Disease Prevention
We've all heard the reports about how we Westerners tend to lead a lifestyle that can be excessive and at the same time sedentary. In other words, we eat too much of the wrong foods and at the same time sit on our butts too much. Over time these are the things that are killing us. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
Chronic diseases—such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes—are the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. These diseases account for 7 of every 10 deaths and affect the quality of life of 90 million Americans.
As most sources agree, these diseases are usually the most preventable. Even when it isn't killing us right now, this lifestyle is aging us faster. Many of us have reached (or past) the point in our lives when we notice the signs that our age is jumping up and down on us while we sleep. Didn't you ever wonder why it's harder to get up in the morning, and about those dark circles under your eyes? For me it was time to fight back. The question was how do you recover some of that energy and vitality of youth? After a lot of research in books, online, and from people who seem to be very fit, I've come to the conclusion that it really all goes back to the basics. A lifestyle of good nutrition, exercise, proper rest, and healthy habits is the best way to fight the clock.
Nutrition
Good nutrition lowers your risk of getting many of the chronic diseases, including diabetes, osteoporosis, some cancers, strokes, and heart disease. Even though I consider myself a very long way from "obese" I began noticing I was getting a little soft around the waistline. I know this happens naturally as we age, but, you see I'm just not ready to go there yet. I still want to be able to define myself in the "athletic" category. Even further, how can one know when the health risks begin to become a factor? The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute says:
The more body fat that you carry around and the more you weigh, the more likely you are to develop heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, breathing problems, and certain cancers.
Even those who are not considered obese (too much body fat) can still be nutritionally deficient in other areas. Of course, If you wish to remain lean and trim, and possibly expand your life span, you have to make a long term lifestyle choice.
Exercise
Exercise is associated with reduced risks for many causes of death, especially for cardiovascular disease. Most of the same risks that are reduced by good nutrition are further reduced by regular exercise, especially heart attack, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Of course exercise has a great influence on body fat and the health risks associated with it, by helping to burn off those excess calories. Exercise improves blood circulation and cholesterol levels. At the same time you get the benefits of stronger muscles, more limber joints, denser bones, and a better overall appearance and self image. Besides the health benefits, who doesn't want to look good next to the pool.
Rest
Though it is often overlooked as a factor of good health, proper rest is just as important as the other components. This includes sleep and relaxation to reduce stress. Sleep is the time of growth and repair for the body, and is essential to getting the full benefits of nutrition and exercise. Many of us maintain such busy schedules that we are too wound up when it's time to sleep, or feel like zombies when we should be active. Yet it is important that we adjust our lifestyles so that we get the proper amount of rest to let those nutrients clean and repair our bodies and to recover from those workouts. We should also take time to do things we like just for the fun of it to help fight the effects of stress.
Transition
Trust me, most of those things we enjoy that are not good for us will not seem as important when your health is gone. Many people feel they don't have the time for a healthy lifestyle, but if you scrutinize your schedule you may find that some of the time you spend doing unhealthy things could be rerouted to healthier activities. Pull yourself away from the TV to get some exercise. Turn it off (yes, it turns off) if that's what you need for a good nights' sleep. That time spent driving to and sitting in the drive thru line could be spent chopping some vegetables for a healthy meal. Cook some extra meals on your time off and freeze them for when your too busy. Invest a few dollars into storage containers and take healthy food with you to work. In fact, learning to cook healthy meals can be a fun, stress relieving activity in itself.
A healthy lifestyle is not difficult when we put our minds to it. It just comes down to changing our priorities and making better choices.There are countless opportunities to make healthy choices, it only takes the will and focus to make those choices. Just remember nutrition, exercise, and rest are some of the major factors in greatly reducing your risk of getting many chronic diseases, and slowing down the biological clock. Eat well to live longer, exercise to live stronger, and get some rest to feel better and happier.