5 January 2023
By Roger Kennedy
roger@TheCork.ie
Right now it’s the beginning of January which means you probably had some very well intentioned moments of resolution and vowing to be healthier. Usually this comes off the back of a few weeks of rich food at christmastime and overindulgence in New Year’s Eve. We make promises to ourselves about accomplishing different types of health goals, and we make big sweeping statements about where we want to be in a year’s time.
The problem is that most of these health goals are in the back of the wardrobe by the end of January because we’ve regained our sanity, detox from the alcohol and we are walking every day instead of partying till midnight. What turned out to be a big declaration of health is actually just a recognition that you overdid it on a few particular nights because of the holiday season. We shouldn’t always strive to accomplish the biggest health goals because sometimes we are placing mountains in front of ourselves rather than a step or two. We say we’re going to quit smoking and switch to buying Delta 8 THC Vape Carts and instead we end up switching to roll ups instead of cigarettes. There are so many things that you could be doing to help your health, however, and there’s nothing like the start of a new year to help you to do that. All you have to do is just decide what your goals are and then work from there.
Some of these strategies can help you to live your best healthy life, and when these simple steps become your habits they will have a very positive effect on your overall health.
- Take time to destress. With work being so full on sometimes, it can be very hard to let go of the stress that comes with it. You might have some stressful situations going on with work, and you could have stressful situations going on at home. You have to make a point of trying to relax, whether it’s reading a good book, sinking into a hot bath or just sitting in the quiet listening to some soothing music. You don’t need to have seconds to be able to relax, because even brief periods of relaxation are beneficial to overall health. If you can’t take a sabbatical from work or a full break from your kids for a bit, you need to try and think of ways that you can destress while you are doing whatever you are doing. From learning to take slow breaths, to figuring out how to relax your body enough so that you get a decent sleep at night, there is much that can be done.
- Cut back on the salt. It’s nice to season your food, but do you really need to season it and then season it again and again? A salt shaker on the dining table can make it very easy to consume salt in excess when you don’t have to. When you do this you are putting yourself at high risk of high blood pressure. Instead of giving yourself the risk, taste your food before you salt it even during cooking. You might find that spicing up your food with lemon or lime juice, garlic, herbs or a salt free seasoning blend is the best option. Make sure that you have stocked up your pantry with the favorite fresh and dried herbs so that you will always have them on hand to flavor your food and you can cut back on the salt instead. It’s kind of to your kidneys and it’s kind to your body and it’s a great way to start looking after your health.
- Start going to bed earlier. Like children, we need a decent night’s sleep. The best way to do that is to give yourself a bedtime and set an alarm for the morning. If you stick to a pattern of sleep, say from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM, you are going to be consistently rested. A shortage of sleep can really raise your risk of a heart attack or a stroke no matter what your age, weight or exercise habits may be. Setting your sleep on a schedule is going to be better for your health and your body will get used to that schedule. Even when you have a day off, get up at 6:00 AM anyway and just enjoy the morning.
- Give up the bad habits. Is to get some help for addictions. Whether it’s alcohol, cigarettes, gambling, or shopping, you need to look at how you are spending your money or spending your time and if you are over indulging anywhere it’s time to let that go. You can still have a glass of red wine if you enjoy alcohol but you are not addicted to it. You can vape if you are addicted to cigarettes and you’re looking to cut down. Set yourself a shopping budget and only spend cash. Get a therapist and talk through the issues that have led to addiction in the first place. We’re talking about making sure your health is the best thing for you and this is one of the ways to do that.
- See your doctor. With the doctor’s appointment until they have something wrong with them. If it’s been awhile since you have seen the doctor, book an appointment now. Sometimes you just need a tuneup, to kick the tires, and get the once over to know that you are completely healthy. Next time you’re at the doctors ask them to check all of your vitals to make sure that you are healthy. They will be able to talk you through whether you are working well for your health or not. They can also catch any issues that may be developing. Remember, prevention is much better than cure.
- Learn to cook. A great way to look after your health this year is to learn to cook and learn to cook from scratch. Maintaining a healthy weight will help you to lower your risk of heart disease and stroke and it can even take down your risk of certain types of cancers. You want to ensure that your facility is up to scratch if you plan to have a family one day, and you want to feel good about yourself. Nobody wants to feel bad about themselves so they can avoid it. Making a few directory substitutions and learning which foods are better for your health than others and that help your cholesterol more than others is a good way to ensure that you are the healthiest that you can possibly be. Learning to cook can help you to do that.
- Add movement to your routine. Whether it’s going for a long walk every day or it’s simply swapping the elevator for the stairs, the next time you’re going anywhere make sure that you try and pad in some movement and don’t just drive. You need to get that blood pumping and exercise your lungs, and your muscles are just screaming to be exercised. All of these small and simple steps can really add up to a much healthier and happier you.
Your health is well so why is it important for you to ignore it? Don’t make it The case. You can easily start looking after your health and you can start with the tips that we’ve already put together for you.
