Engaging in risky behaviours increases the chances of getting chronic illnesses. You can minimise the chances of getting these diseases by making better health and lifestyle changes. Below are some changes that you can make to prevent chronic diseases.
Manage to quit smoking
Smoking poses serious health issues such as lung cancer, heart diseases, and diabetes type 2. For longtime smokers, it leads to premature death. Quitting smoking lowers the risks of getting these diseases.
Quitting smoking is not an easy decision. It requires altering your behaviours, experiencing withdrawal symptoms, and finding ways to manage your moods. But as hard as it is, it improves your overall health and the quality of your life.
Maintain a healthy diet
Ensure you always eat a balanced diet to help you maintain a healthy weight. Focus on including veggies, fruits, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, and lean meats in your diet. Living on such a diet reduces the risks of getting heart diseases and type 2 diabetes.
Cut off all the junk food and focus on new healthy foods. Also, ensure that you eat enough to reach your daily calories needs.
Engage in physical exercises
Engaging in regular physical exercises helps in preventing, delaying, and managing chronic diseases. Doing aerobic exercises helps in improving your heart health and managing your weight. If you are having joint problems, engage in strength training to help improve your endurance and muscle strength.
If you are suffering from a chronic illness, it is always important to talk to a physician before engaging in any form of exercises. This ensures that you are advised on what exercises are safe and if there are precautions that you need to observe.
Get enough sleep daily
Sleep deprivation has a great impact on your overall health and interferes with your ability to perform properly. It can cause short-term problems such as affecting your mood and ability to make a clear judgement. When your body is sleep deprived, you feel tired and put yourself and others at risk.
Continuous lack of sleep can cause chronic illnesses such as increased blood pressure, diabetes, and heart diseases. You can improve your sleep quality by synchronising with your body’s sleep-wake cycle. That means sleeping and waking up at the same time every day, and that includes over the weekend.
As a Health Psychologist I love helping my clients make and integrate positive behavioural changes throughout their life, connecting the mind and body, and promoting self-care, self-confidence and positive thinking. Get in touch to find out how I can help you.
