A Healthier You in 2022
2/9/2022
Natchez, MS (February 9, 2022) – Continue the New Year right by committing to you in 2022. Simple actions can make a big impact on your health over time. Dr. Barbara Smith, a primary care physician with Merit Health Medical Group Primary Care Clinic, shares a few to consider this year.
Connect with others. Spend time with friends, family and those you care about. You’ll benefit your mental well-being and your physical health. Studies show that people who have close friends and family are healthier and live much longer than those who do not. Always take recommended precautions related to the current pandemic.
Get your ZZZs. Set a consistent bed time and wake-up schedule to ensure you get at least seven hours of sleep each night. Poor sleep can drive insulin resistance, disrupt your appetite hormones, and reduce your physical and mental performance. It is also one of the strongest risk factors for weight gain and obesity.
“Consistently getting a good night’s sleep is a foundation of good health,” said Dr. Smith. “An occasional night of tossing and turning is fine, but your health suffers if you have a lack of sleep that goes on for too long.”
Restful sleep is needed so the body can perform a number of vital functions that support the health of your body and brain. Three primary functions are repairing tissue, fighting off infection and processing memories of experiences from your day.
Minimize stress. Practice mindful breathing or meditation to bring moments of calm to your day. Stress has a negative effect on your health, affecting blood sugar levels, food choices, susceptibility to sickness, weight, fat distribution, and more. Books, podcasts or apps can teach you how to start a meditation practice.
Move more. Walk 30 minutes a day, five days a week and do muscle strengthening, like carrying groceries, at least two days a week. Walk with a partner for social connection and accountability. Movement can help you prevent, delay and manage chronic diseases, improve balance and stamina, reduce the risk of falls and improve your brain health.
Go outside. Walk around the yard. Work in the garden. Hike in the woods. Spending time in nature gives the benefit of vitamin D from the sun and helps with depression, exercise and even creativity.
Eat a rainbow. Colorful whole fruits and vegetables look great, are naturally more filling and better for you overall. A balanced diet with appropriate portions of produce, whole grains, lean meats and low-fat or fat-free dairy products helps prevent, delay and manage heart disease, type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases.
“The foods and beverages that people consume have a profound impact on their health,” said Dr. Smith. “A healthy diet can help people achieve and maintain good health and possibly reduce the risk of chronic diseases throughout all stages of the lifespan.”
Visit your doctor. Go ahead and schedule your primary care physician and any specialists. Put screenings on the calendar too, such as prostate exam, mammogram, bone density, and colonoscopy. Regular visits and screenings help you keep your health on track – identifying risk factors or issues early and managing chronic conditions like diabetes, cholesterol or blood pressure.
If you are in need of a primary care physician, you can call Merit Health Medical Group Primary Care Clinic at (601) 445-1715 or visit https://www.primarycareappointments.com/merit/natchez/ to schedule an appointment online with one of our providers. For a list of all the medical providers and specialists on the medical staff at Merit Health Natchez, visit https://www.merithealthnatchez.com/find-a-doctor.
Merit Health Natchez offers a free e-newsletter with a monthly dose of health and wellness inspiration sent directly to your inbox from a trusted medical source. To sign up, visit https://MeritHealthNatchez.com/enewsletter-sign-up
Sources:
- CDC.gov/HealthyLiving/
- Holt-Lunstad J. Why Social Relationships Are Important for Physical Health: A Systems Approach to Understanding and Modifying Risk and Protection. Annu Rev Psychol. 2018 Jan 4;69:437-458. doi: 10.1146/annurev-psych-122216-011902. Epub 2017 Oct 16. PMID: 29035688.
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29723001/
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