We’ve marched and rallied to support women around the nation and the world to protect our equal rights and the right to make our own personal decisions about our bodies. But are you doing everything you can to care for your own health every day?
If you pay for your health insurance or have been treated for an illness, you know that affordable health care is a misnomer. It is all expensive, especially if you get sick. The best affordable health care starts by taking better care of yourself. Starting with Women’s Heart Health Month (February), I will provide practical ways to protect your health every day. No gimmicks. No crazy diets. No expensive gadgets. No need to take supplements (unless your medical practitioner says you are deficient).
Here are the first five:
1. Make healthy food choices. Being overweight can increase your risk of heart disease, breast cancer, Type 2 diabetes and stroke, among other conditions. Eat healthy food in moderation with regularity. This means adding in better food (more plants, lean protein, healthy fats, whole grains) not skipping meals, consuming smaller portions and reducing your intake of sugar, sodium, saturated fats and processed foods. It’s not about fad diets or deprivation.
2. Get more physical activity. According to the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, you need to do two types of physical activity each week to improve your health. The first is moderate-intensity aerobic activity (i.e., brisk walking) 2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) every week, The second is muscle-strengthening activities 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms).
3. Hydrate. The Institute of Medicine states for women this is about 9 cups (2.2 liters) of total beverages, more if you are pregnant, breast feeding, exercising vigorously or taking medications that may dehydrate you. Fluids can be water, juice, vegetable broth or herbal tea as well as some fruits and vegetables like, watermelon, oranges and spinach, which are 90 percent or more water by weight.
4. Reduce stress. Find something you enjoy that calms and centers you and schedule time for them on a regular basis. Just as you need to identify your own stress triggers and stress tolerance levels, you can choose your own mechanisms for coping without taking medication.
5. Drink alcohol responsibly. For women it’s one 6 ounce glass of wine a day. In addition to making you gain weight, over consumption of alcohol can impact your heart, blood pressure and liver and increase your risk for breast cancer.
Next post….what vitamins and supplements you may want to consider.
