Healthier You in 2022
12/29/2021
Start the new year right by committing to you in 2022. Simple actions can make a big impact on your health over time. Catherine Scarbrough, M.D., a family medicine physician with Foothills Family Medicine, shares a few to consider this year.
Connect with others. Spend time with friends, family and those you care about. You’ll benefit your mental well-being and your physical health. Studies show that people who have close friends and family are healthier and live much longer than those who do not.
Get your ZZZs. Set a consistent bed time and wake-up schedule to ensure you get at least seven hours of sleep each night. Poor sleep can drive insulin resistance, disrupt your appetite hormones, and reduce your physical and mental performance. It is also one of the strongest risk factors for weight gain and obesity.
“There are a few simple things you can do improve your sleep,” says Dr. Scarbrough. “Teach your body that it is time to sleep. Do the same things each night before you go to bed to help you get ready for sleep like reading a book or taking a warm bath or shower. It’s also important to keep the same sleep schedule. Go to bed and get up at the same time each day, even on weekends. If you cannot fall asleep, get up and do some light activity until you feel sleepy. It’s also important to create a good sleep area. Sleep in a dark and quiet room at a comfortable temperature. You can also use a fan or white noise machine to help block out noise.”
Minimize stress. Practice mindful breathing or meditation to bring moments of calm to your day. Stress has a negative effect on your health, affecting blood sugar levels, food choices, susceptibility to sickness, weight, fat distribution, and more. Books, podcasts or apps can teach you how to start a meditation practice.
Move more. Walk 30 minutes a day, five days a week and do muscle strengthening, like carrying groceries, at least two days a week. Walk with a partner for social connection and accountability. Movement can help you prevent, delay and manage chronic diseases, improve balance and stamina, reduce the risk of falls and improve your brain health.
Go outside. Walk around the yard. Work in the garden. Hike in the woods. Spending time in nature gives the benefit of vitamin D from the sun and helps with depression, exercise and even creativity.
Eat a rainbow. Colorful whole fruits and vegetables look great, are naturally more filling and better for you overall. A balanced diet with appropriate portions of produce, whole grains, lean meats and low-fat or fat-free dairy products helps prevent, delay and manage heart disease, type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases.
“A balanced diet gives you the right mix of foods from all of the food groups,” states Dr. Scarbrough. “This will help you make sure your body gets the nutrients it needs to keep you healthy. The number of calories you eat determines if you will gain or lose weight. How many calories you need each day depends your age, gender, size, and how active you are. Your body needs a balance of foods to give quick energy (mainly carbohydrates), help grow and repair the body (mainly proteins), and give long-term energy (mainly fats). Regular physician visits and annual physicals can not only pick up on chronic diseases in their early stages but also help keep patients up to date with their preventative care.”
Visit your doctor. Go ahead and schedule your primary care physician and any specialists such as allergist, dermatologist, orthopedist or cardiologist. Put screenings on the calendar too, such as prostate exam, mammogram, bone density, and colonoscopy. Regular visits and screenings help you keep your health on track – identifying risk factors or issues early and managing chronic conditions like diabetes, cholesterol or blood pressure.
To find a physician or learn more about healthy choices for you, visit GadsdenPhysicianClinics.com or call 1-877-MyNewPCP.
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