Our health forms the foundation upon which pretty much everything else in our lives rests. The convenience provided in modern life makes it easier than ever to prioritise pretty much everything else, and we often take our health for granted. However, it’s essential to understand some simple ways that we can all stay healthy.

Improving our health benefits us in the long run. It’s up to each of us as individuals to actively include things in our lifestyle that keep us fit and well. This post features a few accessible ideas to help get started.

Of course, there are several different things that we can try, and people react differently to things depending on their unique body. So please do be mindful of this. Also a quick disclaimer:

**The information below is intended for informational purpose only. I’m not a doctor or health professional, and this isn’t a substitute for advice, diagnosis or treatment from a trained and qualified professional. Reliance on any information provided on rachaelhope.co.uk is solely at your own risk.**

Now that the formalities are over, let’s crack on!

Eat Well

Ok, so no surprises here. It’s a technique as old as time, and it doesn’t involve any magic potions or quick fixes. One of the best ways to protect your health is to eat as well as you can. We’re not saying that you can’t treat yourself every once in a while, of course, you can! We should enjoy life after all, but that doesn’t mean that you should be filling your body with processed fats and sugars all the time.

If you do this, it will be reflected in how you’re feeling and the amount of energy you have. You could end up clogging up your arteries and putting yourself at risk for things like type 2 diabetes. It’s a lot easier than you probably think to control your diet. All you’ve got to do is make sure you’re getting enough vegetables and everything else you need.

Certain foods contain different vitamins and minerals which are essential to the body being able to function correctly. If your body ends up lacking in one of these, it will let you know in several different ways, sometimes by causing severe problems with your health.

Exercise More

How often do you exercise right now? The answer is probably not enough, and it’s easy to blame this on leading a busy lifestyle. The reality though, is that there is always time for exercise — even if it means that you have to do a work out at home. There is nothing wrong with at-home workouts, so don’t feel discouraged if you can’t get to the gym. I actually feel more comfortable exercising at home.

If you’re not a gym lover, then that’s fine. If you’re not someone who enjoys exercise at all, that’s still fine, but that doesn’t mean you should avoid it. Even if you’re going swimming a couple of times per week or going for a walk, that is enough to get your blood pumping. Exercise has many benefits for your health, including keeping you fit and protecting your mental health. I’m not an exercise fiend, that being said, I try to go for a walk most days, and practice yoga every day.

Take Care of Chronic Illness

This one is for my fellow chronic illness warriors! Chronic illness has become increasingly common, and while it might not be possible to find a cure-all solution, there are likely things that can be done to manage it. Often with chronic pain, you get flare-ups. Over the years, I have found that understanding my triggers helps lower the likelihood of having a flare.

When these flare-ups happen, see if there is anything out of the ordinary that you have eaten or done or experienced and this might tell you how you can protect yourself on some level from experiencing them. Stress is a massive trigger for me, so I practice yoga regularly. There are even specific workouts (for FREE) on YouTube just for chronic illness warriors.

Although sometimes there is no rhyme or reason for a flare, it just happens. It might also be the case that heading to the doctor can get you the help you need. Sometimes medication is the best way to manage a chronic condition, but it’s all about trial and error.

Always Get Checked Out

It would be best if you always were getting checked out by professionals in all areas of your health. Of course, you don’t need to go once per week or anything; it’s usually six months for things like the dentist and the doctor. This ensures that you are still in the best possible health and that there are no underlying, dangerous issues. If there is a problem, it can be caught early and treated before it gets any worse. Taking action will protect you in the long run, so make sure you’re booking the appointments when you need them.

Yep, it can be scary, and the idea of there being an issue with your health isn’t great, but it’s better to know and be able to act than do nothing. It might be hard now, but you will feel better about it once you’ve been.

Managing Stressful Situations

If you are constantly stressed out, it can affect your overall health negatively. You might experience symptoms such as high blood pressure, headaches, and chest pains. You might also find it difficult to eat well and sleep soundly at night. To counter this, it would be best to identify the root cause of stressful situations. Meaning you can work to build resilience and widen your window of tolerance to these stressors.  It is not the stress that causes the damage, more our reaction to it.

For most people, stress is normally triggered by certain situations that happen in their lives. Such as, being in a situation that puts you under pressure. It can also be caused by a dramatic change that happens in your life. Another thing that leads to stress is failing to achieve certain goals in life. Failing to cover living expenses can also lead to stress. Losing valuable items such as a car, home, business or education scholarship can also lead to stress. Practice self-regulatory exercises like mindfulness, breathing, and yoga to build a tolerance to everyday stressors. And put practical measures in place in case of disaster.

The more support boxes we can tick, the more our brains feel supported and thus better adept at managing stress responses when they arise. Consider one sure insurance to protect your home, vehicle and business against loss and specific damages, and build up your support network. The best way to avoid stressful situations is by preparing for the worst and finding solutions throughout your life.

Don’t Forget About Your Eyes and Ears

Our eyes and ears often go unforgotten unless we have apparent symptoms. Your sight and your hearing health are just as important as any other part of the body. For example, if you go for an eye test because you’ve been having many headaches or don’t see the same way you used to, you’re going to need to invest in high-quality glasses. You don’t want frames that are just going to break over and over again. You’ve also got to ensure that you are getting your eyes tested every couple of years to make sure that you’ve still got the right lenses and your sight hasn’t deteriorated further.

Your hearing health is another thing that needs to be taken seriously. At some point in our lives, we are likely to experience some level of hearing loss. However, there are things that you can do to prevent it for as long as possible. Head to an audiologist, get a hearing test if you think you need one. If not, look at all your options as to how you can avoid losing your hearing prematurely.

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I hope you have found this article helpful and now see some everyday things you can do to protect your health. Please let me know what you think or have any more suggestions in the comments below.