To stay safe during the Coronavirus pandemic and to slow its spread, health experts are advising people to stay at home. This is more important for people over 60, and those with medical conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer. Making certain changes in your daily eating and exercise habits can help a lot in this.
Here are some easy and creative ways to stay healthy and fit.
- Exercise for 30 minutes most days of the week, if not daily. You can break this into three 10-minute sessions. The most effective exercises include walking, sports, cycling, dancing, yoga, running, or any other activities you enjoy. You can pace, do leg lifts, knee lifts, and toe curls during conference calls and while answering emails at work.
- Eat a balanced diet, low in fats but rich in vitamins, proteins, and other nutrients. Your diet should have low saturated fat and cholesterol, and moderate sugar, salt, and total fat. Search for healthy recipes that use ingredients you already have, and order healthier choices from takeouts.
- Avoid buying junk food items - you won’t eat them if you don’t buy them. Opt for healthy foods and snacks. Increase your body’s fiber content by eating more veggies, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds to keep you full.
- Avoid skipping meals because doing so throws your blood sugar off balance, resulting in cravings, overeating, and emotional eating. Dehydration also causes cravings and sugar imbalances.
- Healthy personal relationships maintain mental health. Plan your meals and exercise routines with your family and friends. It builds better relationships and also motivates you.
- Nurture your emotional and mental health. Increase regular face to face or telephonic interactions with friends and loved ones. If you feel that you don’t have anyone to call, reach out to old friends, work friends, and acquaintances. Reaching out to people ensures emotional wellness. Don’t ever neglect your real-world relationships for virtual ones. Join networking, social, or special interest groups that meet regularly to meet people with common interests. Devote time to yourself to do
something you find enjoyable and peaceful. - Recognize and manage stress in your life. Symptoms of increased stress include
insomnia, frequent headaches, stomach upsets, short temper, binge eating, smoking, and overuse of drugs and alcohol. - Get enough sleep and rest, around 7-8 hours a night. Relaxation techniques, such as meditation and yoga, help people who have trouble sleeping. Eating small bedtime snacks like oatmeal, cherries, or chamomile tea also helps.
- Stop using tobacco and recreational drugs. Smoking or chewing tobacco increases the risk of getting several types of cancer. Long-term drug abuse can damage your memory and your judgment and decision-making abilities. It can also cause liver and heart failure, kidney damage, hallucinations, paranoia, and several other problems.
- Avoid alcohol or try drinking in moderation. Limit it to one drink a day for women of all ages and men over 65, and two drinks a day for younger men. Moderate alcohol consumption reduces the risk of heart disease. But excessive drinking can cause several types of cancer.
These health tips will help you lead a healthy lifestyle; however, don’t forget to go for regular checkups even if you think you are in excellent health. Visit our walk-in clinic in Oceanside for any immediate health concern that you have.
