Being Proactive About Health

Every person wants to have good health. Being healthy means less time spent with an illness and more freedom to spend time doing the things people love. But not everyone engages in the best lifestyle habits. Learning to change bad habits into good ones can be difficult for some people. But the rewards, such as improved health and less illness, can make the process of transforming one-off actions into healthy habits worthwhile.

1. Drink to good health

For people that routinely sip java, consider swapping a few cups a week for a healthy mug of green tea. Specifically, green tea is full of antioxidants that can benefit multiple bodily systems. Along with boosting a person’s complexion, green tea has been proven to enhance brain function, boost fat loss, reduce an individual’s risk of heart disease, and even provide some protection against developing certain types of cancer.

2. Find an accountability partner

As the saying goes, old habits die hard. And trying to make those lifestyle changes alone can be especially difficult. Without anyone to share the journey with, people can easily slack off, go off course, and slide back into old habits. Having an accountability partner can ensure that people stick to new changes, slowly turning those behaviors into healthy habits.

3. Quit or cut back on vices

Most people know that smoking is bad for overall health. Likewise, excessive alcohol consumption has a proven track record of encouraging many health problems. Don’t wait for the new year to turn a new leaf. Just 24 hours after a person quits smoking, the riskof suffering a heart attack decreases. Cutting back or quitting alcohol entirely can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart failure. If quitting cold turkey is too difficult, focus initially on reducing consumption. Health insurance providers frequently cover smoking cessation aids. Similarly, consider joining a therapy group to dig further into the reasons behind the addiction.

Getting healthy for the future

While some underlying causes such as genetic predisposition will often outweigh lifestyle habits, people are generally in control of health outcomes. Each person has to take responsibility to work toward achieving and maintaining good health. Other vital behaviors include engaging in routine weekly exercise and prioritizing a diet composed primarily of healthy foods rich in critical nutrients. People interested in making necessary lifestyle changes should speak with a physician to create a plan that will last.