Healthier You in 2022
12/27/2021
WILKES-BARRE (December, 2021) - Start the new year right by committing to you in 2022. Simple actions can make a big impact on your health over time. Michael Brown, M.D., a family medicine provider with Commonwealth Health Physician Network, shares a few to consider this year.
Connect with others. Spend time with friends, family and those you care about. You’ll benefit your mental well-being and your physical health. Studies show that people who have close friends and family are healthier and live much longer than those who do not.
Get your ZZZs. Set a consistent bed time and wake-up schedule to ensure you get at least seven hours of sleep each night. Poor sleep can drive insulin resistance, disrupt your appetite hormones, and reduce your physical and mental performance. It is also one of the strongest risk factors for weight gain and obesity.
“Sleep is a necessary human function – it helps us recover from everything that drives stress during the day,” says Michael Brown, M.D, family medicine. “When we are well-rested, we have more energy and are able to think clearer and better cope with stress. Lack of sleep, on the other hand, reduces energy and diminishes mental clarity, which can lead to an increase in stress levels.”
Minimize stress. Practice mindful breathing or meditation to bring moments of calm to your day. Stress has a negative effect on your health, affecting blood sugar levels, food choices, susceptibility to sickness, weight, fat distribution, and more. Books, podcasts or apps can teach you how to start a meditation practice.
Move more. Walk 30 minutes a day, five days a week and do muscle strengthening, like carrying groceries, at least two days a week. Walk with a partner for social connection and accountability. Movement can help you prevent, delay and manage chronic diseases, improve balance and stamina, reduce the risk of falls and improve your brain health.
Go outside. Walk around the yard. Work in the garden. Hike in the woods. Spending time in nature gives the benefit of vitamin D from the sun and helps with depression, exercise and even creativity.
Eat a rainbow. Colorful whole fruits and vegetables look great, are naturally more filling and better for you overall. A balanced diet with appropriate portions of produce, whole grains, lean meats and low-fat or fat-free dairy products helps prevent, delay and manage heart disease, type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases.
“The first step to adopting a healthier lifestyle, is to identify any unhealthy habits - then replace them with healthier ones such as eating a balanced diet or making an effort to schedule regular physical exams,” said Brown, family medicine . “Healthy habits such as this can help reduce the risk of developing serious health problems like obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.”
Visit your doctor. Go ahead and schedule your primary care physician and any specialists such as allergist, dermatologist, orthopedist or cardiologist. Put screenings on the calendar too, such as prostate exam, mammogram, bone density, and colonoscopy. Regular visits and screenings help you keep your health on track – identifying risk factors or issues early and managing chronic conditions like diabetes, cholesterol or blood pressure.
To find a primary care physician, call 1-800-838-WELL or visit cwhphysiciannetwork.net to be connected with one of Commonwealth Health Physician Network’s qualified primary care physicians. Most major insurance plans are accepted, including Geisinger Health Plan.
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