Let’s talk about Chronic Disease
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines chronic disease as any condition that lasts 1 year or more and requires ongoing medical care, or limits daily activities, or a combination of both.
This includes diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and more.
YOU can prevent chronic disease!
There are many ways to prevent or delay chronic disease. Changing certain things in your lifestyle can have dramatic effects on your body. It also benefits your emotional and psychological well being.
In today’s blog, we will discuss scientific-backed ways to help you in your journey towards a healthier and happier self.
Choose Healthy Food
Eating healthy not only makes you look and feel good, but it also helps prevent type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic diseases. Eating a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and low-fat dairy ensures that you are getting the necessary nutrients for a healthy mind and body. Moreover, if you are overweight, losing even 5 to 7% of your body weight can help prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.
Get Active
Regular physical activity helps improve your overall health, fitness, and quality of life. It also helps reduce your risk of chronic disease. No matter what shape you’re in, how old you are, or where you come from, everyone can benefit from regular physical activity. For adults, at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity is recommended every week, plus muscle-strengthening activities at least twice a week. Examples of aerobic activities include brisk walking, swimming, running, dancing, and biking. Examples of muscle-strengthening activities include lifting weights, resistance bands, push-ups, pull-ups, and squats.
Get Enough Sleep
Insufficient sleep has been linked to worsening health conditions. For adults, at least 7 hours of sleep are recommended daily. Some tips to help you sleep better:
- Avoid large meals and caffeine before bedtime.
- Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning.
- Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and at a cool temperature between 15 to 19 °C.
- Stop using electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
- Exercise regularly during the day to help you sleep easier at night.
Know Your Family History
Knowing your family history of chronic disease and sharing it with your healthcare team will help you prevent or delay these diseases from happening to you.
Get Screened
To prevent or delay chronic diseases, visit your doctor regularly for preventive services, such as predicates and diabetes screening, cancer screening and many more.
Quit Smoking
Quitting smoking is hard, but with the right support system, it can be done. Here are a few interesting facts to keep in mind to help you stay on track when you have a craving:
When you stop smoking, within:
12 minutes Your heart rate and blood pressure drop
12 hours Bloodstream carbon monoxide drops to normal
3 days Your body will be nicotine free
2 weeks to 3 months Circulation and lung function improve. Heart attack risk begins to drop
1 year The risk of coronary heart disease is cut in half
2 to 5 years The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and bladder is cut in half. The risk of stroke is reduced to that of a nonsmoker.
Keep in mind that as your body starts to repair itself, you may have withdrawal symptoms that may make you feel worse. Remember that this is your body’s way of healing itself, and there are many tools to help you adjust and manage these symptoms.
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