3 Things You Can Do Right Now To Stay Healthy by Dr. Jeff Epstein
Introduction We all know we could be doing something better, one way or another, to improve our health. All of us could probably come up with a similar list if asked to. That list would probably include: Healthy Diet Regular Exercise Good Relationships with Family & Friends Strong Faith and Clean Living Work/Life Balance Reduce Stress Levels Plenty of Sleep & Rest Regular Checkups with your Doctor and getting Recommended Immunizations & Cancer Screens If we know what to do and know that these are pretty basic, why do we struggle to simply exercise regularly and eat right? Let s be honest, many of us are just flat-out lazy when it comes to exercise which doesn t pair well with a weak self-will to resist junky (although delicious!) foods with too many calories and saturated fats! This has become the norm and I speak from my own experience. We get discouraged and tell ourselves that adjusting our diet or regular exercise is too hard. Or, we talk ourselves out of these healthy habits because we tell ourselves, I m going to fail at it anyways, why even try?! Here s the good news: You can take control of your health and wellness with very few and simple goals without having to dive into the deep-end of some extreme regimen! This ebook will help you to set achievable goals at your own pace.
1. Activity & Exercise Most people are aware that we need about 20-30 minutes of exercise a day. When was the last time you stuck to that kind of a schedule? If you re already doing this, fantastic! Keep it up! If you re not presently keeping this kind of routine, don t worry because I ve got just the plan for you! I call it the Anything Is Better Than Nothing Exercise Program. What does that look like? Here are some quick tips to fit more activity into your normal day-to-day: Finding a Parking Spot Farther Away Than Normal Taking a Spontaneous 1 Mile Walk (1/2 mile from home and back) Doing Deep Knee Bends Bending Over to Touch Your Toes Working Your Leg Muscles (like a downhill skier) Lifting Any Weights, Any amount of Reps, Any number of Sets Flexing or Boxing in front of a Mirror Dancing Biking Jogging Swimming These are just a small handful of very practical ways you can easily fit more activity into your lifestyle without even having to join a gym! If you re doing any of the above or something similar at a minimum, you can be proud; keep up the good work!
2. Diet & Weight Control Dieting is easier than you may think! For example, if you re trying to lose weight try vegetarian meals with fruits and vegetables and only have meat once a week. You can easily prepare soups and salads that feature fruits and vegetables and feel full. After a few days or so you ll begin to notice that you re dropping weight without feeling hungry. You can move in and out of this diet as needed to keep your weight as desired. Another great way to lose weight and stay healthier overall is to drink plenty of water. Hydrating yourself with good ol H20 will help your skin stay healthy, regulate energy levels, and help to flush out toxins from your body. You can even add in fresh squeezed lemons or limes to your water for added flavor and to help prevent any calcium buildup in the kidneys. Adding a dash of pink Himalayan salt to your water will give your body a boost in electrolytes as well.
3. Staying Connected Having healthy relationships with friends and family and staying connected socially is vitally important for our mental health and emotional well being. If you already have a healthy support group of friends and family, fantastic! If not, take the critical first step and be intentional to reach out and establish relations even with the folks in your neighborhood. If you find that most of your activities are usually by yourself or mostly apart from others make a resolution to get involved and plugged into a healthy community of people. This can range from: Attending a local Faith-based Fellowship Volunteering at your YMCA Getting involved at the nearest Public Library Organizing a Game/Dance Night or Potluck in your Neighborhood Plugging in with Community or Meetup Groups
Regular Visits to Your Doctor Regular Visits to the Doctor Most people get their Yearly Physical which is a good thing. It is important to see a doctor once a year to review your medical history, immunizations, cancer screens, physical exam, labs and tests. But you need something more The Annual Wellness Visit The Annual Wellness Visit (or AWV) is essential to any comprehensive wellness plan. It has twice as many elements as the Yearly Physical and must be done each year in addition to it. The AWV provides you with a second opinion on the immunizations and cancer screens and additionally provides further screening which is critical to reducing falls and accidents. The AWV screens for fall risk, a safe home environment and early memory loss. Doing the AWV reduces hospitalizations by 40% and much of this reduction comes from identifying individuals who are at a high risk for accidents. Conclusions It is important to take care of yourself. Regular exercise and a healthy diet is foundational. It is also important not to let yourself be vulnerable to accidents, fall and infections. Make sure you get your Annual Wellness Visit each year in addition to the Yearly Physical. The AWV is no cost to medicare patients! To find out more, go to our website at www.peakawc.com Dr. Epstein has spent the last 30 years working as a medical director and chief physician advisor at some of the largest healthcare systems in the country including Atlantic Health System in New Jersey and BayCare Health System in Tampa, FL. Dr. Epstein understands that making sure all Medicare patients are properly immunized and screened for medical conditions and trauma risks can reduce hospitalizations and help patients live life to the fullest.