Lifestyle

Ever since I began the practice of medicine (over 40 years ago) and my own approach to promotion of personal health care with my patients, for me I always see the “nuts and bolts” early, the collective choices, the baseline behaviors and positive habits that we all might try to incorporate into our daily lives.

There’s big rewards with a longer, healthier and enjoyment filled life.

There’s the time-tested holistic approach, where I encourage my patients to consider focusing exclusively on the whole person – body, mind, spirit.

Here’s the thing. Self-responsibility really means that you have to get into the game and take more control of yourself. Despite what you face, take the time to think through your choices of how you’re living your life and where you put yourself, who you are with most hours, plus your food, diet, exercise, rest, play and sleep.

Prevention and steps to take to avoid injury, infection and disease, sure it sounds pretty basic, and it is, somewhat. It’s self-evident but not so easy in practice. I like to think that this would be a top priority for everyone – regular exercise, balanced nutrition, stimulating and supporting family friends and social networks. Sometimes life throws us some challenging circumstances or situations, and my point here is to not lose sight of the priorities despite the surprises and the ups and downs.

Nutrition and diet – huge part of this whole discussion. When you’re out there in your local grocery store or out to a restaurant, however you get your food and drink, it’s obvious – prioritize whole foods like vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, healthy fats – and stay strong against the lure of sugary foods and processed anything. If you can. Eat and drink with meaning, not out of habit.

And move – exercise and flexibility exist only if we encourage it and we challenge our bodies to do what they want to do. And that’s play and be active. Get a balance of cardiovascular activity and strength training, along with stretching and recovery.

Almost done here – but here’s maybe the best few to consider.

Quality sleep - make it a priority. Believe it or not there’s a lot that goes into making this happen, consistently, to allow proper rest recovery and healing. Medically speaking, for example, conditions like sleep apnea and snoring are more common than you’d think, I’ve been deeply involved in addressing both these for years.

Mind and body - acupuncture, meditation, and therapies that honor your overall well-being and balance almost speak for themselves.      

Lifestyle choices and self-management steps like I’ve just outlined are not a guarantee against all health issues that we face as we age. But I’d say over the days, over the years, you’re way better off with an intentional “healthy lifestyle frame of mind” as much as you can, every moment, every day.