My Top 5 Healthy Habits

I had a friend ask me to compose a list of the my top 5 healthy habits for a healthy life.  Narrowing this topic to only finds is difficult, but here goes... Oh and by the way, it is 2:25AM -- I am on call and my phone has been ringing, so I gave up on sleep for a while.  I tell you this, so you won't hold me accountable for my grammar (which potentially will suffer in this blog), and to let you know I do not always follow my own rules for a healthy lifestyle.

1) Drink Water!! - So, my top healthy habit has to be hydration and water.  Water is good for you, calorie free, and free (unless you drink bottled water).  How much do you need?  Any easy rule of thumb is to take your weight in pounds, and divide it in half.  So, if you weigh 120lbs (by the way, I don't) you need to drink 60 oz of water a day.  Now I will tell you am not an absolute Water Natzi.  Yes, water should be your main source of hydration.  But fluid intake of juices and teas, are fluid none the less so count that in your daily requirements.  I don't count soft drinks as fluid, sorry.  Nothing good can come from soft drinks.  Did you know, that it takes about 30 soft drinks to equal 1 pound? So, that can easily equal 1 pound a month, or 12 pounds a year.  So, drink more water!!

2) Get off the Couch!! - I don't recommend people to start running, if they don't walk first. Start slow!  For good health, we need about 30 mins of cardiovascular exercise 5-6 days a week.  Do something that gets your heart pumping and blood moving.  There are plenty of websites that will help track your progress.  I will be honest, there is no way I can run 5-6 days a week.  So, I run 3-4 days a week for about 1 hour.  Are you interested in training for a 5K (3.1 miles), how about a half-marathon, or a whole marathon?  Start with short term goals and work up.  Again, there are plenty of websites, here is my favorite: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml.  You don't have to join a gym, but definitely check with your insurance.  Some insurances are actually paying for your gym membership, which I think is brilliant.  After all, it is cheaper that paying for a hospital stay after a heart attack! Just saying..

3) Eat Good Food!! - If you have read my past two posts, you know my feelings about this.  Increase your fresh fruits and vegetables.  I challenge you to remove white, processed items from your diet (I guarantee you will lose weight).  Eat more whole grain, make sure your breads say 100% whole grain.  I recommend when first starting this life style change, to simply cut out all breads for about 3-4 weeks, then slowly add whole grains back in.  Many people have gluten allergies, and it will take this time to see how you feel once you remove all gluten completely.  By the way, you will be surprised at the decrease in your belly fat.  This fat can actually be inflammation from your bodies reaction to these processed foods.  Your body simply does not know how to efficiently process, process foods.  These are foreign to your body.  Your body can easily process fresh fruits, vegetables and lean meats, chicken and fish.  These are the foods God made for us to eat, therefore our bodies know how to cleanly and easily break them down and use them for energy.  I liken white (white breads, cereals, pasta, and rice) and all processed (from a box) to putting diesel in your cars gas tank that is supposed to take unleaded.  I challenge you to change your diet in one month.  You will feel so much better, that you won't want to go back to your old eating habits.

4) Get Some Sleep!! - I am always amused by people that tell me they only need about 4-5 hours of sleep a night.  Well you know how much I like research, and studies show that people who sleep 7-9 hours a night actually live longer than those sleeping less.  Also, sleeping on average 7-9 hours a night decreases your chance of obesity.  I am not always a good example in this arena, but I definitely know I eat less, feel better and think better when I have had a good night's sleep. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/08/AR2005100801405.html

5) Take Care of Yourself!! - I am a huge advocate on appropriate health screenings and yearly examinations.  I am amazed everyday by 50 and 60 year olds that boast that they are on no medications, but haven't been to a doctor "in years".  I hate to say it, this doesn't mean their healthy, they usually just have their head in the sand.  We are vigilant about taking our children to the doctor for their check ups, and we get excited to see how much of sweet infants weigh.  I completely confess, it is not fun to get on a scale and I do not get the those warm fuzzies that I used to get when they weighed my children and measured their length; and sent me home with my updated measurements of sweet pea to put in her baby book. BUT, take the time to take care of yourself.  So, what health screenings do you need and when:

Women - By the way, this list is cumulative
20's - Before you are married or before you being having intercourse (whichever comes first) - Screening pap smear and breast exam.  Once you start them, you need to have them yearly! Yearly blood pressure and heart rate - know your numbers and know what is normal.  Begin monthly breast exams.  If you don't know how to do them, please let me know - I have an entire power point devoted to monthly breast exams.
30's - Add in your Yearly Total Cholesterol (you must be fasting, nothing to eat after midnight prior to this test - only black coffee and water the morning of), Comprehensive Metabolic Profile, Thyroid Stimulating Hormone
40's - Add in those things from your 20's and 30's, Now it is time for your first mammogram should be at 40 years old, or earlier if you have a first degree family member with early onset breast cancer (this means mother and sister before the age of 50, check with your doctor if you have aunts or grandmothers with breast cancer history).  Most insurances will pay for this without a referral.  These should be yearly (regardless of what you have heard)!
50's - At 50 years old you need to get your screening colonoscopy.  This is really not that BIG of a deal. You only need 1 every 10 years.  Honestly, the prep for the test is really the pain in the butt (no pun intended, bahahahaha), the test itself is a breeze.  You are given sedation, YAY!!  Colon cancer is usually a silent killer, once you begin having pain from it -- it has gone too far. 

Men (You've got it easy, if you ask me!)
20's - Monthly Testicular Exams - that is all I will say about that unless you need further details! ;) Yearly blood pressure and heart rate - know your numbers and know what is normal.
30's - Add in your Yearly Total Cholesterol (you must be fasting, nothing to eat after midnight prior to this test - only black coffee and water the morning of) and a Comprehensive Metabolic Profile.
40's - Begin prostate exams at 40 and have a PSA drawn yearly - I mean really men, read our list - count your blessings, and go get your prostate's examined!
50's - At 50 years old you need to get your screening colonoscopy.  This is really not that BIG of a deal. You only need 1 every 10 years.  Honestly, the prep for the test is really the pain in the butt (no pun intended, bahahahaha), the test itself is a breeze.  You are given sedation, YAY!!  Colon cancer is usually a silent killer, once you begin having pain from it -- it has gone too far.

Please note this is not an absolute list.  Talk to your doctor and allow them to provide the necessary tests and screenings based on your risk factors.  These are simply meant as guidelines. 

So, it is not to late to start taking care of yourself.  Start today; while I wish you would adopt all of these good habits - how about starting with just one!!  Don't get overwhelmed.  Just take it one day at a time. 

Please feel free to leave comments or email me with any topics or questions you would like to see discussed.

So, now I must put up the brown rice chips (their yummy and good for you) and try to go back to bed; and pray my phone doesn't ring again tonight!

Good Night, I mean Morning!;)

Brett