We all know what we need
to do in order to have a long healthy life. However we don't always make the
effort. Now and then each of us needs a reminder, so here is a list of the top
dozen things to do to have a healthy, long life.
Protect Your Heart
According to the U. S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease and cancer are the
leading killers every year. So,
protecting your heart and avoiding things known to cause cancer can keep you
healthy longer.
- Don't smoke. Smoking increases your risk of a heart attack, because it raises blood pressure, reduces good cholesterol and damages your blood vessels.
- Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all. Excessive alcohol consumption increases your weight, itself a risk factor, and increases your blood pressure. Drink no more than one drink a day, which means one ounce of spirits, four ounces of wine or 12 ounces of beer.
- Maintain normal weight. Excessive weight, especially around the middle, increases your risk of heart disease and diabetes, which leads to heart disease.
- Reduce the amount of red meat, animal fat, fried foods, and refined foods like sugar and flour that you eat.
- Eat more vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, beans and peas.
- Exercise. Start with at least 30 minutes three days a week of moderate exercise, and work up to 30 minutes every day. Try to exercise out of doors. Sunlight affects mood, helps your body create vitamin D and it helps your brain produce melatonin which helps you sleep well.
Be pro-active about your health.
- Have a regular physical exam so that you know the important numbers: your blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and weight. Your doctor may recommend other important tests, such as a colonoscopy, breast exam, cervical exam, or bone density test. Get your family immunized against life-threatening illnesses.
- Control your blood pressure. High blood pressure often leads to heart disease and stroke. Your doctor may recommend medications to control your blood pressure if you aren’t able to do so with diet and exercise. It’s important to take the medication regularly, as high blood pressure is a killer.
- Prevent diabetes. Diabetes leads to heart disease and other risks, such as serious infections, blindness and amputations. It’s very important to monitor your diet and your blood sugar, to prevent diabetes. If you develop metabolic syndrome – pre-diabetes – it’s even more important to control your diet and monitor your blood sugar.
- Protect yourself from the sun, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Skin cancers can be fatal, and it’s better to be pro-active and prevent skin cancer as much as possible. Wear long sleeves and a hat in direct sun, and use sun-screen, between 15 and 30 SPF.
- Cultivate a hobby, make friends, reduce stress, get enough sleep, have some fun every day. Have some alone time. Family and friends can be supportive, can help you develop healthier habits and improve your mood. Stress saps your immune system, reducing your protection against harmful microorganisms, and it stresses important organs including your heart.
- Get an education. Lower education levels are associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure and diabetes as well as obesity, and it is also connected with a higher risk of dementia in later years.
AND:
Use smoke detectors in
your house, learn to swim, always wear your seatbelt, wear protective gear in
sports or on a motorcycle. Avoid dangerous situations and violent people as
much as possible.
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