Health Is Your Most Valued Possession

At times, we take our health for granted and push our limits, whether it’s working long hours, skipping the gym, or neglecting annual provider visits that ensure that everything is working as designed.

And when it comes right down to it, maintaining and improving your health is pretty basic. My goal is to help you become educated and take the steps necessary to lead a healthier, more enjoyable everyday life.

Eat well

I get it. With a busy schedule, it’s hard to find time to eat healthy. Try this:

• Pick the lighter option sometimes.
  When eating out at fast food restaurants, pick the lighter options including salads and fruits.
• Eat more of the good stuff first.
  Increase your intake of fish, fruits, and vegetables; inevitably you’ll eat less of the fattier foods.
• Experiment.
  Try salt substitutes, fresh herbs, and other flavorings to minimize your salt intake.

Get moving

Exercise helps you mentally feel better. Did you know it also improves your cardiovascular health, lowers your risk of diabetes, and can decrease your cholesterol? So, strap on those tennis shoes and your fitness tracker and get moving:

• Be a strategic parker.
  Parking farther away adds to your daily step count — and lessens the chance of door dings!
• Set an hourly reminder.
  Especially if you work a sedentary job! Get up from your desk, do 20 body squats or leg circles to get your blood flowing and keep your joints and muscles working smoothly.
• Two is better than one.
  Join friends for adult sports like basketball and tennis or take your pet for more walks. (It’s good for our furry friends too!)
• Set an achievable goal.
  Start with 150 minutes a week of moderate to intense exercise — 25 minutes a day with Saturday off!

Cut your stress level

If you’re already exercising, you’re ahead of the stress management game. Here are a few more ways to cut more stress from your life:

• Sleep!
  Easy, right? Not for everyone. Creating a nightly ritual can help you get better sleep, including going to bed and rising at the same time each day. It also helps set your internal clock.
• Clear the clutter.
  Monitoring the latest trends for organizing and fighting material creep. Pick one space each weekend and evaluate what can go.
• Take a break.
  Even if you can’t go away on a fancy vacation, you should get away from work for more than a weekend and be intentional about taking time off. Give yourself the freedom to do absolutely nothing or to take up a new hobby; read or do anything except work.

Get a checkup

Our health is our most valued possession. Something as simple as scheduling an adult wellness exam with your healthcare provider can help you identify little problems before they become big problems.

Many health issues can be managed with increasing physical activity, watching what we eat, or getting enough sleep. Now is a good time to schedule that appointment to keep yourself healthy!

A regular checkup typically includes:

• Blood work to check blood sugar, cholesterol, and other common issues
• Blood pressure tests, pulse, weight, and heart and lung sounds
• Routine preventive health screenings for cancer prevention and more

Yearly checkups help us write the story of your on-going health. Some chapters might be more dramatic than others! By taking these simple steps and going to your doctor for regular checkups — together — we can ensure that the story goes long and ends well.