10 ways to take care of your health

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Which doctors to go to, even if you are not sick, and how to stay in shape, if you hate classes in the gym.

Many people go to the doctor when something really hurts. And if it doesn't hurt, then it turns out that you don't have to think about your health. However, the more attentive we are to our condition, the lower the likelihood that we may need urgent treatment.

Not fixing what isn't broken is sound advice. Still, knowing how not to break is even more useful. Here are some tips on how to maintain your physical and mental health, and improve what you have now.

1. Observe biorhythms

As the British neuroscientist Russell Foster notes Circadian rhythms, circadian rhythms (also called circadian) are characteristic of almost all living things, even unicellular ones. The human body has a built-in “circadian clock” that helps internal processes adjust to the 24-hour cycle.

Therefore, the body and mind experience stress when they receive conflicting signals. Such as, for example, the bright cold light of a smartphone at night. The situation can be improved by switching applications to night mode or using a blue light blocker. On iOS (starting from version 9.3), you can enable the Night Shift function, and the Twilight app has been developed for Android.

At the same time, we need light: it is associated with the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin, the lack of which causes fatigue and depression. This is especially noticeable in autumn and winter. If you do not have the opportunity to get out to warmer countries, as soon as the daylight becomes so short that it ends before it starts, try to make the apartment brighter. For example, "unload" the windows by hanging light, light curtains, add mirrors and hide everything unnecessary in the boxes.

2. Get enough sleep

According to Sleep Disorders and Sleep Deprivation: An Unmet Public Health Problem, about 70 million people around the world do not sleep enough. Lack of sleep leads to a decrease in the plasticity of the synapses. This means that it becomes more difficult to think, concentrate and remember new things.

Systematic sleep deprivation increases the production of amyloid beta protein, which leads How Sleep Clears the Brain to develop Alzheimer's disease. So in the long run, nights spent at the computer or at parties can do a bad job.

In addition, lack of sleep lowers immunity. Try to keep a diary of observations and write down what preceded the cold and sickness. Chances are high that you often fall ill after chronic lack of sleep.

3. Don't go on diets

If you are planning on following a diet to lose weight, we remind you that harsh restrictions are unlikely to bring the desired results. Short-term diets instill an unhealthy approach to food and are fraught not only with the return of kilograms, but also with the appearance of new ones - due to breakdowns and metabolic disorders.

The transition to proper nutrition - with carbohydrates for breakfast, a balanced lunch and a protein dinner - will help to really lose weight. You will notice the first results around the same time as this diet becomes a habit.

True, in the city it is much easier to find fast food, and healthy food will cost more than a couple of hamburgers. Therefore, it is best to cook it yourself. Buy a convenient lunchbox and take your food with you, and only go to restaurants on special occasions. The money saved can be spent on better quality unprocessed foods.

4. Don't get addicted to superfoods

The typical life cycle of a superfood - a sharply fashionable product that helps literally everything - is something like this. First, they sing praises to him and advise not only to eat it, but also to use it as masks. Then a revelatory publication comes out, which says that this product is not only useless, but also dangerous.

For example, recently a researcher at the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Freiburg called Coconut oil is ‘pure poison’, says the Harvard professor, coconut oil is “pure poison” because of its saturated fat content. Does this mean that it needs to be thrown away urgently? Most likely no. The strong expression hides a simple advice not to overdo Saturated Fat.

Yes, conditional goji berries can be purchased if desired. But you don't have to buy. Alas, those who promise that you will be cured of all diseases by eating "just two tablespoons a day" of any product simply want to cash in on you. But the abuse of something unusual and exotic can cause unpleasant consequences. For example, a digestive disorder or an allergic reaction.

5. Try to meditate

Even if you always thought it was not for you. Does meditation confuse with esoteric flair and "spirituality"? Basically, it's just a way to relax, reset your mind, and be on your own, even if you're in a crowded place. Although, of course, for the first experiences it is better to create the most relaxing environment.

Modern research on Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness on MRI confirms that this practice actually contributes to the development of attention and the quality of sensory processing. In subjects who regularly practiced meditation, the areas of the cerebral cortex responsible for these skills were found to be thicker. In addition, in this way you can significantly reduce the level of stress, which always has a beneficial effect on the psyche and the body as a whole.

