Eat healthy. Exercise. Quit smoking.
These are the most common health tips that you’ll see and hear, whether you’re browsing online or talking to your doctor. Of course, these are all good pointers that you should definitely follow. At the same time, there are many other practical and easy-to-follow health advice that everyone should be doing. Here are some of them:
Buy Generic Medicines and Supplements
No one, no matter how healthy, is immune to sickness. What’s more, no one knows when common diseases like a cough or a cold will strike. Thus, it’s a good idea to stock up on medicines that will address the symptoms of these conditions. Fortunately, there are plenty of over-the-counter medications that you can purchase for your home first aid kit. Go for generic medicines to save money, especially those for which branded variants can be much pricier.
Of course, make sure to only purchase from trusted generic medicine Philippines’-based manufacturers and suppliers. This way, you’re assured of their quality and effectiveness. Finally, make sure to store medical products properly and dispose of expired ones ASAP in the right way (e.g., don’t flush expired medicines).
Eat Less Salt and Sugar
Too much of something is bad for you, and this certainly applies to two popular food additives: salt and sugar. With salt, an increased intake means an increased amount of sodium in the blood. This puts you at a higher risk of developing hypertension, which can lead to complications like heart attack and stroke. If you really can’t do without seasoning your food, consider switching to herbs and spices like rosemary, thyme, garlic, pepper, and paprika.
On the other hand, sugar can cause health issues like unhealthy weight gain that can lead to more concerning conditions like heart disease. Those with incomplete or improper dental hygiene may also suffer from tooth decay. To limit your sugar intake, avoid sugar-sweetened beverages; even those labeled as “natural” fruit juice may be pumped full of additional sugars so be sure to review the nutrition information.
Get Enough Sleep
If you love staying up late at night, it’s time to stop the habit. That’s because getting enough sleep is as important for your good health as eating healthy and exercising—perhaps even more.
According to multiple studies, a lack of sleep can cause problems like unwanted weight gain and obesity. What’s more, insufficient sleep and poor sleep quality can affect your hormones, which can result in health issues like insulin resistance. It has also been proven that sleep deprivation makes it more difficult for the brain to focus, leading to poor performance at work or school.
Ideally, you should get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night. However, some people may require more. For example, women in the first trimester of pregnancy need more hours of sleep; the same goes for children aged 6 to 13.
Limit Exposure to Bright Lights Before Sleep
Speaking of getting enough sleep, it’s a good idea to limit your exposure to bright lights at night. This is especially important during the hours before you go to bed. The reason for this is that bright lights have higher concentrations of blue light, which disrupts the body’s production of melatonin (also called the sleep hormone).
To minimize your blue light exposure, you can try wearing glasses that block blue light. You should also avoid watching TV and using your smartphone 30 minutes or 1 hour before you have to go to sleep. It can be challenging, considering how digitally immersed everyone is nowadays, but the change in your sleep quality is definitely worth it.
Take Vitamin D Supplements
You may not realize but you may actually have a vitamin D deficiency, simply because it’s easy to acquire. If you don’t get enough sun exposure, you probably have an inadequacy of the vitamin. It doesn’t cause immediate problems, but a lack of vitamin D in your body will eventually lead to loss of bone strength, a weakened immune system, and a greater cancer risk.
Fortunately, getting about 10 to 30 minutes of exposure to midday sunlight multiple times a week is enough to get your vitamin D levels back up. If needed, you can also take vitamin D supplements.
Eat More Eggs
For years, eggs have been demonized as the cause of high cholesterol levels in the body. The truth, however, is that eggs actually don’t affect blood cholesterol levels that much. What’s more, eggs are truly some of the most nutritionally dense foods. So go ahead, don’t be afraid to eat 1 or 2 eggs a day. Your body will thank you for it!
Last but certainly not least, make it a habit to have regular check-ups and disease tests. This way, you can nip health problems in the bud. If you’re a relatively healthy individual, once a year is a good schedule to follow for full check-ups. As you grow older, you may need more frequent visits to the doctor. Meanwhile, for certain diseases like breast cancer, it’s advised to get check-ups every year or as advised by professionals.
Stay healthy!
