Your health is something you tend to take for granted that is until something happens and suddenly it becomes a concern. Waiting until your health is in decline to take charge and make changes is never ideal. As health professionals consistently point out, preventative health measures are the key. Preventative steps encompass all kinds of things, it boils down to a lifestyle and attitude change. You’ll need to start putting your health first, something you may not be familiar with doing.
As we celebrate World Health Day on April 7, this is the perfect opportunity to shift the focus on you for a change. Think about what you’re doing to your body and ask yourself if you’re treating it right. Are you setting yourself up for long-term health success with your actions?
To help you get on the right track here are 10 small things you can do to increase your health.
Eat a Healthy Well-Balanced Diet
People often assume that to live a healthy lifestyle they have to give up all the “yummy food”. You know the stuff we’re talking about, things like sugary treats, baked goods, ice cream, chocolate, chips, nachos, and so forth. While these can certainly negatively affect your health, ideally, you should be aiming for a balanced approach.
Professionals tend to suggest eating a well-balanced diet that primarily focuses on healthy options. That doesn’t mean you can have treats once in a while, it just means you are making sure you fill all your dietary and nutritional needs.
Stay Hydrated At All Times – Try Tracking Your Water Intake
Have you ever started feeling dizzy or lightheaded out of nowhere, feeling tired, needing to urinate more often, and having a dry mouth and tongue? It could be that you were dehydrated. Dehydration has all kinds of unpleasant symptoms and can even cause low blood pressure and an accelerated heart rate. None of this is good for your health, yet there is a simple fix – stay hydrated.
All you have to do is start tracking your water intake to ensure you’re drinking enough daily. It is recommended that adults drink eight glasses of water per day.
Drink Less Alcohol – It’s All About Moderation
This is another example where moderation can make a huge impact. Sure, you may look forward to that drink of wine with dinner, or a beer after a long day of work but more and more studies being released are showing how damaging alcohol can be to your health.
Generally speaking, “moderate” drinking can still be okay, but it comes down to personal risks and benefits. That means no more than one drink a day for women, and one to two for men. Ideally, it’s less than that to ensure the scales don’t tip and the risks outweigh the benefits.
Include Physical Activity in Your Daily Routine
If there’s one thing you can do right now to turn your health around and get you on the healthy path – it’s to be active each day. You don’t have to join the gym, there’s no need to take spin classes, just get up and move for at least 30 consecutive minutes daily. Before you know it, it will be a habit and you won’t even think twice about it.
Regular activity has all kinds of benefits such as helping to reduce the risk of developing some diseases and health conditions, improving brain health, increasing muscle strength and flexibility, and also helping to fight stress.
Prioritize Sleep So You Can Achieve Your Best Health
Walking around in a brain fog can be incredibly frustrating and even dangerous. If you’re too tired to focus on your morning drive to work, it’s easy to see how this could be a problem. This is why prioritizing sleep is vital. Getting enough sleep improves your physical and mental health. Experts suggest you aim for at least seven hours of good quality sleep nightly.
Get More Fresh Air – Yes the Outdoors Do You Good
When was the last time you stepped outside and just enjoyed the fresh air? Fresh air can do wonders for your mental health and general mood, and it can provide you with a healthy dose of vitamin D.
Wear Sunscreen Year-Round
This particular tip may not seem like a big deal, but UV rays can be incredibly damaging and dangerous to your skin and health. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, melanoma (skin cancer) is on the rise in the United States, with deaths caused by melanoma expected to rise by almost 4% in 2024. While wearing sunscreen won’t offer 100% protection, it will certainly offer a lot. Be sure to also cover up if you will be outdoors for long periods during the hottest parts of the day. You can wear protective clothing such as a hat, sunglasses with UVA/UVB protection, and even clothing with built-in SPF protection.
As for what level of sunscreen to wear, it is recommended to use at least SPF 30, apply it liberally before going outdoors, and reapply every 80 minutes, or after swimming or sweating heavily.
Practice Meditation – Learn to Be in the Moment
Learning to be in the moment is much easier said than done. This is exactly why practicing meditation takes just that – practice. It is a skill and art form and requires you to slow down, focus on your breathing, push everything out of your head, and just be at one with your surroundings.
You can pick up some books on how to meditate and watch videos online that can guide you through the tips.
Make It a Point to Laugh More
What if someone told you a good way to improve your health is to laugh? Would you believe them? Well, you should because it’s true. According to research, laughing helps to reduce stress, improves your overall heart health, and increases the amount of oxygen getting into your body.
Don’t Skip Your Routine Doctor Appointments or Physical
The final tip is to stay up-to-date with doctor appointments. This includes routine appointments such as your physical. It’s always best to find something early on when preventative measures will likely be more impactful. It’s also a good way for your doctor to monitor and track potential issues.
Take Charge of Your Health with Proactive Steps
Rather than sitting back and lamenting about health concerns, why not use World Health Day as the catalyst to get you to take proactive steps? It’s time to take charge of your well-being and make health a priority.