4 Bad Health Habits to Break Today
Thursday, October 07, 2010
There are many things we do everyday that are unhealthy choices. From the foods we eat to our lack of movement, we are skating on thin ice when it comes to our health. Check out our top four bad health habits and how to break through them to be healthier and happier.
Bad Habit #1: Eating Poorly
Whether you're eating unhealthy foods, overeating or undereating, eating poorly is a major unhealthy habit. Our bodies and minds rely on a daily dose of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates and protein to function properly. When we flood our systems with fattening or sugary foods, skip meals or overindulge, we force our bodies to work harder but not necessarily smarter.
How to Break Through: Change your mindset to looking at food as fuel. You can still enjoy your favorite foods in moderation but food is, first and foremost, the gas that gets your engine going. Focus on foods that are good for your body's function including fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, proteins and whole grains. Simple substitutions (like whole wheat bread instead of white, veggies instead of french fries and flavored sodium-free seltzer instead of soda) can make you slimmer, smarter and feeling like a million bucks. Eat regular meals to keep your body charged the entire day and do not skip. Check out Farm Fresh Rhode Island to find local farmers' markets to load up on delicous and good-for-you food!
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Bad Habit #2: Smoking
There probably just as many reasons to quit smoking as there are poisonous ingredients in cigarettes. A nasty smell, cigarette breath and previously stated poisonous ingredients should be enough to drop the butts but a variety of cancers are also caused by the ingredients in cigarettes. Smoking is dangerous for women who are pregnant as well as children and pets due to secondhand and thirdhand smoke. Thirdhand smoke refers to the chemicals within the cigarettes sticking to surfaces and clothing that can expose people to them despite a lit cigarette not being present.
How to Break Through: Help is available to smokers to help quit once and for all. Butler Hospital in Providence has an ongoing study that started in August 2009 and is continuing until July 2012. Smokers between the ages of 18-65 can participate in this cessation study, if they qualify, to kick the habit. Also contact QuitWorks-RI, a telephone-based program that counsels smokers on cessation.
Bad Habit #3: Being Sedentary
Our bodies were built to move yet too many people do not get enough exercise. We are so used to sitting for hours on end and driving two blocks to the store and this can have damaging effects on our bodies. We have less energy, we lose muscle tone and a general feeling of lethargy can overtake us.
How to Break Through: Move! Yes, just move. Run, walk, bike, swim, march during commercials, lift weights, lift your kids! If you have never exercised before, it is never too late. Walk those two blocks to the store rather than drive there or start stretching every morning to get your body to liven up. Join a running or walking club, get a membership at a local gym or join your local YMCA. Make a goal to exercise 3-5 times a week for 30 minutes and you will see a world of difference. Planet Fitness memberships start at only $10 a month with various Rhode Island locations. You can also purchase workout equipment for your home at Big Fitness in North Kingstown to make your own home gym.
Bad Habit #4: Avoiding the Doctor
No one enjoys seeing the doctor but annual physicals are critical for overall health. Doctors can test your cholestorol and blood pressure, address any issues or concerns you may have and make sure everything is normal and healthy. They can also provide tips and ideas of how to get healthier or how to maintain your current state.
How to Break Through: Make an appointment and keep it. If you do not have a doctor, finding one takes a tiny bit of work but it is totally worth it. Look up a doctor through your insurance provider's web site or for those without insurance, head to Rhode Island Free Clinic to make your health your priority.
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