronary heart disease and reduce your chances of having a stroke, but it also helps to lower blood pressure, reduce your chances of developing diabetes and can assist you to loose or maintain weight.
Besides numerous health benefits of exercising, regular activity can also help to relieve stress, make you feel more energetic, help you to become more independent and lower your risk of osteoporosis. The great thing about exercise is that you will benefit from it as soon as you become more active.
If you do not already exercise regularly, you need to start slowly and consider any health conditions that you have. Starting with a gentle form of exercise such as walking or swimming is a good way to build up your strength before taking up a sport or joining an exercise class. Even dancing, cycling to work, gardening or climbing the stairs is considered exercise.
It is important to increase your activity gradually. Warm up before exercise and cool down after. If you experience any adverse symptoms when exercising, such as chest pain, it is important to consult your doctor, who will be able to advise you on a safe level of activity for you.
Aerobic activities such as walking, cycling and swimming are the most suitable forms of exercise to start with. Avoid intense activities such as press-ups and weightlifting until you have achieved a reasonable level of fitness. Ideally you should exercise moderately for 30 minutes five days a week. It is possible to split your exercise into shorter sessions if you easily tire.
An unhealthy lifestyle and physical inactivity can contribute to you gaining weight and can cause an increase in blood pressure. Regular exercise can reduce high blood pressure or prevent you from developing high blood pressure. Build more activity into your daily life and begin to see the benefits of regular exercise immediately.
Eat Right
Eat food, not all edible, mostly plants
Healthy diet should be low in saturated fats and high in fiber and that the number of calories we consume should be appropriate to our age, weight and level of daily activity. Beyond this, dietary specifics depend on the individual in question and any physical conditions or internal or external factors that might result in increased or decreased requirements for certain nutrients or compounds.
“You are what you eat” is an old adage, but not one without credible foundation, with plenty of evidence to suggest that individuals who eat a balanced diet are far less likely to succumb to illness and disease than those who don’t. The amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates we consume is appropriate to our individual physical requirements.
The above-mentioned compounds are commonly referred to as the three major food groups and nutritionists advise that for the purpose of good health, proteins should be a mix of animal and vegetable sources, fats consumed should be predominantly mono and polyunsaturated, and carbohydrates should be largely of the non-refined variety.
Balance in diet can also refer to our intake of vitamins and minerals, and while certain circumstances such as pregnancy, illness or athletic activity can increase our need for specific nutrients, there are general guidelines for requirements. These guidelines are commonly known as Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA) and are devised using the needs of the average child, adult male and adult female as determining criteria.
Some of Don’t
- Don't eat anything your great grandmother wouldn't recognize as food. "When you pick up that box of portable yogurt tubes, or eat something with 15 ingredients you can't pronounce, ask yourself, "What are those things doing there.
- Don’t eat anything with more than five ingredients, or ingredients you can't pronounce.
- Stay out of the middle of the supermarket; shop on the perimeter of the store. Real food tends to be on the outer edge of the store near the loading docks, where it can be replaced with fresh foods when it goes bad.
- Don't eat anything that won't eventually rot. "There are exceptions -- honey -- but as a rule, things like Twinkies that never go bad aren't food,"
- It is not just what you eat but how you eat. "Always leave the table a little hungry,". "Many cultures have rules that you stop eating before you are full. In Japan, they say eat until you are four-fifths full. Islamic culture has a similar rule, and in German culture they say, 'Tie off the sack before it's full.'"
- Families traditionally ate together, around a table and not a TV, at regular meal times. It's a good tradition. Enjoy meals with the people you love. "Remember when eating between meals felt wrong?"
- Don't buy food where you buy your gasoline. In the U.S., 20% of food is eaten in the car.
Sleep well Physiology of sleep has been well studied and physicians have determined that a prerequisite of a healthy lifestyle is sufficient sleep to meet physical and mental needs. Though requirements vary according to factors such as age and level of activity, it’s generally accepted that eight hours (with a variance of an hour more or less) is a healthy period of time to spend at rest.
