Lifestyle affects all aspects of your health. Eating right, exercise, not doing things in excess all contribute to a vital enjoyable life.
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Ask your Pharmacist for good advice on staying young and vital as long as possible. Lifestyle and health are very closely related. Lifestyle includes many aspects, such as physical activity, diet, exercise, social interactions, stress management, attitude, habits, and more.
Mayo Clinic Links for Healthy Lifestyle
American Heart Association Links for Getting Healthy
Read the Complete Article from Mayo Clinic
Need to blow off some steam after a stressful day? A workout at the gym or a brisk 30-minute walk can help you calm down.
Worried about heart disease? Hoping to prevent osteoporosis? Physical activity might be the ticket.
Want to drop those excess pounds? Trade some couch time for walking or other physical activities.
Winded by grocery shopping or household chores? Don't throw in the towel. Regular physical activity can leave you breathing easier.
Struggling to fall asleep? Or stay asleep? It might help to boost your physical activity during the day.
Are you too tired to have sex? Or feeling too out of shape to enjoy physical intimacy? Physical activity to the rescue.
Wondering what to do on a Saturday afternoon? Looking for an activity that suits the entire family? Get physical!
Risks of Smoking:
Secondhand Smoke
Secondhand smoke is a mixture of gases and fine particles that includes:
Most exposure to secondhand smoke occurs in homes and workplaces. Secondhand smoke exposure also continues to occur in public places such as restaurants, bars, and casinos and in private vehicles.
Secondhand Smoke Health Effects
In Children:
In adults who have never smoked, secondhand smoke can cause heart disease and/or lung cancer.
Benefits of Smoking Cessation:
Your doctor and pharmacist can help you quit and stay quit
There are multiple options available to help you quit:
Preparing to quit
It is easier to quit when you are prepared. START by taking these five steps:
S = Set a quit date.
T = Tell family, friends, and coworkers that you plan to quit.
A = Anticipate and plan for the challenges you'll face while quitting.
R = Remove cigarettes and other tobacco products from your home, car, and work.
T = Talk to your doctor about getting help to quit.
Steps to Take on Your Quit Day
Starting. Remind your family and friends that today is your quit day. Don’t hesitate to ask for their support.
Keep busy. Spend your free time in places where smoking isn’t allowed.
Use a support group. Some examples are: www.smokefree.gov and 1-800-QUIT-NOW. Stay away from what tempts you. Stay away from things that you connect with smoking. Example: Instead of smoking after meals get up and do the dishes.
Managing Cravings. Cravings will come and go. Try to wait it out. Keep other things around other than ciagerettes: sunflower seeds, raisins, gum.
References/Helpful Resources:
‘Betel quid’ or ‘Betel nut’ generally refers to a combination of the areca nut, betel leaf, slaked lime and may contain tobacco.
‘Betel nut’ is the fourth most commonly used addictive substance in the world with nearly 600 million users. Most of these users are unaware of the potentially dangerous health effects associated with using betel nut.
The active ingredient in betel nut is called arecoline, which acts as a cholinergic drug as well as causing a handful of negative effects to the body.
Not only is betel nut costly to your wallet, but also it is costly to your health.
Betel nut has been linked to the following deleterious health problems:
From the World Health Organization:
There is sufficient evidence in humans for the carcinogenicity of betel quid with tobacco. Betel quid with tobacco causes oral cancer and cancer of the pharynx and oesophagus.
There is sufficient evidence in humans for the carcinogenicity of betel quid without tobacco. Betel quid without tobacco causes oral cancer.
Betel quid with tobacco is carcinogenic to humans (Group 1). Betel quid without tobacco is carcinogenic to humans (Group 1).
Areca nut is carcinogenic to humans (Group 1).
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
INTERNATIONAL AGENCY FOR RESEARCH ON CANCER
IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans .Volume 85.
Betel-quid and Areca-nut Chewing and Some Areca-nut-derived Nitrosamines .
Hsu, H.-F., et al., Effects of arecoline on adipogenesis, lipolysis, and glucose uptake of adipocytes—A possible role ofbetel-quid chewing in metabolic syndrome, Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. (2010), doi:10.1016/j.taap.2010.04.008
Stress is what you experience when you believe you cannot cope effectively with a threatening situation.
Around-the-clock deadlines, responsibilities, and the endless balancing act between work, family, and self ensure that we’ll never be free of stress. The thing we can control, though, is how we deal with and appropriately manage stress and not let it take control of our lives.
Environment: Noise, bad weather, natural disasters, problems with roommates or neighbors. Things that we cannot control make us feel helpless and can lead to stress.
Social Issues: Money trouble, deadlines coming up, balancing work and school, family situations. Conflicts with other people are difficult to manage and sometimes we feel inadequate, causing stress.
Physical Factors: Illness, injury, accidents, lack of exercise, drug abuse. Patience and persistence can be a lot for a person to handle and can contribute to stress.
Thoughts: The way we perceive the events around us make a difference in how much stress we feel. Expecting too much from others, making difficult decisions, having a pessimistic attitude, or making assumptions can all bring stress upon you.
Close your eyes, relax your body, and ask yourself these questions.
You’ll probably be surprised to find many muscles are tensed during your scan. Knowing how your body holds stress is half the battle, try to relax bit by bit as you do this exercise.
Only 10 percent or so of the variation in people's reports of happiness can be explained by differences in their circumstances. The bulk of what determines happiness is your personality, your thoughts, and your behaviors.
People who are happy seem to know that being beautiful, successful, and rich won’t confer lasting happiness. Happy people tend to build their lives around these pillars:
Scale back. Cut back on your obligations when possible. Take a close look at your schedule and find meetings, activities, or chores that you can cut back on or delegate to someone else.
Prepare. Stay ahead of stress by preparing for events, scheduling your time better, and setting realistic goals for your tasks. Stress mounts when you’re out of time or are not prepared...give extra time for traffic jams!
Reach out. Make or renew connections with others. Surrounding yourself with supportive family, friends, co-workers, or clergy and spiritual leaders can have a positive effect on your ability to cope with stress.
Take up a hobby. It may seem too easy, but when you engage in something enjoyable, it can soothe and calm your restless mind. Try reading, gardening, crafts, fishing, music — things that you don't get competitive or stressed over.
Relax. Physical activity, meditation, yoga, massage and other relaxation techniques can help you manage stress. It doesn't matter how you do it, just refocus your attention to something calming.
Get enough sleep. Lack of sufficient sleep affects your immune system and your judgment and makes you more likely to snap over minor irritations.
Get professional help. If your stress management efforts aren't helpful enough, see your doctor. Chronic, uncontrolled stress can lead to a variety of potentially serious health problems, including depression and pain.
References/Helpful Resources