There are plenty of adages conveying the importance of looking after your health, such as “If you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything.” The sayings vary, but the meaning behind them is clear: you should always do your best to look after your health.
The body is an amazing piece of physical and mental machinery, but it doesn’t keep going on forever. Aging is a process that starts when you are conceived and never stops.
When you’re young, you probably didn’t think too much about your health, except when you got sick and perhaps had to take some days off school or work. Younger bodies typically find it easier to shrug off illnesses and then get on with life. As you get older, however, there are issues that come up that you might not have expected could happen to you. If you read newspapers and watch TV, you’ll come across plenty of real-life stories and a huge number of medical dramas that have done their research carefully.
It is worth thinking about how to look after your health at any stage of your life, especially as you get older and find you can’t do as much as you could before. After all, elite sports stars only have a limited time to fulfill their potential and dreams before their performance falls off and the next generation of competitors are vying to take their place.
Here are a few ways you can keep your health as good as possible.
Eat Well
The expression “You are what you eat” may be familiar to you, and there is a lot of truth in it. If your main diet is burgers, fries, pizza, bread and other processed foods, you’re not doing your body much good. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t eat them at all, but moderation is the watchword.
Eating healthily means varying your diet, so include plenty of fruit and vegetables in what you eat. Cut down on the amount of fatty foods you put into your body because these can have unpleasant effects down the line. There could be effects on your heart, arteries and cholesterol levels. Moreover, if you put on too much weight, it can affect your muscles and bones as they try to cope with carrying around that extra mass.
Fruits and vegetables give you essential vitamins that help the balance of your body chemistry,along with fiber to help with digestion. Pulses are also a good source of vitamins and fiber, so aim for a balanced diet to help improve your health.
Exercise Regularly
You should exercise on a regular basis, but this does not mean you have to run a marathon every day! Regular exercise tones the body and the mind as exercise is proven to increase well being. In addition to helping to keep muscles in good shape and contributing to weight loss, it can boost energy levels that have a direct effect on the brain, making you feel good and boosting your ability to focus at work or during your leisure time.
Ease into exercise gently by doing what you feel comfortable with, and gradually build your strength and stamina.
Don’t Ignore Warning Signals
Your body will give you signals if there is a problem. If you don’t know why you’re feeling constantly tired or have a nagging pain that won’t go away, a medical check is in order. A visit to a doctor means you can have any symptoms examined to see if there are any serious or underlying physical problems. One of the best ways to find out your health situation is to get a complete blood count like the ones offered here to find out what is fine and what might need further investigation. It’s a simple process that can provide a lot of reassurance.
Watch Your Drinking
If you enjoy drinking alcohol, make sure you watch what you drink and how often you drink it. Used sensibly, alcohol can be a great way to relax, but if you abuse it, you might start to develop alcohol-related illnesses and potentially put yourself or others in the workplace or in your social life in danger.
If you smoke tobacco, quitting is the only way to avoid the damaging effects it has on your whole body.
Keep Healthy, Keep Fit
If you take your health for granted, it’s time to shift your attitude. If you work to get the ideal balance between your eating, drinking and exercise, you’re much more likely to stay healthy in the future.