Though eight hours is considered an optimum period, there are many factors that can increase an individual’s need for sleep. Heavy exercise, illness, stress, depression and prolonged mental activity are among the most common circumstances. In such cases, nine or 10 hours may be considered more appropriate.
Sleep is important for a variety of reasons and scientists have successfully broken its functions down into the following categories: restoration, preservation, memory processing, ontogenesis and anabolism. Though each of these areas can be explored in depth, in short, they refer to the processes required by all humans for unhindered mental and physical development and for the repair of any injuries sustained to either mind or body through disease or daily activity.
Healthy rest depends on good sleeping habits and by this we mean going to bed and getting up at more or less the same times every day. In doing this, our internal body clocks become more finely tuned and we are not only able to fall asleep quicker, but we also benefit from more restful and productive periods of sleep.
Avoiding stimulants such as caffeine, nicotine and Theo bromine (from chocolate) for at least four hours before bedtime is sensible if seeking restful sleep. Furthermore, drinking alcohol prior to sleep is inadvisable, as its effects tend to disrupt deep sleep patterns.
Regular exercise can be useful in establishing healthy sleep routines; however, its best avoided two to three hours before bedtime as it encourages increased activity of the heart and nervous system, thereby becoming a hindrance to restful sleep.
Reduce Stress Stress is sign of social disconnect. Stress is detrimental in lots of ways, including: emotionally, through anxiety or tension; behaviorally, through excessive smoking and drinking, being overweight, nervousness; and how we think, causing apathy, forgetfulness, and indecisiveness.
If stress is not nipped in the bud fast, it can lead to all sorts of mental and even physical illnesses. Immense pressure is placed on the body through how we think, leading to an increase in heartbeat, breathing rate and blood pressure, and the longer this goes on, the greater are the demands we place on our bodies.
Common side effects from continued stress include cardiovascular disease (affecting heart and blood vessels), high blood pressure, and an acute proneness to infection. Chronic fatigue is also common and can last for years if complete rest is not initiated. As you can see, the way we think can have profound effects on our whole system.
There are also basic things you can for yourself to help cope with and manage stress. One of the most important aspects for starters is to make sure you are well nourished and drink plenty of water, as lack of one or both can bring on or exacerbate stress in itself. Maintaining a certain level of fitness is also fundamental in dealing with stress for similar reasons to being undernourished.
In addition, you should also try to understand situations that make you feel stressed and try to avoid them; be it people, events or places. Also understand what situations are within your control, prepare yourself for stressful events by thinking about the future and do things that make you happy.
Meditation remains one of major tools to manage stress
Remain Socially Connected
Man is social animal and needs social environment to be healthy.
Not only is it fun to spend time shopping with friends or visiting with loved ones—researchers now know that time can also help keep your brain healthy as you age.
Some research indicates that people who have good social networks live longer. They also are physically healthier than people who are socially isolated. In fact, experts say that how socially connected a person tends to be is one of the most important ways of predicting his or her health and independence in later years.
Why Maintain Social Networks? Maintaining supportive relationships is an important element of effective aging. The more contact we have with others as we age, the better we may be at retaining mental sharpness.
A large study reported in the
New England Journal of Medicine found that people who engaged in leisure activities such as learning to play a musical instrument or dancing were less likely to develop
dementia.
Dancing may be especially beneficial to the brain because it combines physical activity with social interaction, and often involves a cognitive challenge in learning dance steps.
"There's a lot of evidence that other people are the most unpredictable things you can encounter," says Lawrence Katz. "So activities that have you engaging with other human beings are a fantastic form of brain exercise."
Social Connections and Brain Health "A major public-health study involving more than 116,000 participants found that people with strong relationships had less mental decline and lived more active, pain-free lives without physical limitations.
" Other studies suggest that people with the most limited social connections are twice as likely to die over a given period than those with the widest social networks. Many experts believe that social isolation may create a chronically stressful condition that accelerates aging.
