While putting up your new calendar, you might want to stick your New Year’s resolutions right beside it. But if one of these resolutions happens to be about embracing a healthier lifestyle, you may have your work cut out for you.
It’s because when you follow a set, albeit unhealthy, routine for your diet, exercise, and sleep schedule, it can be hard to break out of it. This calls for finding the motivation to make those desired changes until they become second nature. While this is easier said than done, considering how healthier lifestyle practices cut down on the risks of various diseases is reason enough to stick to your guns.
To help you on this path of self-improvement, here’s how lifestyle choices help with disease prevention.
Bone Strength
As we age, our bones can get weaker, leading to signs that you need an orthopedic doctor. This can cause many problems, including back pain, limb pain, and an increased risk of fractures. When you adopt healthy lifestyle choices such as getting regular exercise, consuming calcium-rich foods, and taking vitamin D through your diet, you can strengthen your bones and reduce the risk of conditions such as osteoporosis.
Stress Relief
Practices such as getting regular massages and lighting scented candles are often considered part of trendy self-care routines. However, small lifestyle changes are quite effective in reducing the risk and intensity of several conditions. For instance, if you have lipedema, targeted massage can help encourage proper fluid retention across your limbs to reduce swelling. Similarly, aromatherapy through lavender candles can help you feel relaxed and may help relieve insomnia.
Joint Lubrication
The advice to remain hydrated is so overused that it has lost its meaning for many people. But drinking water whenever you feel thirsty still remains an effective way to prevent infections and lubricate joints to reduce pain. Whether you use a self-filtering water bottle outdoors or a tall thermos at your office, keeping yourself hydrated can unlock such health benefits without stretching yourself thin. This makes it one of the easiest ways to steer clear of worrisome conditions.
Better Heart Health
In addition to drinking 6–8 glasses of water a day, keeping yourself active with regular exercise, consuming healthy foods, and getting proper sleep can also lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. Besides directing proper blood flow across your body, these practices also keep your heart from overworking itself. That is why it is important that you embrace these changes through activities such as using home gym equipment, trying out healthy recipes, and cutting down your screen time at night.
Decreased Risks
When you follow the roadmap to wellness through exercise, diet, and sleep, you can also maintain a healthy weight. Since obesity can lead to a variety of chronic conditions that can decrease your quality of life, being close to your ideal weight lets you steer clear of developing conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. This lets you live a more comfortable lifestyle that you can enjoy with your loved ones for a long time.
Stronger Immune System
Even small changes, like using a memory foam mattress, can work wonders in disease prevention. When you’re able to get at least 6–8 hours of quality sleep a day, it allows your body and organs to get rejuvenated and recover from the day’s exertion. This prevents your immune system from getting compromised and allows you to fight off various types of infections and diseases that could bring a lot of stress to your plate.
Improved Mental Health
Exercise, diet, and sleep can improve more than your physical well-being and also have a positive effect on your mental health. When you look for tips for coping with anxiety, stress, or depression, you may often stumble upon suggestions applicable to your lifestyle. If you struggle with mental health challenges or have a family history of conditions, following a healthy lifestyle can help you achieve your goals and live a happier life.
With these benefits, it’s easy to understand the importance of making healthier lifestyle choices for disease prevention. In case you still struggle with changing your habits, you can discuss your concerns with your primary health provider to find ways to help you adopt these practices more easily.