staying healthy and living it

8/3/2019 Staying Healthy and Living It

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Staying Healthy and Living It:

More than Diet and Exercise

It is common knowledge that diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and cancer

are the leading causes of death in the 21st century. In a 2003 data in the United

States alone, heart disease ranks the first leading cause of death followed by

cancer, stroke, accidents and diabetes.

Over the years, scientists have been looking for answers on what the modern

lifestyle has to do with the prevalence of the said diseases. Research has shownthat those living in highly-urbanized countries were more susceptible to

acquiring these diseases than the indigenous peoples elsewhere in the world

whose diet consists mainly of greens and whose living is far less complex and

stress-free.

Noticeably, heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes (whether hereditary or

not) are greatly triggered by the type of food and lifestyle most people in Western

societies have. Foods that are high in fat, although they taste better, will take a

toll on one's health later on in life if not right away.

Try to assess your daily diet in particular. Unless you've become conscious about

your health, you probably have been consuming fried, preserved, and fast foods.

Do you remember the last time you had five servings of fruits and vegetables in a

day? If so, then lucky you, because the bulk of the diet in the West is a far cry

from what experts call natural and nutritious.

However, don't feel upset about this reality. You can be in control of your life in

order to prevent acquiring and dying from the leading diseases by changing your

lifestyle and diet to improve not only your physical, but emotional well-being as

well.


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Cardiovascular disease, cancer, hypertension, and diabetes can be prevented with

a combination of diet, exercise, and the right attitude. The guide to living a

healthy lifestyle is not coined on how drastic you want the changes to happen but

it is based on a gradual process.

Weight Management

Putting on too much weight (overweight or obese) poses a problem for you, but

being too thin for your build (or underweight) is just as risky. The weight of a

person says so much about his/her body. Obesity has its complicating

consequences and increases the risks of having and dying from heart diseases,hypertension, and diabetes.

Being obese means you're consuming too much than your body needs, hence, it

stores them in different parts of your body including in fatty tissues, blood, liver,

etc. Over time, your body will react to the build up of substances, which would

cause it to become upset and overridden.

Basic Mass Index

One tool to help you determine whether you are on your ideal weight is the Body

Mass Index (BMI) Calculator. The BMI helps evaluate your weight and assists

doctors in determining the ideal weight for you vis--vis your height, lays out

plans and how to accomplish them.

BMI is not intended for pregnant and nursing women as well as children below

the age 18. A healthy BMI is between 18.5 kg/m2 to 25 kg/m2. Anywhere below

that is considered underweight, while a BMI between 25 kg/m2 and 30 kg/m2 is

overweight. If your BMI is 30 kg/m2 or higher, then you are considered obese,

and extreme obesity is a BMI above 40 kg/m2.


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A Diet and Health Study by the NIH-AARP in 1995-96, conducted on 527,265

male and female participants aged 50-71 years old at enrolment, and whose BMI

were obtained, concluded that people in their midlife with excess body weight

face an increased risk of death sooner whether their issue is obesity or simply

overweight

The study, which spanned 10 years with close monitoring of the participants,

gave this result: 61,317 of the participants (42,173 men and 19,144 women) died,

and experts came up with the analysis that the risk of death increased for both

men and women (in all ages) in the highest and lowest BMI categories, regardless

of racial group and ethnicity.

Waist circumference

Another tool doctors and dieticians use to evaluate a person's weight is through

waist circumference. This tool is especially helpful for people whose BMI is

classified as overweight. Extra fats around the waist and a BMI above 25 are

predictors of impending health problems. Doctor's obtain this information in

order to predict the serious health problems associated with obesity. Experts say

a pear-shaped silhouette is better than having an apple-shaped silhouette. And

this would still hold true even if your BMI is within the normal range.

The correct measurement of your waist is to measure it just above your hipbones.

The greater your waist measurement, the greater your health risks. Women

whose waistline is above 35 inches and 40 inches for men, face an increased risk

for health problems such as diabetes, high cholesterol level in blood,

hypertension, and heart disease.

Try to seek the help of a medical practitioner if you are overweight or obese, as

indicated in your BMI. Your doctor can help you design a fitness plan that is

realistic in your situation.


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Diet and Exercise

Our body has different reactions to various stimuli some are more adept at

facing different stressors while it may take time for others to cope with situations

beyond their control. Staying healthy does not only point to physical because the

human body and mind are interrelated. The body's condition at a certain period

will affect how the mind deals with it and vice versa.

For instance, the effect of depression on a person varies greatly but the condition

brings about extreme behaviors of ups and downs. A person who is depressed

may lose his/her appetite or tend to overeat for a certain period of time.

Depression could also cause you to sleep longer or give you a hard time sleeping,

hibernate, and many more.

All these can take a toll on your body, and the longer you suffer from this

condition, the more you increase your risk of acquiring heart disease,

hypertension, and even cancer. Depression is a clinical problem that can be

treated with medications (for severe cases), counseling, or a combination of both.

If something is bothering your mind, it is healthy to talk about them with friends,

family, or professionals for counseling just to let out that feeling. This will help

you cope with the problem through their advises and experiences that might be

similar to yours, which gives you assurance that you're not the only one dealing

with it.

Another important aspect in staying healthy is to eat a balanced diet and do a

regular exercise. Although cancer is associated with several factors, scientists

estimate that 30 percent of all cancers arise as a result of diet. Obesity,

markedly, increases the incidence of colorectal cancer, as well as some hormone-

instigated cancers like endometrial and breast cancers.

Eat more servings of fruits and vegetables

Studies are still on-going regarding the specific role of fruits and vegetables in

preventing common diseases as well as in strengthening the immune system.


