Top ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle

It is hard to name just one most important thing that a person can do to maintain his or her health. Staying healthy requires changes or upkeep in several aspects of one's life. This involves not having unhealthy habits, having a well-balanced diet, getting regular sleep and exercise. It is just as important to receive regular preventative care from your primary care physician. Unhealthy habits include smoking, excessive alcohol use, or drug use. Smoking causes about 440,000 deaths a year in the U.S. alone. Causes of death from smoking include emphysema, heart disease, and malignancies. No more than two alcoholic drinks for a man and no more than one alcoholic drink for woman is recommended per day. Too much alcohol can damage the liver and contribute to some cancers.

Many Americans are overweight. This increases risks of diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and increase in pain in the back, hips and knees. High fiber, low fat and low carbohydrate diet is extremely important. A person should try to exercise for 30-60 minutes, 4-6 times per week. However, remember that any amount of exercise is better than not at all.

Finally, make sure that you are up to date with all your routine and preventative exams. Yearly mammograms are recommended at age 40 and then repeated yearly. Every woman should do self breast exams monthly. If you are not sure how to do this, your doctor will show you how to do this exam on yourself. Colonoscopies should start at age 50. Bone density tests should start at 50 and be done every 2 years in the female population. Yearly PAP smears should be done on all women over the age 21. If a young lady becomes sexually active before 21, then PAP exams should start sooner. Ladies older than 65 should discuss the need for PAP with their physician.

It is not easy staying healthy in the world with so much stress and temptations, but try hard and dedicate some time to yourself. You will feel better and will be able to be a better, father, mother, son, daughter or a caregiver. And lastly, you are worth it!