Quick Health Education Tips

These days there are so many health tips for what to do, and what not to do. Do you find yourself overwhelmed and not knowing what is right for you? One of the most important things to remember and take into consideration is your own lifestyle, and health desire. We have to first determine what we want out of our health and what we consider to be the main goal. My recommendations are to first:

-Set a goal of what your image of health should look like. -Be realistic, and don’t set yourself up for failure. -Don’t diet; permanent change must come from a lifelong change. - Remember that health is not just about exercise and eating healthy, it is about emotional and spiritual health as well. -For serious health conce
s, consult a doctor to assess your health prior to making major changes.

Being aware of common health conce
s may help you focus on a few very important aspects of health. I have listed below common health conce
s and statistics that may need to be considered.

-There were around 23.6 million children and adults diagnosed with diabetes in 2011.
-The leading cause of death in the US is cardiovascular disease. - Every 14 minutes a person dies from suicide.
-One of the most commonly undiagnosed disorders in the US is anxiety.
-Women are more likely to become depressed than men.
-It is estimated that 75% of the population will suffer from periodontal (gum) disease in some point in their lives.

Seeking routine medical, vision, and dental exams yearly can cut down on major health issues otherwise undetected. Preventive measures can aid in reducing illness, and help you seek treatment with any health conce
s before the illness has progressed. Many times people reason that healthy visits are too expensive however, they may prove to be less expensive in the long run when compared to sudden illness, diagnostic tests, and hospital bills If you have determined that a change in your weight or eating habits is needed, please follow the below suggestions.

-Assess your weight and determine if weight gain or weight loss is needed for optimal health. Consider your body frame, and height when determining a weight that is ideal for you.
-Start with short spurts of exercise. Many people think they must run or join a gym to get into shape. Walking 20 minutes a day 4 or more days a week can make a huge impact for most people.
-Make a new grocery list with healthier foods choices. If unhealthy food is out of quick reach, we are more likely to make a healthier choice.

Quick changes may be:

1)Switch to water or flavored water instead of soda
2)Switch to whole grain/ wheat bread instead of white
3)Buy less beef and stick with leaner meats such as chicken or turkey. Fish is an excellent choice.
4)Fresh steamed veggies instead of canned or over boiled
5)Fresh fruit assortments for snacks are excellent
6)Popco
is a healthy high fiber snack
7)Instead of cookies, choose fig Newton’s at snack time. They are much lower in fat!
8)Switch to brown rice instead of white

These quick changes can make a huge impact in a short period of time. Make certain that these changes in your diet become a lifestyle change. If used temporarily just to lose weight, you will simply gain it back when you go back to your old eating habits. This must be a change in lifestyle! I wish you the best of luck in all aspects of your health and happiness.