A primary care physician is always there when you need them. With that, you can do certain things that go along with visiting a primary care physician to ensure your health is at its best level. Specifically, while a PCP can help you achieve a healthy lifestyle, it is ultimately your job to ensure you follow good health habits while also visiting a PCP on a regular basis. In this article, we will go through certain things you should be doing and practicing to ensure you are up to date with the best health and lifestyle advice.
Eat Whole Foods
We all live busy lives, and it’s easy to fall into bad habits such as eating more fast food than is sensible or buying many frozen meals in the supermarket. Everything is a trade-off, and in this case, you are trading your long-term health and wellness for some extra free time in the day.
If you want to improve your health, then eat more whole foods. Unlike frozen food and fast food, whole foods don’t contain trans fats. Additionally, they are also packed with phytochemicals and natural compounds that prevent many diseases.
Reduce Stress
If you live a busy working life and you have a family, you will be familiar with stress. Stress happens when we feel as if we don’t have the capacity to cope with daily or weekly tasks. The experience triggers hormones such as cortisol that can have a detrimental effect on the body.
Reducing stress might not be easy, but it is possible. Managing your stress can improve the quality of your life and allow you to protect your health in the long-term and short-term. The best way to manage your stress is to practice mindfulness techniques when you feel overwhelmed.
Stay Active
When you finish your work or family tasks, sometimes the last thing you feel like doing is going for a run or visiting the gym. Fortunately, the good news is you don’t have to be a dedicated fitness fanatic to stay healthy.
So, what exactly does this mean? For one thing, you need to take the stairs rather than taking the elevator; this will raise your heart rate, lower your blood pressure, and increase your lifespan. There are plenty of other micro workouts you can find to integrate into your daily life.
Drink Liquids
Drinking liquids regularly, such as fresh water and green tea, helps to flush out toxins in your system and supports your digestive system. Drinking more liquids can also help to control your weight, especially if you drink water around an hour or half an hour before you eat a meal.
If you’re drinking water, make sure it’s as fresh as possible. Specifically, if you want to avoid buying fresh water in plastic bottles, buy a filter bottle that removes some of the common contaminants found in water. Additionally, green tea contains many antioxidants that protect your cells from aging.
Use Supplements
When you eat a balanced diet made up of whole foods, you should also have a diet that maintains your overall health and provides most of the vitamins and minerals you need. That said, some vitamins such as vitamin D and fatty acids like omega-3 should be added to your diet artificially.
If you are looking for a PCP that can help you on your journey towards a better and more healthier life, then PCP For Life is here for you. To learn more about what we can do to help or to schedule an appointment, call us today at 281-968-4096.
