Spring has sprung. Saturday was World Health Day and we thought we would take this opportunity to discuss the effect that our day to day life can have on our body. World Health Day is celebrated every year on April 7th and put on by the World Health Organization to get our minds thinking about ways to better our body and get the health coverage that we all deserve. Spring is a great time to get active. We all know that exercise can lead to lowering stress and an overall healthier you, but it can also lead to making better life decisions and therefore overall better mental health as well.
There are many ways that we can better our overall health:
Getting an adequate night of sleep is number one. Let yourself get at least eight hours of solid sleep per night. It can be tempting to hit the snooze button multiple times but by doing this you are actually confusing your mind and body which in turn leaves you feeling sleepy and may affect your ability to focus at school or work.
Physical activity is very important in our day to day life. Try to dedicate 30 minutes of your day to exercise of any kind. A 60 minute workout is only 4% of your day, so finding time to go for a 30 minute walk, bike ride or swim should be pretty easy to do. This will also boost your energy and mood for the day.
Eating a well-balanced diet is crucial to living a healthy life. The goal is to not nit-pick every piece of food that you eat but just making sure that you are being mindful of what goes into your body. Lean meats, leafy greens, fruits, vegetables and whole grains can keep your mind alert and body healthy.
Taking the time to relax and unwind after a busy workday or day with the kids is vital to your overall health. This could be five minutes at a park letting your mind wander watching leaves in the wind, taking a bath, go to your favorite yoga class or picking up a good book. It is important for our mental health to take a few minutes a day to ourselves and let our mind heal.
Being in a positive mood can and will rub off on others around you. It has been proven that by showing others kindness you will change their demeanor for the day and pass on this happiness. So, when passing others in the hallway at work or the grocery store stop and smile or say hello. You never know what people are going through in their own lives; you may just turn their day around with simply a smile.
Staying up on our dental health is a huge priority. Make sure that you are seeing the dentist regularly for checkups. By brushing twice a day and flossing daily we reduce our risk of inflammation which has been proven to lead to a reduced chance of heart disease.
Get outside and enjoy the fresh spring air for some added health benefits. Help us here at Roos Orthodontics by celebrating World Health Day with us.