Women are busier than ever as we take on more roles in and out of the home. Recent health studies show that all the added pressure and less down-time are taking their toll on women.
Heart disease is at an all-time high for women, our stress levels are through the roof, cancer is a growing concern and diabetes is more prevalent than ever. But how are you supposed to change your lifestyle and juggle more things when you’re already trying to do so much?
The truth is, if you aren’t physically healthy there’s no way you can take on all the demands of your busy life. The good news is you can focus on a handful of things that prevent countless health problems.
Take Care of Infections ASAP
There’s no reason to put your body through the ringer when a quick trip to the urgent care center can fix the problem. Whether you need a UTI treatment or have the flu, one chat with the doctor can get you back to normal much faster. Medications like antibiotics are highly effective at helping you recover quicker.
While at the urgent care center or doctor’s office you can get some basic screenings and tests done to get a better idea of your general health, it’s also important to get the flu vaccination each year as well as other vaccinations that protect you against common diseases.
Calm Chronic Stress
Our brains and bodies are built to handle small bouts of stress as a means for survival. Fight or flight is essentially boiling down the most common reactions to stress. However, chronic stress is a whole other story.
Having to manage stress every day, sometimes throughout the day, puts strain on your entire body. Cortisol, a byproduct of stress, causes inflammation, which causes a chain reaction of damage in cells.
Try to reduce stress at work and at home by first figuring out your triggers. These are the things that trigger stress, which varies for everyone. It can help to keep a journal. Each time you start to feel stressed, write down how you’re feeling, what’s happening and what happened just before the anxiety set in. After a few days, you may see a pattern form.
A very easy way to get stress under control is deep breathing. Take a deep breath in and slowly release it while counting to five. Repeat three to five times to instantly calm stress.
Keep Skin Healthy
Skin health is often overlooked despite the fact that skin cancer is the most common type of cancer. There are about 5.4 million diagnosed cases every year. This is very troubling since your skin is an organ that protects your insides and serves as a barrier against infection.
Daily sunscreen and best Retinol cream is an absolute must if you want the best protection and to stimulate skin cell regeneration. Sunscreen should be broad spectrum, which means that it protects against UVA and UVB rays. An annual trip to the dermatologist is also highly recommended. The doctor can look for early warning signs and provide guidance on what to look for at home on your own.
Improve the Air Quality in Your Home
Few people realize that the air quality in their home is up to 100 times worse than the air outside. That has a huge impact on our respiratory and cardiovascular systems. It can aggravate asthma, reduce lung function, cause throat irritation, damage the lining of lungs, blood clots and more.
You can improve the air quality in your home by taking the following actions:
- · Check the ventilation and fix any known problems.
- · Change the HVAC air filter at least once every two months.
- · Open the windows and doors every now and then to circulation.
- · Use fans to help circulate the air.
- · Use humidifiers and dehumidifiers to regulate moisture in the air.
- · Never smoke in your house.
Kick Bad Habits
Researchers have deduced that genetics plays a role in many health problems, but lifestyle is much more influential. Certain bad habits can create a number of serious health concerns. Doctors recommend that people immediately kick these bad habits:
- · Smoking
- · Excessive drinking
- · Sunbathing
- · Diet of mostly processed food
Get Moving
Physical inactivity is a culprit of many ailments. It’s connected to obesity, heart disease and increased cancer risk among many other things. Basically, lack of physical activity can be a contributing factor for just about every major health problem.
Maintaining a healthy, steady weight is less stressful on your body and keeps obesity at bay. Staying physically active is also important for your cardiovascular health. Aim to get at least three hours of activity that gets your heart rate up. It can be anything from hiking to swimming to dancing.
