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Staying healthy is probably one of the most frequently quoted New Year’s resolutions. AIing to get fit and stay fit or just put an end to our vices is something many of us strive for. But there is a far more severe reason we should all be looking to improve our health.
Prevention estimates announced recently by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) and World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) stated that,eating a varied and healthy diet, taking part in regular physical activity, staying a healthy weight while limiting alcohol intake, could prevent as many as 340,000 cases of cancer in United States each year.
Get Screened Regularly
These tests can catch some cancers early and when they are small and contained, making them easier to treat. As for cervical and colon cancers, early screening can even prevent these diseases from developing to start with. You should speak to your medical practitioner for details about the procedure to test for breast, cervical, colon, lung, and prostate cancers. September was designated National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month following the 2008 Senate Resolution cosponsored by Republican Senator Mike Crapo, a two-time survivor of cancer himself.
Watch Your Weight
You should aim to control your weight through regular exercise and healthy eating as being overweight is a risk factor for many cancers.
Keep Moving
Physical activity of any sort has been seen to lower the risk of several types of cancer, including breast, prostate, and colon. Keeping active also reduces the risk of other life-threatening diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
Adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity; this is the equivalent of a brisk walk. Alternatively, you could seek for 75 minutes each week of vigorous exercise, something that makes your heartbeat as well as breathing faster, and makes you break a sweat. This activity is most beneficial when spread out through the week and not all at once. Children should be active for at least 1 hour of moderate or vigorous exercise every day, aiming for the vigorous activity at least three times a week.
You Are What You Eat
Eating a variety of different fruit and vegetables, as well as whole grains, fish or poultry, has shown to lower risk of developing certain cancers whereas consuming a diet high in processed foods and red meat is associated with a higher risk of certain cancers.
The recommendations from the American Cancer Society are that you should aim to eat 2½ cups of fruit and vegetables every day. Try to eat less red meat such as beef, pork, and lamb. It is beneficial to reduce intake of processed meat too like bacon, sausage, luncheon meats, and hot dogs. Choose bread, pasta, and cereals derived from whole grains as well as brown rice. Consume less sugary treats.
Stop Smoking
Tobacco in the USA is responsible for almost 1 in every five deaths – about 480,000 premature deaths every year. Approximately 80% of lung cancer deaths and an incredible 30% of all cancer mortality is caused by tobacco intake.
Banish The Booze
Research shows alcohol can increase the risk of certain cancers. The more alcohol you partake of, the higher your risk. Men should limit themselves to no more than two drinks per day, women no more than one. That one drink is the equivalent of 12 ounces of beer or 5 ounces of wine.
No one can predict who will get cancer, though employing a healthy regime can only help to reduce the risk and stay healthy if diagnosed with any form of cancer.
During the summer, we all want to make the most of the good weather, and to do that, we need to feel our best. Even though the summer is coming to an end, you still have enough time to jump into a healthy fitness routine! With this in mind, the following tips aim to keep you fit and healthy this season so you can enjoy everything the summer has got to offer.
- Take a look at your diet
With so many sweet treats readily available, the summer can sometimes be a time when we let our eating habits run wild. And while there is no reason why we shouldn’t indulge ourselves occasionally, the summer seasons are a great time to take a closer look at our diet and eat lighter, healthier meals. Fresh salad ingredients, berries, which are full of health giving flavonoids, fresh fish, and lean meats are just some of the foods that will help contribute to healthier summer eating.
- Fuel your mind and body
Sometimes, a good diet just isn’t enough and our minds and bodies can benefit from extra nutrients. If you want to keep your mind sharp, your moods balanced and your skin healthier, there are several supplements that can assist with this. For instance, B complex vitamins can enhance the look of your skin and hair as well as help your body to cope with stress and improve your mood. Minerals like magnesium can also boost the mood and support the body when it is under strain. In addition, nootropics have been recognized for the role they play in boosting brain power, improving mental clarity, and in creating resistance to stress.
- Exercise
There’s no better time for getting outside and exercising than in the summer months, so there’s no excuses for not getting fit even if you don’t like the gym! Take advantage of the warmer weather by swimming or walking to help tone your body and burn excess calories – and make exercise a part of your regular routine. See more…
- Drink adequate water
Are you experiencing headaches and feeling over tired? Then these could be signs of dehydration. The amount of water we need varies depending on several factors including our age, weight and activity levels, however, most of us require more water during the summer months. If you’re not sure if you’re drinking enough water to stay healthy this summer, use the hydration calculator here.
- Don’t forget your sunscreen
While a tanned body looks great, you’ll want to avoid the inevitable sunburn that can come with summer living. If you plan on spending a lot of time outdoors in the summer or sunbathing, then apply adequate sunscreen before you go out and apply it at regular intervals.
The above tips provide five simple steps that you can take to help maximize your health throughout the summer months. Incorporate them into your daily routine to help maintain your well-being all summer long and into autumn!
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A lot of people try and live a healthy lifestyle, but it can be hard when illnesses can occur at any time. The stresses of work and family mean we can end up eating too much food and not exercising enough. We also forget to go to appointments where we can find out earlier if something is up. Staying healthy is the ultimate way of prolonging your life. Here are the best 12 ways to keep your mind and body healthy.
