Sometimes how to go about getting healthy seems confusing because there are so many conflicting messages. Are there general rules to follow which promote wellness? Actually there is, and to start off 2012 right I’m going to make a few suggestions:
1) Get an examination every year from your physician and dentist. They should tell you where you need to focus in order to get healthy and why.
2) Know your numbers… your lab numbers. Have blood tests run every year and always request copies of your lab values. Even if you don’t understand them or your physician doesn’t explain them, get them and put them in a folder. I ask my clients to bring in their past lab work and then I incorporate them into a spreadsheet so a physician can see them at a glance. A doctor doesn’t generally have time to paw through mountains of paperwork. Unfortunately, they sometimes resort to reordering lab tests which may be costly or unnecessary. My clients are able to show their spreadsheet which includes trending as well as they’re able to ask their physicians intelligent questions about their own health. They’re empowered.
As part of a campaign, the Mayo Clinic has supplied viewers with a free application on their Facebook page that will help them calculate their risk of a heart attack and learn how to prevent one. They’ve recently done a parody to the 1982 song, Jenny, Jenny telling everyone to know their numbers for blood pressure, lipids, and BMI. You can see this at: https://www.facebook.com/MayoClinic?sk=app_150962638329922
3) Nutrition-
- Eating healthy has become so complicated:
- No processed foods.
- Organic foods as much as possible.
- No transfat.
- Decrease salt and sugar.
- Increase your vegetable and fruit intake to 10 servings per day.
- Increase your fiber.
Take vitamins. Our foods do not possess the nutritional value they did 30 years ago so you probably need to take vitamins as well. Many Americans are deficient in vitamins such as D3 (cholecalciferol), B complex, and Omega 3 Fatty Acids. Your physician can order lab work so you can know specifically where you have deficiencies.
If you’re older than 50, you may be experiencing absorption difficulty as well.
4) Exercise- If you don’t like to work out, buy a pedometer and walk 10,000 steps a day.
5) No smoking. Best results for smoking cessation have been obtained when there is a combination of coaching and medicine.
6) Stress reduction- I teach HeartMath® which uses tools and techniques that incorporate neurofeedback that can be practiced quickly 24/7, anywhere. HeartMath increases your resilience for challenging times.
7) Brain stimulation- Take a course, read a book, or play a game which requires your brain to work. I’m not referring to a romance novel or Uno.
8) Coaching- Hire a life coach who is a healthcare professional for one-on- one wellness teaching. Let them to be your personal trainer for good health. Why have a personal trainer only for exercise?
If you employ these suggestions in 2012, you will be well on your way to a healthy lifestyle!