Daily life can become so consuming that people put their health and wellness on the back burner. This leads to putting off doctor's appointments and only thinking about diet and exercise at the beginning of the year. Ultimately, this allows ailments to progress, and then treatment with our primary care doctor becomes defensive instead of offensive. Shifting our mindset to prioritize our health in our daily lives improves our health outcomes.
Daily Practices for Holistic Health: Routine Adjustments For A Healthier Life.
It can be easy to think of taking care of our health as attending doctor's appointments. However, health begins at home with our activities and our dietary choices. Even when we acknowledge this fact, it can be difficult to discern what is healthy and what is misinformation in the age of information. Moreover, seeing influencers with seemingly perfect bodies can make us feel inadequate. Only some people pay their bills by working out or creating healthy recipes.
Most people have jobs to clock into, kids to get to school, after-school activities, etc., which makes being at the gym for hours every day and preparing non-processed, omega-3-filled food every night not feasible. This means that we must find a balance between the reality of our lives and prioritizing our health. Luckily, we don't have to make working out or being a health foodie the center of our lives to keep our health upbeat.
The US Department of Health and Human Services regularly reviews research and releases guidelines for physical activity, referred to as the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. The most recent update in 2018Â recommends that adults engage in 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. This is just over 20 minutes a day and is associated with multiple health benefits, including improved cardiovascular and mental health and decreased mortality.
For those who find their schedule too full to dedicate 20 minutes solely to exercise, it may be beneficial to find exercises that can be done while doing something else. Examples could be performing a plank while sauteeing your vegetables for dinner or doing a wall sit while brushing your teeth. Combining these activities with other daily tasks allows you to get double the use of your time and can also help ensure that your exercise is completed because you will know that if you brushed your teeth, you got in a two-minute wall sit.
Parents are one of the populations that can struggle to find time for themselves. This population might have to get creative, but it can also be an excellent teaching and bonding opportunity. Children crave and benefit from physical activity. Parents can incorporate walks around the neighborhood with their kids or weekly trips to the park. If kids are in organized sports, parents can help them practice. Conversely, if a parent enjoys a particular activity, like morning yoga, they can encourage their kid to join in. This can help kids see that physical activity doesn't have to be a burden but is an integral part of daily life.
Integrative Nutrition: Eating For Wellness, Not Just For Sustenance.
People are often so busy that we eat what is convenient rather than what we need. Unfortunately, convenient food is rarely high in nutritional value. This puts us in an unhealthy cycle of eating what is convenient because we are busy and tired but never get the energy to eat better because the food is not properly nourishing our bodies.
While preparing fresh, nutrient-dense foods can seem daunting at the end of a long day, it doesn't have to be, and it will pay off. The first step that individuals can take to improve their diet is to change their shopping habits. If you have convenient food in the house, you will eat it instead of cooking. When making a grocery list, ensure that most foods, such as vegetables, fruit, and protein, are nutrient-dense and fresh.
The next step is ensuring you know low-effort, delicious ways to prepare them. Sheet pan and crockpot meals are famous for weeknights because they only require a bit of chopping and mixing. They can also be healthy because they tend to incorporate both protein and vegetables. Make a list of these go-to recipes before you are busy and hungry so that you have to chop and dump when it comes to mealtime.
Like the exercise guidelines, the Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services regularly provide Dietary Guidelines for Americans, breaking down nutritional recommendations by age range. These can be referenced as individuals make their grocery lists and compile recipes. In addition to preparing health-minded meals, snack choices can help reach the recommended daily dairy and protein intake. Kids and adults can enjoy yogurt, cheese, and fruit without guilt.
Mental Health and Wellness: Strategies for maintaining mental and emotional balance.Individuals who can maintain regular exercise and dietary goals will likely experience improved mental health. Multiple studies have established a correlation between exercise and decreased negative symptoms of ADHD, anxiety, and other mental illnesses. These studies also indicate that exercise improves executive functioning skills, overall mood, and confidence. While the exact mechanisms of this are still under investigation, current research suggests increased brain oxygenation and release of endorphins during exercise.At Ahimsa MD, we offer concierge care in Miami. As a holistic doctor, Dr. Baid considers everything that contributes to a patient's health. Contact Ahimsa MD to receive comprehensive care that includes actionable and realistic steps to help you meet your exercise and dietary goals.
Comments