On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me… some seriously awesome health tips! Thanks Foundation Chiropractic Co. for keeping it real!
As much as we like to encourage our patients to indulge and enjoy themselves this holiday season, it’s also important to remember to keep everything in moderation. Allow yourself to “cheat” in a few areas as you enjoy that second serving of turkey or that extra bit of grandmas bundt cake, but remind yourself of other things you should be doing to prevent future problems and encourage optimal health.
12 Weeks:
12 weeks after quitting smoking, your blood circulation improves. We don’t need to get into all the details, but someone dies every six seconds from a tobacco-related disease.
11 Seconds:
11 seconds is the average amount of time people spend washing their hands. But to help prevent the flu and colds, it should be at least 20 seconds using soap and warm water. The best soaps to use are totally natural and don’t contain any harsh chemicals or artificial fragrances.
10 Thousand:
10 thousand steps taken every day support heart health and weight control. Holiday gift idea for someone you know that wants to get active - a Fitbit watch!
9 Calories:
9 calories are in one gram of fat, versus 4 calories in one gram of protein. Watch the amount of fat and calories you consume this holiday season, but more importantly remember that there are good / essential fats our body needs and there are bad fats that we should try and avoid. Good fats include: nuts, avocados, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, grape seed oil, etc. Bad fats include: anything containing trans fats (check the label) - fried foods, processed foods, etc.
8 Hours:
8 hours of sitting at your desk makes you sedentary and increases your risk for heart disease and diabetes. Get up and move every 30-60 minutes because its healthy for your spinal mobility among many other things!
7 Days:
7 consecutive days of consuming 500 less calories or burning 500 more calories through exercise will help you lose 1 pound. We see many people starve themselves with crazy diets to shed pounds quickly, but healthy weight loss takes time. If you want long-lasting results, be patient and stick with it!
6 Ounces:
6 ounces is the amount of protein that most people need every day. That is the equivalent of two palm sized servings per day.
5 Servings:
5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, at a minimum, contribute to optimal health. This is because they are loaded with natural vitamins and minerals, natural sugars, and are a healthy source of fibre. Some of our favourites include berries, bananas, and leafy greens like spinach and kale.
4 Weeks:
4 weeks is the MINIMUM length of time it takes to change a habit. We stress the importance of long-term health over short-term outcomes. If you need advice on how to stick to a new diet plan, a fitness resolution, or any other positive health habit please just ask us. We’d love to help!
3 Types:
3 types of physical activity are essential to good health - cardiovascular exercise, strength training, and stretching. These are all important for different reasons and we could get into a lengthy discussion for each on it’s own, but what we need to know is that we should not go heavy into one of these while neglecting the others. Doing this would increase our rate of injury or overexertion.
2 Years:
2 years is the amount of extra life you can live if you exercise just 75 minutes a week. Enough said!
1 Day:
1 day of “meatless meals” or healthier meat consumption will reduce your intake of saturated fats and cholesterol. Healthy meat options include: grass-fed beef and grain-free chicken. Meat alternatives include: organic soy-based products like tofu and tempeh, lentils, mushrooms, etc.
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Thanks to UPMC Health for the inspiration behind this blog post!