Doctor's Advice: Stay Healthy This Summer
By James McGuinness, M.D., Medical Director Emeritus
August celebrates National Wellness Month which focuses on healthy eating, self-care, stress management, and creating healthy routines. If you have been procrastinating about improving your health, start now during National Wellness Month.
How can we achieve wellness? We should implement healthy routines for our body and our mind. Plan your week by staying hydrated, shopping for healthy foods, cooking healthy meals, exercising, and having a positive mental attitude. Shop the perimeter inside your grocery store. Look for produce, dairy, and meats or protein. Stay out of the aisles which contain sweets, cookies, chips, etc. Try to balance your meals with vegetables, protein and whole grain carbohydrates. Try exercising every day and walk at lunch time. Your self-care should include stress management. We can try to do this by keeping a positive mental attitude. Try meditating for ten to fifteen minutes a day. It will calm your mind and your heart rate. Listen to calming instrumental music while you work or lull yourself to sleep.
August 15th is National Relaxation Day. Be aware of the things your body tells you about how you feel. Be sure to tell your doctor what your body is telling you during your annual checkup. If you have any medical conditions, consider wearing a medical alert bracelet with your conditions listed on it. It could save your life.
You may want to try some of these activities to help improve your well-being. Drink plenty of water. This will give you more energy, flush toxins from your body and improve concentration. Do something new. Stretch or practice yoga, try a new bike route, exercise regularly, or volunteer (e.g., at the Parker Family Health Center). Doing something new can help improve your mental outlook and make you feel good about yourself. If something is making you feel stressed, pay attention to it and act. Take a walk, speak with a friend or family member, decide what alleviates these feelings, and give yourself the chance to slow down. Take this month dedicated to wellness as your chance to begin creating and incorporating healthy routines into your daily life. Adding one or two of these habits daily or weekly can lead to big changes over time.
Summer reminds me of playing outside until the lightning bugs came out, drinking water from a garden hose, smelling freshly cut grass, walking on the beach and smelling suntan lotion, eating hot dogs, hamburgers, and ice cream. Don’t forget to wear sun screen, insect repellent, and a hat. Stay cool. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water instead of sugary or alcoholic drinks to reduce calories and stay safe. Covid is still around, so when the situation warrants it, practice social distancing if necessary, continue proper hand washing, and wear a mask when needed.
I wish you and your family a happy and healthy summer. Make great memories and most of all have fun!
The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well.
– Hippocrates