"This information is especially important to older people, who may be more likely to lead solitary lives—especially if family and friends have moved away or died. Of course, combating loneliness requires time and energy, both in establishing new relationships and in deepening existing ones. But the benefits are well worth the effort.
Tips for Staying Socially Connected "How can we ensure that strong human connections continue to be an integral part of our lives as we age? Aging experts recommend staying involved in religious and community functions, maintaining a network of friends and family with whom we regularly interact, and volunteering in organizations that get us out and among other people. Here are just some of the options available for staying connected:
- Pursue social activities, like wine tastings, lecture programs, or traveling with friends.
- Get involved in projects that require you to have regular contact with others, like planning a gathering for a club, organizing a card- or game-playing night with friends, or helping out with a church supper.
- Investigate the options for social interactions available in your community—take advantage of programs and services offered at community and senior centers, or at your local offices for aging.
- Seek out people who may share your interests by getting involved at your place of worship, in clubs, and in other organizations.
- Volunteer for a cause you believe in by contacting a local nonprofit organization, such as a charity you find meaningful, or a local school or museum.
- Get connected while you improve your health: Join a walking or biking club or your local fitness center, go out golfing, or take yoga or cooking classes.
- Take an adult-education or college course in something that interests you—you might be amazed at how much you enjoy going back to school!
- Consider animal companionship, too. Furry, finned, and feathered friends can bring great joy, love, and meaning into our lives. Animal shelters are full of potential companions looking for good homes. (They can also be great places to volunteer.)
Health Checkups "You need to know your basic health parameters at age 50 for reference to latter changes. One must get all basic investigation like blood – CBC, Hemoglobin, BSL, Serum creatinin, LFT , X ray chest, USG abdomen, ECG etc done keep watch on it every year.
" The depth of checkups you need will depend on a number of criteria, including your age, your current state of health and your family history, as well as whether you smoke, your level of fitness and even what you eat.
"Health checkups generally include a weight check, blood pressure check, regular pulse check, vision tests, and a lookout for breast cancer, testicular cancer, prostate cancer, and cholesterol levels, for example.
" As a preventative measure, doctors will generally advise smokers and drinkers to cut back on their intake, exercise regularly, and try to reduce stress levels. In truth, eating properly and exercising are the two biggest factors for ensuring you give your body the chance of a healthy existence.
"General practitioners (GPs) generally do health checkups and are the best bet to help you feel more at ease, if you are apprehensive about having a checkup. Family doctors are ideal in this respect. For more thorough checkups, a trip to the hospital will generally be necessary.
"Regarding self checkups, getting into the habit of analyzing your body whenever in the shower is a good idea for picking up the odd lump or bump. Do this every other day, or perhaps weekly - women checking for unusual lumps or bumps on their breasts and men checking for abnormalities in the scrotal area.
Keep Weight right "If you’re overweight, there are many reasons to lose some of the excess. Healthy weight loss can result in better general health, looking better, feeling better and increased levels of energy. Many people can lose weight but often struggle to keep the weight off once they’ve lost it. When you decide that you want to lose weight, it’s important to start the process with clear intentions and long-term goals.
"It’s good to start the weight loss process by having a clear idea of how much weight you need or want to lose. To help guide you with this you can ask your health-care provider to conduct a Body Mass Index (BMI) assessment. The assessment will give you a reliable measure of your total body fat by comparing your height and your weight. You can also make this assessment yourself by using an online BMI calculator. The results of the BMI will place you in one of five categories, from underweight to extreme obesity.
" Once you’ve established your current weight category, set yourself achievable and realistic goals. It’s better to spread your weight loss goals over a significant period of time rather than going for a quick weight loss program where you will be more prone to regaining weight after you have achieved your initial goal. Start by setting yourself the goal of losing just a few pounds, then once you’ve achieved that goal, apply a second goal of keeping it off for one or two weeks.