Use a meditation app such as Headspace or Calm to keep yourself motivated and stay focused on your practice.

Breethe - Sleep Music & Relaxation Meditation Breethe

6. Sign up for the pool

The pool is especially suitable for those who are too lazy to attend regular classes in the gym. If physical education in school was a torment for you, and now walking on a treadmill and exercising with an iron only causes depression, swimming is a great option.

If you do not plan to participate in competitions, you do not have to practice complex techniques and chase records. For a general health effect, it will be enough just to swim for pleasure. With regular exercises in the pool, the condition of the respiratory, cardiovascular, and nervous systems improves.

Swimming is one of the most enjoyable and energy-consuming sports at the same time. That is, you will lose more calories in the same amount of time that you would spend in the cardio zone, but without stressing your joints.

7. Observe mental hygiene

To get rid of potentially harmful bacteria, we wash our hands. And in order to keep the psyche in a more or less adequate state, it is better to filter the information received. Exhausting social contacts, heavy content, corrosive thoughts are "unhygienic" from a psychological point of view.

Of course, you may have reasons to keep stimuli active. However, some things are within our control and others are not. Leave in the info field only that disturbing information, thanks to which you can influence something. For example, pictures of animals from the shelter remind you that you can do a good deed in everyday life, but you will not save all the starving children of Africa.

If you know that some movie is nasty, scary and contains triggers, think about it, do you need to watch it? Of course, there are horror fans, but if you are seriously upset or then cannot “see” something traumatic for a long time, horror is most likely not for you.

8. Engage in prevention

According to WHO statistics, the cause of death of three out of five people in the world is non-communicable diseases. They can be divided into four main groups: Cardiovascular Disease Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, Cancer Cancer Prevention, Chronic Lung Disease Chronic Respiratory Disease and Diabetes Diabetes. Of course, there are situations from which no one is immune. However, it is within our power to do what depends on us. To find out how to reduce the likelihood of these diseases, it makes sense to read the WHO Prevention of Noncommunicable Diseases guidelines.

The basic tips are quite simple and known to everyone: do not smoke, do not get carried away with alcohol and sweets, lead an active lifestyle. Maybe the statistics on Noncommunicable Diseases of Diseases posted on the organization's website will help you look at these things as meaningful for you personally and recognize that there is a direct connection between the way of life and its ending.

It is not useless for a preventive purpose to go to specialists who are engaged in the diagnosis and treatment of the most dangerous non-infectious diseases. However, you should not turn into a hypochondriac either - to get out of the risk group, it will be enough to take a few confident steps towards a healthy lifestyle.

9. Visit mainstream doctors regularly

If medical examinations are planned at work, you have the right to go to all the main specialists at the expense of the employer. Another thing is that such examinations are formal - both doctors and company employees want to get rid of as soon as possible. So you need to go to some specialists yourself.

You can discuss health issues in general with a therapist or general practitioner, and he will guide you with whom from the specialized specialists to talk to in case of complaints. Unfortunately, the experience with a doctor at a district clinic can be unsuccessful due to bureaucracy, burnout and high workload of doctors. Try to find a specialist in whose care and professionalism you are sure.

Another doctor you shouldn't forget about is the dentist. Preventive examinations will save you a lot of nerves and money. Be sure to see a doctor if your teeth become sensitive, gum bleeding and tartar appear. We also advise all men to visit a urologist at least once a year, and a gynecologist for women.

10. Clean up your house

Dust is an allergen and breeding ground for tiny mites found in mattresses and carpets. Getting rid of it in time, we not only destroy the source of respiratory problems, but also increase physical activity through exercises with a rag and a vacuum cleaner.

In addition, there is research that clutter can significantly affect mood, reduce productivity, and even cause you to overeat. Mari Kondo's book Magical Cleaning, which focuses on optimizing this process, talks about how we build relationships with objects. It's about the same as with people: relationships can be happy and productive, or dull and difficult. Therefore, the author advises to mercilessly part with things that do not bring benefits and positive emotions, but simply gather dust.