Your life doesn’t get better by chance. Change Makes Things Better – A wonderful quote from Jim Rohn. So, what is a lifestyle? In simple terms, lifestyle means the way of life. Sociology defines lifestyle as a pattern and way of living that an individual or group of people uses to meet their biological, economic, emotional, or social needs. Lifestyle includes our eating habits, our sleeping habits, the way we spend our time, the way we think, our goals in life and everything that gives our life purpose. Over the past decades, research has shown an increase in many diseases such as hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, stroke and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, osteoporosis, depression, obesity, PCOS and many more due to unhealthy lifestyle. The role of a physiotherapist is not only to relieve pain and make patients mobile and independent but also to prevent disorders. So, your physiotherapist is also your guide to healthy lifestyle choices. To understand our unhealthy lifestyle choices, let’s talk about healthy behaviors we all need to incorporate into our daily lives.
Digital Detox or Controlling Our Screen Time:This is the first action to integrate into our way of life. We need to control our screen time and dedicate that time to other physical activities. Excessive time (which could also be avoided) spent on mobile phones, computers has led to many musculoskeletal disorders. If your job requires you to sit in front of a computer for long hours. You need to make sure you learn a few exercises that you could do every hour to allow your muscles to relax.
Adequate nutrition: Eat healthy, balanced foods with adequate water intake. Avoid junk food or eating out most of the time. Eat home-cooked foods with less oil, salt and minimal sugar. It’s okay to go out with your family for lunch or dinner every once in a while or go out to eat with friends every once in a while, but don’t count on eating out frequently. You should eat a variety of healthy foods, for example, fish, chicken, lean meat, fresh green vegetables, salads, eggs, fruit juices, etc. Your diet should provide you with all the necessary vitamins and minerals.
Good sleep: Did you know that research has shown that lack of sleep can have many harmful effects and, in rare cases, lead to death. For a normal adult, 6 to 7 hours of sleep every night is mandatory. Exhaustion from lack of sleep can not only affect our thinking but also lead to injury to our musculoskeletal system.
Weight management: A healthy diet, proper physical activity, and age-appropriate training are the key to managing your body weight. Not everyone needs to lose or gain weight. You should consult your doctor and dietitian if you plan to lose or gain weight. It is very important to know that your body is not deprived of necessary vitamins and minerals. Therefore, to lose or gain weight, have a proper medical examination and diet.
Appropriate physical activity/exercise: Sedentary lifestyle is the cause of many diseases as it affects various systems of the body and leads to many diseases. Being physically active has been proven to improve the patient’s health in many cases. Physical activity and regularity in exercise (Fitness) are two different things. The best example to differentiate physical activity from exercise (fitness) is taking the stairs instead of elevators or washing clothes manually instead of washing machines. In contrast, your fitness or exercise program should be a daily routine in which you will be encouraged to work on your strength, endurance, flexibility, cardiovascular fitness, agility, coordination, etc.
Behavior management: To improve our health, we also need to check our behavior. Often, being too angry, too sad, not wanting to socialize, not showing interest in work or recreational activities can also affect our health. In this case, we need to consult a counselor who can help us get out of such a situation.
Aim or objective in life: Try to find a goal in your life and work to achieve it. It is not always necessary that the goal in life is solely to make money. Different people find happiness in different types of work they do. For example, some people like to volunteer to help people in need and distress. This gives purpose to their lives, as they not only receive blessings from them, but also happiness from serving others. Introspect and discover what gives your life purpose. This will keep you mentally and physically healthy.
Medical screening: You should see your doctor at least once a year and have a basic exam. This helps in early diagnosis of diseases, if any. This also gives you the opportunity to discuss your concerns with your doctor.
Management of time: To summarize today’s topic, I would like to focus on time management. Managing your time effectively is the key to getting into the habit of practicing a healthy lifestyle. We must divide our 24 hours efficiently in order to achieve all the goals leading to a healthy life.
(The author is a certified Women’s Health Physiotherapist. She has done MBA PGDMS (London) (USA), MIAP (Member of Indian Association of Physiotherapists and Fellowship in Geriatric and Pediatric Rehabilitation)