Eat breakfast
It’s hard to fit everything in before going to work in the morning. By the time you get up early and have had a shower, there is often no time to enjoy a healthy breakfast. But having breakfast can help you keep to a healthy weight. If you don’t have breakfast, you can end up snacking all morning meaning you will be consuming a higher calorie intake. Breakfast is also perfect for helping you feel motivated till lunch. If you don’t eat anything, you can end up feeling distracted and losing concentration on the work you are meant to be doing. Have a bowl of cereal or enjoy some toast; both of these don’t take long to make. An egg is also a popular choice for breakfast and will keep you full until lunch.
Join an exercise class
Another way to stay healthy is to join an exercise class in your local area. Consider what kind of exercise you fancy trying. By choosing something that interests you, you will be more likely to get involved and make the effort to go. An exercise class is always good for helping you to maintain your weight. It’s a set time you can go and exercise every week. Arrange to go to a class with a friend; this will encourage you to go every time. Otherwise, you will let your friend down. Remember if you don’t like the class you attend, try a different one.
Healthy weight
The best way to stay healthy is to keep to a healthy weight. Once you become overweight, you may end up with health problems such as high blood pressure, cholesterol and heart problems. You can find out if you are a healthy weight by checking your Body Mass Index (BMI). You can work out your BMI by checking your height against your weight. You might be surprised to know that over 9% of Americans over 20 were classed as either overweight or obese when checking their BMI. Once you know yours, you can make movements to try and lose weight by eating healthier and exercising regularly.
Attend check-ups
If you want to stay healthy, you should be ensuring that you go for check-ups at your doctor when necessary. As we get older, there are several checks that you should go for including getting your cholesterol checked every five years. Your blood sugar level and blood pressure should be tested every three years. Read about more check-ups you should go for here. Don’t delay in going to the doctors if you are worrying about a mole or a lump you have found. Who knows what it could be, and it’s a good idea to get it checked sooner rather than later. It’s probably nothing, but it will help ease your worry if it isn’t anything to stress about.
Go to the dentist
Just as it’s so important to go to the doctor regularly, you should be ensuring that you go to the dentist at least once a year to ensure you stay healthy. They can check your teeth to make sure that there are no cavities that have developed. If you don’t go to the dentist, you will end up having to get teeth removed and could end up with gum disease. Remember to take your kids once they start developing teeth.
Visit opticians
It’s so easy in our busy lives to forget to attend eye appointments. But your eyes are so important, and you need to ensure that you are looking after them properly by attending appointments. You should go every couple of years to the opticians. They will be able to tell you how your eyes are doing and will inform you if you need glasses or contact lenses. You will be surprised to know that the opticians can also tell if you have a brain tumor. If they spot unusual symptoms, they will refer you on to your doctor for further investigation.
Meditate
You need to look after your mind, as well as your body, and a good way to do this is to meditate. Meditation is a fantastic way to clear your thoughts so that you can feel happier in your life. It’s also great for calming you down after having a stressful day. You can meditate in your own home, or you can look into attending a class where you can do it. It can be easier as you will follow the instructor. You can listen here at The Alternative Daily for info on how to add meditation into your life.
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Wash your hands
A lot of people pick up illnesses because they are not washing their hands after touching food. After preparing food, you should be ensuring that you wash your hands. You can’t touch raw meat and then pick up something else as any bacteria would have passed onto that food. And then once cooked, you could end up causing food poisoning. You should also ensure you wash your hands after you have been to the toilet. Although we have limited time at work to meet that important deadline, it’s essential that we wash our hands before leaving the bathroom. Remember to get your kids to do it too. Otherwise, they will be passing on germs as well.
Don’t take too many pills
In life when we get a bad belly or have a headache, we decide to take a tablet to ease the pain. But you may be surprised to know that too many pills are not good for you and your body. As we talked about previously, too many painkillers can damage your liver and the function of your kidneys. Your body can also be desensitized to the tablets, meaning the next time you take them, it won’t be effective. Make sure you limit yourself to how many you take, and if the problems keep happening, it might be wise to go to the doctor to find out why. Remember to stick to the amount they suggest to take, as it can be easy to become addicted to painkillers.
Cut out stress
If you want to live a healthy life, you need to make sure that you don’t get too stressed out. The more stressed you get, the more of a chance you could develop anxiety and depression. As this article explains, you need to try and cut down on the stressful factors in your life. Consider what is making you so unhappy. If you and your partner are always fighting, it might be time to separate. Or your job might be making you miserable, which means you should look for a new one. Try and eliminate the stress in your life so you can stay happy. You should smile more so that your whole body will be happier. Spend time with people that make you feel healthier and happier.
Control your eating
To ensure you stay healthy, you need to make sure you are controlling your eating habits. The best way to do this is to figure out why you are eating so much. It might be that you are eating when you are unhappy to combat those feelings. Or you might have associated eating with a hobby such as watching a movie or television. Also, when you are going shopping, you need to ensure you go when you have a full stomach. If you don’t, you will end up buying extra food that you fancy as you are hungry. Try and buy more food which you can freeze as well. If you buy fresh food that needs eating, you could end up consuming way too many calories in one day! Once you know why you are overeating, it becomes much easier to control.
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Stop smoking
To stay healthier for longer, you should try and stop smoking. The tobacco in smoking can lead to chest and lung problems. Talk to your doctor about the fact that you want to cut it out of your lifestyle, and they can recommend what you can do to cut it out. Going cold turkey is a bad decision because most people will end up craving it and giving in. Try nicotine patches or chewing gum to help you cut back on smoking. A lot of people are also trying e-cigarettes which help you feel like you are smoking but cuts out the tobacco element.
Remember the most important thing is to enjoy your life. It’s so short that you need to enjoy every moment, but live a healthy life too.