"Diet is one of the most important aspects of losing weight and keeping it off. Try not to be taken in by fast track diets; while these types of diet may work in the short term, keeping the weight off can be difficult once you get bored of the imposed restrictions of the diet. Instead, start from working with your current diet and eating patterns.
"For one or two weeks, keep a record of what you eat and drink each day. Be honest and note quantity and portion sizes. Once you have a clear record of what you are eating and what your eating patterns are, then make realistic goals based on your records. If you see that you are eating a chocolate bar once every second day, make a goal to reduce this to a frequency that is achievable.
"Finally, keep active! Exercise and general activity is vital in the process of losing weight healthily and keeping it off. Again, set achievable goals that you can increase as time goes on. You may want to start with something simple like walking to pick the kids up from school rather than driving.
Women’s Health "In additions to above women have more concerns to look after. With the increase in breast and cervical cancer cases, it’s particularly important for women to ensure that they conduct regular self-examination of breasts and have regular cervical Pap tests
"Breast cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in women. When breast cancer is discovered early and treated quickly, the possibility of curing the disease is much higher. It’s therefore essential for women’s health that all women conduct monthly self-examination in order to detect any early signs of the disease.
" Breasts should be examined once a month at the end of the menstrual cycle. To conduct a self-examination, lie down and put one hand behind your head. With your free hand use your three middle fingers (applying varying degrees of gentle pressure) and move them in small circles over the entire area of the breast, checking for any lumps, hard knots, dimpling of the skin or thickening of the breast tissue. Also, you should squeeze the end of the nipple and observe if there is any discharge.
"If you should discover anything unusual, pay a visit to your women’s health-care provider who will advise you in undergoing further tests if necessary.
"Cervical cancer is also a common form of cancer in women and like breast cancer, early detection of the disease can increase the possibility of cure. To check for cervical cancer, cells that may result in cervical cancer or other cervical related infections, women should have their health-care provider conduct regular Pap tests.
"A Pap test is easy and quick. Your doctor conducts the test by placing a speculum into the vagina which expands the vaginal area so that the cervix can be examined. Your doctor will then use a swab to gently brush around the cervix, taking cell samples that will then be tested for cervical cell abnormalities.
"How often these tests should be conducted depends of your age and whether you suffer from any other medical conditions. Your doctor will advise you how often you need to be tested and of any other necessary precautions women should take to stay healthy.
Smoking, Substance Abuse and unprotected sex
- There is no question that smoking is bad for you, as well as for those around you. Smoking is addictive primarily through the nicotine content (an alkaloid poison) in the tobacco, but also through the appeal of cigarette in-hand for many users.
Tips for quitting smoking: " set a stop date and go cold turkey; discard all cigarettes, lighters and ashtrays; ask your smoking partner to also give it up, or at least be away from you when they want to smoke; ask for support from friends and family; take up regular exercise; eat more fruit, vegetables and less fatty foods if you gain weight; and treat yourself with the money you save on cigarettes.
"There are different definitions of the term substance abuse, but for the layman it is best defined as the use of substances with psychoactive or stimulating properties in manners likely to cause harm to the physical or the mental health of the individual concerned. Substance abuse can lead to serious long-term problems and even death, depending on the circumstances and factors involved.
- With the global spread of HIV/AIDS, having a healthy sex life is more important than ever. Notwithstanding of HIV/AIDS, there are many other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) that can be picked up through having unprotected sex.
"Sexually transmitted diseases are passed on during sex through vaginal sex, anal sex (male or female), and oral sex, both vaginal and anal. The most common STDs include: herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, scabies, crabs (pubic lice), and hepatitis. Anyone who is sexually active and not practicing safe sex can contract one or more of these diseases.
- The use of illegal drugs such as marijuana, amphetamines, cocaine and heroine may all be considered substance abuse since none are without side effects or the potential for damaging health. Though the dangers involved are specific to each drug and some carry considerably more serious risks than others, the common factor between all is that of dependency. Users can develop physical or mental addictions to these illegal substances.