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Experts recommend at least five portions (each portion is 80g) of fruits and

vegetables a day to lower your risks of many different types of cancer.

Although debates on the exact reason behind this remains open-ended, scientists

are looking into the fiber content, vitamins and minerals, and plant chemicals

like flavonoids, present in fruits and vegetables. Moreover, multivitamins

supplements may have some use for some people deficient of them, but they

should not be seen as substitutes for those derived from fresh fruits and

vegetables.

Add more fiber to your diet

The prevalence of colorectal cancer is attributed to the reduced amount of fiberconsumed by a person. The body requires 20g of fiber a day for women and 25g

for men. Fiber can be derived from fruits and vegetables and are present in

soluble and insoluble form. Insoluble fiber takes on its original form even after

digestion and helps add bulk to your stool.

Insoluble fiber acts as a sweeper in your large intestine and helps stool to pass

along the tract easily. Soluble fiber, meanwhile, forms a gel-like substance in the

digestive tract and helps lower the levels of cholesterol and glucose in the blood.

Fiber can also be sourced from whole grains like brown rice, whole wheat bread,

oatmeal, psyllium, and barley.

Reduce fat intake

A diet high in fat has been shown to increase the risk of colorectal cancer and

heart disease. Reducing your proportion of fats in your diet, especially saturated

fat, can significantly reduce blood cholesterol levels. Studies found a strong link

between heart disease and the presence of high levels of cholesterol in the blood.

Normal blood cholesterol level is below 5mmol/L as your doctor will inform

following an exam.


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Experts advise that calories from fat should only be 35 percent and 10 percent

from saturated fat, of your total calories. Trans-fatty acids, fats produced from

plant-based oils that were hydrogenated to form spreads as in butter and

margarines, should likewise be avoided since they've been found to raise blood

cholesterol levels similar to saturated fat. These fatty acids can be commonly

found in confectionery and processed food such as cakes, pastry, and biscuits.

Drink alcohol moderately

Excessive drinkers and alcoholics should heed this warning chronic drinking

can virtually do irreversible damage to the body particularly the brain cells.

Coupled with aging, it often manifests in people in the advancing age in which

rapid brain deterioration almost usually affects behavior and way of thinking.

Alcoholics also constantly face the risk of throat, mouth, and liver cancers, as well

as cardiovascular disease (CVD). Since CVD and diabetes are largely influenced

by blood cholesterol levels, avoiding alcohol greatly reduces the risks of acquiring

such disease because the latter can affect the amount of cholesterol in the

bloodstream as well as hinders the formation of clots.

It often goes back to the old adage, to take everything in moderation. Women

should drink at most 2-3 cups of alcoholic drink a day, men to no more than 3-4

cups a day, and have a respite from alcohol (for 2-3 days) to help your body

recuperate.

Exercise regularly

Prolonged physical inactivity can lead to developing coronary heart disease and

some types of cancer. People of all ages can benefit from having a regular

physical activity to improve their health and well-being, and reduce the risk of

dying from cardiovascular disease.

If you have been inactive for a while, you can begin with a moderate exercise for

30 minutes a day, or break that into two 10-minute moderate physical activity


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like walking or swimming. Experts all agree that a 30-minute physical activity

performed on a regular basis, at least five times a week substantially benefits not

just your physical but mental and emotional health as well.

Moreover, a regular exercise also contributes to having healthy bones, strong

muscles, and joints, relieve pain caused by arthritis, alleviates the symptoms of

depression and anxiety, and most importantly helps you stay on your ideal weight

in relation to your height. After doing moderate exercise for a while, you can

start with doing strenuous and strength exercises.

Having done all the above recommendations, even the healthiest individuals can

benefit from a regular screening to guard themselves or thwart the furtherdevelopment of diseases. Screening exams play a huge role in preventive

medicine much like nipping the disease in the bud before it becomes a full-blown

threat or disabling condition, by detecting diseases in their most treatable stages.

Moreover, many of the diseases that could appear later in life like diabetes,

hypertension, heart disease, and cancer can be avoided if the symptoms are

caught early.

Types of Screening Tests

Pap-smear women who are above the age 18 or who have been sexually active

can be tested with papanicolaou smear to screen for cervical cancer and other

vaginal or uterine infections. Doctors take sample tissues around the cervical

area to check for any cancerous cells. Doctors advise you undergo a pap test

every year for three years. When doctors do not find any symptoms, the test may

be repeated every 3 years.

Cholesterol level should be tested on adults once every five years or more

frequently for those treated for high cholesterol. This test looks at the risks of

developing heart disease. Doctors draw a blood sample from a prominent vein in

the arm of the tip of a finger.


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Blood Glucose this test screens for the amount of sugar present in the blood

and to determine whether your blood glucose is within the healthy range. The

result of this test would also be indicative of diabetes.

Taking care of one's health is the ultimate favor you can do for your body and

your family. Many deaths can be prevented if symptoms were detected early on.

More so, dying from the leading diseases can be avoided with the proper diet,

exercise, and a positive outlook towards life.

One cannot unweave the complex relationship of the mind and body, but one can

certainly make this web stronger. If you live in harmony with your surroundingsand learn to appreciate things that offer you much benefits, these gives you a

sense of fulfillment and relieves yourself from the physical, mental, and

emotional burdens.

To your health!

Jim K

MADMUSCLE.NET LLC web network

http://www.madmuscle.nethttp://www.madmuscle.infohttp://www.getmadmuscle.net

MADMUSCLE.NET LLCVisit us online athttp://www.madmuscle.netfor allyour supplement needs!

You should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise

or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspectyou might have a health problem. I am not doctor and you should consult a

physician before following any training advice.Sep 2011
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