We all want to live as healthily as possible, but often that’s much easier said than done! There are so many different things to think about, that it can be extremely hard to get into a routine that covers all the areas which need attention. Although it can be a little tough, you still need to be doing all you can to maintain your general health. Here, I’ve compiled a guide which should make the whole thing easier. This will deal with your general, dental, and mental wellbeing, and some of the best ways you can work to maintain them. Get into some of these habits, and you’ll notice the change immediately!
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We’ll start with general, bodily health. Although it’s not the only thing you should be paying attention to, your general living habits have a pretty big impact on how enjoyable life is. Many common causes of death, such as cancer, stroke, and heart disease can be prevented by changing a few little things.
If you’re a smoker, then quitting should be at the top of your list. I’m sure you’ve already heard all about how bad smoking is for you. Every year, smoking causes tens of thousands of deaths in the UK alone. A huge amount of preventable illnesses are also caused by smoking. Emphysema, heart disease and various cancers can often be avoided by quitting smoking. Of course, these can be linked to many other factors, but quitting smoking really helps your odds of avoiding one of these horrible diseases. The sooner you quit, the better off you’ll be. You may want to try an electronic cigarette from Ego to wean you off. While these aren’t exactly healthy, they contain a fraction of the poisons you’d be getting from a cigarette.
If you’re not guilty of that particular vice, then you might need to cut down on your alcohol consumption. Despite the huge amount of health risks involved, countless people still drink alcohol daily. If this includes you, then it’s important to know your limits. If you’re a man, limit yourself to two drinks a day (beers not Godfathers!) whereas women shouldn’t be exceeding one a day. It may be hard to get out of the swing of it, but thinking about what you’ll do for yourself can help you along! With too much alcohol, a person’s liver will take a lot of damage, and their risk of various cancers will rise. Furthermore, alcohol intoxication leads to poor decisions, car wrecks, and in some cases violence.
You should also be making a point to eat healthily and keep your weight down. You knew this was coming, right? I know it’s all we hear and read about these days, but there are a lot of benefits to eating healthily. Certain cancers, along with stroke, diabetes and heart disease can all be avoided more through a healthy diet. Aside from that, eating too many fats can cause serious damage to your arteries. You should also work on lowering your cholesterol and weight. A lot of people living in the developed world are seriously overweight. If you’re a few pounds over the mark, then you could be increasing your risk of high blood pressure and diabetes, stroke, and a few cancers.
Make sure you’re getting enough exercise in as well. If doctors could simply prescribe more exercise, their jobs would be a whole lot easier. This simple habit does so much for a person’s physical health, it’s amazing that some people still neglect it. Getting the right amount of exercise can reduce the risk of osteoporosis, diabetes and depression. You’ll also be able to steer clear of back and joint pain for longer than you would otherwise. Once you get into the habit, you’ll also find it much easier to keep your weight controlled. Many doctors recommend an hour of vigorous exercise every day. Obviously, this simply isn’t practical for a lot of people. However, you can still get a lot of the potential health benefits by fitting around 30 minutes into your daily schedule. More vigorous forms of exercise will yield more benefits, but don’t rush into an active lifestyle too fast. A lot of people decide to change their whole lifestyle, and then shy away after they get a nasty strain or injury!
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The next thing to focus on is your oral health. While this may not show as obviously, or be quite as serious as your bodily health, it’s still important to take care of. A lot of people think they know all there is about taking care of their teeth. However, there are certain things which you may have been neglecting for a long time.
Obviously, you need to be brushing your teeth twice a day for two minutes. Use a soft-bristled brush, and fluoride toothpaste like Colgate Duraphat. This will remove various harmful bacteria from your mouth, and stop cavities developing in your teeth. While it’s tough to get an unhealthy amount of exercise, brushing your teeth is a totally different story. If you brush more than twice a day, for longer than four minutes each, you could actually be doing more harm than good. Over-brushing will begin to wear down the enamel layer on your teeth. This layer protects a layer of dentin on the tooth, which is full of tiny holes leading straight to your nerve endings. Exposed dentin is the most common reason people suffer from sensitive teeth. If you’re concerned that you may not be doing all you should, just pop in to see your dentist. See Carefree Dental for some fantastic affordable plans.
You may also be surprised to learn that you can cause a lot of damage through brushing your teeth too hard. Whenever you brush your teeth, treat them as if you were cleaning an egg shell. If the bristles of your toothbrush are frayed and squashed, then you’re probably pressing too hard. This can also wear down the enamel layer, and expose your teeth to all sorts of issues. When teaching your kids to brush their teeth, you should really drive this point home. The enamel on children’s teeth is much softer than an adult’s, and much easier to damage. While not entirely necessary, flossing daily can help you a lot. This will loosen those little specks of food you miss while brushing, and slow the build-up of plaque. Finally, make a point to watch your sugar and acid intake. These can form cavities, stain the surface of the tooth, and disrupt the inner structure of it.
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Finally, your mental health. This is something a lot of people are a little hesitant to think about. Contrary to what you may think, your mental health affects much more than your mood. Your mental health has resounding effects in other aspects of your health, and can affect so much more than what goes on in the old nut.
One important thing you should do is talk about your feelings. Even when you’re feeling great, express it to your close friends and family. Contrary to the ideal of a “strong, silent type”, talking about your emotional problems isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a way of taking charge of your health, just like eating healthily and exercising. You don’t need to splash out on a therapist, just be honest about the way you feel whenever you talk to people you know and trust. If you’re used to keeping your emotions bottled up, then this may feel a bit strange at first. However, once you adopt it as a habit, you’ll notice that personal issues are a lot easier to deal with.
Another thing which is known to be good for your mental health is to learn about something you’re interested in. This will give you a sense of achievement, and make you see your interests in a refreshed, positive light. If you don’t have much you’re passionate about, then try something new! A good alternative is simple giving. It doesn’t matter how small the gesture is, helping out other people creates a fantastic sense of wellbeing. If you have the time and dedication, you may even want to volunteer at a local charity shop or community project. Another good habit for mental wellbeing is mindfulness. Focus on whatever’s going on in the present moment, paying attention to your thoughts and how they make you feel. Feeling bad emotionally is often caused by vicious cycles of thought. Without the right attitude and habits, it can be tough to get out of these once you’re in them. Whenever you discover you’re feeling bad, focus on the root of it, and how it came up in the first place. Every feeling, good or bad, is temporary, so try focussing on how it disperses too.
Try to make these habits part of your day-to-day life, and every aspect of your health will improve. Thinking about your health along with everything else can be a challenge, true. However, with a little self-discipline, you can achieve the lifestyle you’re looking for.
