9 Health Habits

One day I was wandering around on google and I saw this list of habits. I read it and enjoyed the simplicity of it. As I was reading the article, I felt that we all have healthier habits than we realized. We just need to be reminded of them.

My health focus is not traditional by any means. I believe the body can heal itself if given a chance. I also believe it can remain healthy if given a chance. The healing must begin before the maintaining. If surgery, medication or therapy are required do it. But, once you are fixed, find a way that works for you to keep your body healthy. In other words, take control of your own health.

I put very little thought into being healthy, I think it is because I feel healthy. I don't have aches and pains or any chronic issues. I believe because of that I put little effort into making sure I stay that way. I really am blessed; I watch how people suffer and continue to push forward in life. I came from a community that works hard and plays hard. That has influenced many, especially men, some of them are a wee crippled up from it. 

So here is the list of 9 health habits that I felt were basic and required very little effort.  

1. Wake up at the same time every day. 

I believe this is a suggestion for the people that can sleep in or need an alarm to wake up. As we age, we develop a time we wake up and can't seem to sleep past it. As you have read dozens of times, I am an early riser and I enjoy that. I am also a coffee drinker, and I couldn't be in a better space than in the morning. The coffee, housecoat and computer never gets old in my world. 

2. Clear your head and have a plan. 

I have a dear friend that taught me the importance of having a plan. She always has a plan and when her and hubby travel, every morning they develop a plan for the day. I am a great planner and for most of my working life, I could plan all night long. I wake up frequently, and when I do, I think, "what do I have to do today". While I am supposed to be sleeping, I am frequently reminding myself of my day's activities. Something that has helped me is every night I make a list of 3 things I will accomplish the next day. I found that not only did I complete the 3 tasks, but it helped me to focus and remain focused. Oh, you can bet I take "time outs" for the process, and those days are useless. 

3. Wear a tracker. 

You have already met my Fitbit. It is a tough little sucker as it endured the washing machine, and it just keeps on tracking. When I got the tracker, I thought that it would encourage me to take more steps each day and also be a great way to track how pitiful I slept. Well, actually what I found out was I am lazier than I thought, and sleep better than I realized. It has had zero effect on increasing my steps. Now, I make fun of how few steps I can actually have in a day and I have the feeling of being overjoyed when I go above 5,000 steps. The novelty of having a Fitbit has defiantly worn off, it's basic use now is as a watch.  

4. Get fresh air and sunshine. 

During Covid I went outside every day. I felt that was a healthy thing to do for my mental and physical being. I have decided I am going back to that activity. I found if I go somewhere peaceful, like a river or body of water/ice, I become calmer. I come away from just those few minutes in nature with a different frame of mind.  

5. Exercise. 

Well, look at that, exercise made the list of having a good habit. I admire those people who make it an important part of their day to exercise. They admit they just don't feel right until they do their exercise routine. I remember a long time ago now, when I would walk on the treadmill. I would painfully watch the clock on it until the blessed 20 minutes was up, so I could finally get off. There is not an exercise on earth that I lose myself in time. I have never, ever said, "did that time ever fly by". 

6. Drink tea rather than coffee.

I think the secret here is to have a "teatime". I remember growing up, my parents would end the meal with a cup of tea. The adults sat around and drank tea at the end of the meal and talked. Yes, they interacted with each other and probably talked about life. They would never have realized the health benefits that they were getting from the Red Rose tea. 

7. Have a protein breakfast. 

I find myself saying, "protein is important, especially as we age". I love breakfast food and I am like my mom in that I can eat breakfast food all day. Cereal for supper is not a bad thing. I enjoy making a big breakfast for others and I have several recipes for brunch food. At the start of my day, I enjoy making a breakfast plate that covers all of the food groups. It usually means eggs for protein, toast or muffin for carbs and oils. Fruit is often in a bowl of yogurt, targeting fruits and vegetable category as well as dairy from the yogurt. I have taken a liking to the cheese sticks which fall under the category of dairy and protein. I wake up hungry for breakfast and I am one of those people that can eat as soon as I get up.  

8. Drink a glass of water. 

There are defiantly health benefits to drinking a glass of water the first thing every morning. A doctor told Mom to drink a glass of water to start her day. He said it would make her feel better. I have a bit of a new routine where I drink a glass of water as my coffee is brewing.   

9. Take appropriate supplements. 

I think the key word here is appropriate. That means to me, take what your body needs. It is not a one size fits all. Where do you start and stop with supplements? I'm not a big supplement person. I think it is because I forget to take the ones I have, why add more. I have spent money on vitamins and supplements and never opened them. I guess my body is not craving them. But that is just me. Once again, I feel good without them, so why use them. 

I remember when herbal medication, as they were called, hit the market. Previously, everyone ate off the land and raised animals for meat. Three square meals and two snacks covered not only the food groups, but the necessary vitamins and minerals. The world changed when herbal medications were on the market to help someone feel better. I was working in health care at the time, and I watched as many people embraced them. We were suddenly seeing that the herbal supplements were influencing the effects of prescription drugs. It became practice to ask what prescription and herbal medications they took. There were some startling interactions to say the least.  Over time, I don't think it is as big of a problem as it was then. I must admit, I am intrigued when I see people take a handful of vitamins and supplements. I admire their knowledge of what they are taking, and what their bodies are deficient in.  

So, this ends the list of health habits. I realize I have some clear winners and some clear losers. I feel I have bits of all of them. We all know which of our health habits suck, don't feel guilty about that. Life is way too short to feel guilty because you don't exercise, for example. The only problem I have is when people complain about a health issue and are doing nothing to fix it. In my world, nearly everything can be fixed.  Some people like to share everything about their health issues, others are silent sufferers and lastly, there are people like me who truly don't understand what it is like to endure poor health. Like my Dad would say, "takes all kinds".