For a while, I worked in nursing homes and rehabilitation centers where the patients were predominantly elderly. I enjoyed talking to them, learning about their lives, and getting a peek into their wisdom. But for many of them, their health had declined as a result of the way they lived their lives. One of the main pieces of advice I got from most of them is to take care of your body when you’re younger so that it will it will take care of you later in life. I also know a few people who came to this realization after having to look after elderly family members or hire someone to care for family members who didn’t quite take the best care of their own bodies over the years.
Your body should be a temple. But let’s face it, most of you reading this won’t treat it as one. In the 21st century, there are so many articles, news reports, TV adverts etc. that try and promote healthy eating. Yet so many of us ignore all of this and still reach for that chocolate bar or bag of chips. No shade here because I am guilty of the same.
Treat Your Body Right
If you’re young, the thought of what it might do to your body won’t even cross your mind. Unless you have a close relative telling you the famous saying “A moment on the lips, forever on the hips”. There are also many other health epidemics such as mental and sexual health that can be affected. So what can you do to look after your body?
~ Take Care of Your Body ~
There are so many other ways to look after your body other than eating the right food. But that’s where we’re going to start. From a young age, you’ve probably heard of “5 a day” as it relates to portions of fruits and vegetables. This is so much more important than you realize. Not only does it help to protect the overall healthy functions of your body, it’ll make you feel so much better.
The most common cause of fatigue and illness is due to diet. Eating 5 portions of fruits and veggies boosts the immune system. You can increase your body’s source of natural vitamins and minerals such as, vitamin C, potassium, vitamin D, and much more that are abundant in fruits and vegetables. Vitamin C helps protect you from contracting a cold, boosts the overall immune system function, and maintaining the skin’s elasticity. It also helps to reduce the risk of a heart attack, or heart disease in the future.
Vitamin C helps protect you from contracting a cold, boosts the overall immune system function, and maintaining the skin’s elasticity. It also helps to reduce the risk of a heart attack, or heart disease in the future.
It’s a well-known fact that the chemicals found in fast food restaurants increase the risk of heart disease greatly. It’s all processed and full of chemicals, yet so many people flock to their doors for the sake of convenience. As mentioned with vitamin C, a healthy diet improves the condition of your skin.
After hitting puberty, many people become walking pimples. Junk food contributes greatly to this. It is so common for people to complain of outbreaks, after binging on their favorite fatty foods. Although there is no scientific evidence, it is noticed that when on a healthy diet, the overall condition of the skin is much better.
One other plus to getting 5 a day, is fruit and vegetables are rich in fiber. A healthy gut as you get older is so important. 1 in 5 people over the age of 30 have bowel problems, so contributing to a healthy gut from an early age is essential.
Exercise is also a necessity that most people wish it wasn’t. Coupling it with healthy eating contributes to the healthy functioning of your body. It helps to keep your muscles healthy, even simply by running or taking brisk walks. Exercise reduces the risk of high blood pressure and things such as heart attacks and various diseases.
Although some people hate it, it has of late become a craze to keep fit. With so many people becoming Instagram famous by doing it, the trend is spreading. Encouraging so many people to keep active through social media is such a great technique, especially if they’re going to the gym.
The weight machines, coupled with cardiovascular exercise helps promote a healthy bone structure and improves the function of your heart and blood flow. It can also help contribute to a healthy mind, so many people say that going for a run outdoors clears their mind. For more reasons why exercise is good for the mind, check out this post.
Sexual health is also a high priority in life for many people, especially those who are married or in a relationship. The current statistic states that one in two people will contract an STD at some point in their life. They’re unpleasant and can be easily avoided if you practice safe sex.
If you’re ever worried that you might have an STD, try using sites such as https://www.saferstdtesting.com/free-std-testing to purchase a testing kit. It’s less embarrassing than going to the doctor, although you may still have to visit for treatment. Be sure to always use protection, and if you don’t, make sure you’re tested before sleeping with someone else unprotected. It has become that serious as of late that experts are saying we’re in an STD epidemic.
~ Take Care of Your Mind ~
While it’s great to focus on the body, many people are quick to forget that their mental health is just as important. The statistic is, 1 in 4 people in a high school classroom will have a mental health issue. Although, some will argue the statistic is much higher than this. Especially as you get older.
Things such as stress, anxiety, and depression are so much more common than people care to realize. Even if it’s just temporary. For example, interviewing for a new job. The effects it has on your whole body are evident. Some people have anxiety or depression so severely, they rarely even leave the house.
Protecting yourself from getting to this stage is essential. Make sure you’re always surrounded by the people that will bring you up and make you happy like friends and family members. If you’re ever going through a particularly bad phase, talk to someone! Getting your feelings out there is so much more proactive for keeping your mind healthy, as compared to holding it in. You may find that the person you speak to has also dealt with similar issues.
If you’re ever going through a stage of being extremely stressed, avoid things like caffeine or nicotine. These elevate your heart rate even more and contribute to added stress. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep, and practice relaxing things like yoga or meditation to clear your mind. You can find more tips on coping with stress here, https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ps/stress-tips.html.
The same can also be said for anxiety. It can take over your body when you least expect it. So practice relaxation techniques such breathing exercises, yoga, etc. But most of all, just talk to someone before it gets to the stage where it is taking over your whole body. For more techniques take a look at this article, https://www.helpguide.org/articles/anxiety/anxiety-disorders-and-anxiety-attacks.htm .
We are not perfect. We won’t do it all right every single day. But, it is so important to make a conscious effort to do things daily to take care of ourselves, body and mind, so that we can be as healthy as possible as we grow older.
What kinds of things do for yourself now to prevent illness later?