In large part, you’re in control of your health, not your doctor. And taking control of your health doesn’t depend on whether or not you have medical conditions.
As good as modern medical technology is, it can never save you from the problems caused by a lifestyle that is unhealthy. Instead of getting a current medical fix for every problem, it is far better to live in such a way that you will hardly ever fall ill.
Taking control means developing habits and discipline.
The most important thing you can do is educate yourself. Learn about your health problems and how you can take care of your body.
Now, take the time to set your goals for the next year. Write the goal(s) down.
An ounce of prevention is certainly better than a pound of cure. Here are seven tips on how to live a long and healthy life. Also, the same lifestyle that helps you to avoid illness helps you to lose weight.
- Start Exercising Regularly
In the past, people had to use their physical bodies in the course of their regular work. But, today someone may get up, go to work in a car, then sit down, get up to go home in the car and when arriving at home, sit down again for the rest of the day. In such a life there is no physical labor. This physical inactivity is one of the main reasons for a host of diseases. Sport, running, walking and other must be added to our life if our usual work does not require us to exert ourselves physically.
- Go To Sleep When You Feel Sleepy
It may sound simple, but many people stay up late even when their body is telling them that it is time to sleep. Yoga and Ayurvedic doctors also say that it is better to sleep in the night and be active during the day. However, people such as students will take coffee and stimulants to study late into the evening. Others develop the habit of remaining active at night and sleeping during the day. While we can do this, it eventually takes a toll on health. Alternative health doctors say that this kind of unnatural living is one of the contributing factors in the causation of cancer and other diseases.
- Eat When You Feel Hungry
It is also a simple idea, but once again we often go against the messages of the body. If you eat out of habit or due to social pressure at a particular time of the day, even when you have no real appetite, then you will not digest your food properly. Acidity and indigestion begin, and this contributes to the likelihood of other more complex diseases taking root. Having an appetite is a sign of good health, but if you have no appetite, you should wait a bit and then eat.
If you have no appetite even after waiting a reasonable amount of time, then you should consult a doctor because something is wrong.
Also, you should stop yo-yo dieting and focus on get healthier
- Fast on a Regular, Systematic Basis
If you would ask any person to work 365 days per year without any rest, they would complain and say that they must have some sleep or else they will break down. But we have never bothered to ask or to think about our digestive organs which we compel to work day after day without rest. They cannot protest the way a person would to his boss, but they do give us signals that they cannot work non-stop. When we ignore those signals and still compel them to work, those organs break down. That is why periodic fasting is necessary. Refrain from eating for one complete day. It gives rest to your digestive organs and also helps in the elimination of wastes from your body. Regular fasting allows a person to gain extra time for intellectual or spiritual pursuits. Fasting is not for hermits in a cave, but is a sensible practice that anyone can practice.
- Wash with Cold Water Before Going To Bed
As mentioned above, proper sleep is essential for the maintenance of health. If you wash your significant motor and sensory organs (hands, arms, eyes, legs, mouth, and genitals) before sleep using cool water, this will relax you and prepare you for deep sleep.
- Perform Meditation On A Regular Basis
Your body is linked to your mind. Many of the diseases of this era are psychosomatic. Stress and anxiety take their toll on our physical health. Meditation is a mental exercise which, among other things, allows you to detach yourself from the worries of life. Learn a simple technique and do it regularly.
- Get up Early Every Day
Once again the old proverb, “Early to bed, early to rise makes a person healthy, wealthy and wise.” I don’t know if it will make you wealthy, but it will certainly make you healthy. Your body needs just enough sleep, not too much and not too little.
Then list specific ways you can accomplish these goals. For instance, try a new healthy dinner recipe once a week, go to the gym five days a week, or research nutrition on the Internet 10 minutes a day.
Work on your mind and thought patterns. You have to believe that you can become healthy and reach your ideal weight before you can do so. Learning to accept what you can’t change, but striving to improve what you can, is the key. A large part of succeeding in health improvement begins with being comfortable with you.
Find time to do something good to reward yourself for making this commitment to improve your health. Reward yourself each week as you find yourself accomplishing your goals.
If you have another person to work with, you will be more successful in meeting your health goals. This partner should be someone you can trust with your feelings.
It helps to have a partner for accountability. We work harder when we know someone is watching us and holding us accountable. A good partner also helps us stay realistic in our goals and challenges us to grow.
Try to find someone who will encourage you in the down times and celebrate your successes with you as you accomplish your goals. And of course, you need to be that kind of a partner to your friend in return.
You might consider forming an informal support group with some of your friends or acquaintances. People who belong to a group with mutual interests and a shared purpose accomplish more. A group might get together weekly or monthly and discuss progress or concerns and help encourage each other. Sometimes all a person might need is another opinion or just a little encouragement to help them get past a point where they are having problems. Even if you are doing great, perhaps you could be of help to someone else who is struggling.
Communication is important when putting together a group. Set up a regular time and method to report progress to each other and stick to it. Set realistic benchmarks to monitor your progress. Reward yourselves for your effort. Do something fun as a group once in a while!
There can be great rewards in working with others toward common goals. It makes the journey more enjoyable as well as more productive.
Follow these tips and you can’t go wrong.
How do you control your health? Do you have memorable experiences/ activities that improved your life?