5 Areas to Improve to Lower Your Risk of Health Problems

Health issues can put a damper on this parade called life, but there are many things that you can do to lessen or prevent many health conditions. Check out these seven risk factors that contribute to many health issues, and consider making small and/or large changes to your lifestyle to lower your chances of the many diseases present in our fast-paced world.

1. Alcohol. Drinking alcohol increases your chances of getting MANY negative health issues. To minimize a correlation between drinking alcohol and medical problems, it is recommended that we limit our alcohol intake to no more than one alcoholic drink per day, including beer, wine, and liquor.
2. Smoking. If you smoke, quit. You've heard it a million times, and you'll hear it a million times more. Smoking contributes to a large number of major health conditions, and quitting now can greatly reduce your chances of dying much earlier than you otherwise would. Evidence suggests that there's a link between smoking and many diseases, especially in women who haven't yet reached menopause. Quitting isn’t easy…challenge yourself …if others can do it, so can you. We believe in you! There are resources and you are worth it.
3. Obesity. If you're overweight or obese, your chance of getting many different health conditions increases exponentially. Start making small lifestyle changes today to improve your health and decrease the chance of getting heart disease and many other conditions. Begin an activity that will help you burn calories or lower your daily calorie consumption, such as walking for ten minutes every day or replacing three fast-food meals with a healthy alternative three times a week. Don't think about it as trying to lose weight, but rather as trying to simply improve your overall health and quality of life. Every week add a new, small change, such as adding ten minutes to your exercise routine or replacing your afternoon sugary, processed snack with a protein and fresh fruit smoothie. Over time, these changes will add up to a healthier you.
4. Lack of Exercise. Your body is designed to move, and when it doesn't, all sorts of bad things happen. Use it or lose it applies to the entire body. When muscles aren’t used on a regular basis, you lose it! Besides muscle mass, you also lose bone density, and other systems don't function optimally. A base recommendation to avoid several major health problems is to strive for 150 minutes of moderate activity every week.
5. Poor Diet. A poor diet contributes to the risk of many diseases, and a healthy diet is essential for ensuring that in the event you do receive a diagnosis, your body will be in good overall health to be able to overcome it.
6. The Bottom Line. The risk factors that you have control over in minimizing your risk for health conditions help minimize lots of other unpleasant things (like kinks in your neck, developing a “bad knee”, or heartburn that keeps you up at night), and help maximize your ability to enjoy your life and your loved ones to the fullest. So, there is nothing to lose and everything to gain by making some of these changes! Plus, you don’t have to go ‘all in’! No one is a super hero. Just start small. Little changes over time can make a big difference.

I definitely need to switch out the sugar drink in the afternoon. What’s your area to improve on? :)