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1. Know your numbers
Hypertension, excessive ldl cholesterol and diabetes can considerably have an effect on your threat of coronary heart illness, however they’re issues you’ll be able to management, says Ketan Trivedi, MD, heart specialist and president and medical director of the Virginia Coronary heart Middle. To try this, although, it’s good to know your readings: “Preserve monitor of your blood stress, your A1C ranges, and your levels of cholesterol.”
2. Get a squatty potty
Common bowel actions are an essential a part of a wholesome intestine, however constipation is extraordinarily widespread, says Parathi Sivasilam, MD, a gastroenterologist at Capital Digestive Care. To realize regularity, she suggests rising your water and fiber consumption — further fiber with out extra water could make issues worse — and elevating your toes when sitting on the bathroom. “Research have proven that by mimicking a squatting place, we will cut back the time required for a bowel motion, cut back stress, and enhance bowel emptying,” says Sivasilam. “To do that, merely place a stool underneath your toes. You should buy particular stools to make use of underneath the bathroom, however any footstool or field will do.”
3. Go to mattress and get up on the similar time on daily basis, even on weekends
“Make common sleep patterns a precedence,” says Jessica Riggs, MD, a sleep, pulmonary and significant care drugs doctor on the Virginia Coronary heart Middle. “Loosen up at an everyday hour, flip off digital units, and do not change course on weekends or holidays. Begin your day at a set time, expose your self to loads of gentle within the morning, and make wholesome decisions to energise your day.
4. Take a break out of your manicure and pedicure
“If you happen to get common manicures, go away your nails polish-free for per week or two,” recommends Dr. Maral Kebarian-Skelsi, director of the Middle for Dermatological Surgical procedure in Washington. “This may permit them to get well from harm brought on by gel, powder or synthetic nails. It additionally permits you to verify your nails for any modifications. Some abnormalities, akin to a brand new darkish line, ought to be examined by a dermatologist. This isn’t all the time the case, however the line New darkening is usually a signal of nail melanoma and is usually recognized after it has superior. For instance, Bob Marley died of subungual melanoma that went undiagnosed for years.
5. Rethink the best way you deal with scrapes and cuts
“All pores and skin wounds—scratches, cuts, and so forth.—heal sooner when saved moist fairly than dry,” says Dr. David Bray of the Alexandria Dermatology Society. “Crusts decelerate the wound therapeutic course of, by no means let a wound dry out and type a crust. It’s all the time finest to cowl the wound loosely with one thing like 100% pure Vaseline or pure oil and a free bandage.
6. Enhance your core energy and stability
“Having a powerful coronary heart can sluggish the degenerative modifications in our backbone that happen as we age,” says space neurosurgeon Joshua Wind. Rising core energy ought to embody your stomach and again muscular tissues, provides Nikhil Nayak, MD, vice chair of neurosurgery at VHC Well being.
7. Do not skip stretching workouts
“Stretching is a important element of fine well being,” says Colin Haynes, MD, a surgeon on the Virginia Backbone Institute. “One easy approach so as to add stretching to your routine is to comply with what I name the 5-5 rule – 5 minutes of stretching earlier than your exercise and 5 minutes after. If it is very chilly and also you’re exercising exterior, heat up indoors earlier than going exterior, and get Additionally on the settle down train.
“Take note of what you are stretching,” says William Kemp, MD, a neurosurgeon on the Virginia Backbone Institute. “Whenever you watch individuals stretch, they’re normally stretching their legs. They could be stretching their arms, too. However individuals not often bear in mind to stretch their muscular tissues and again. Nonetheless, it is That is the place the majority of accidents are available in. Our spinal muscular tissues should be versatile to assist our workouts, assist us reply rapidly, and construct endurance.
8. Swap to mineral-based sunscreen
“My favourite tip for wholesome pores and skin is every day use of a chemical-free, mineral-containing sunscreen,” says Dr. Milda Isaac of MI-Pores and skin Dermatology. “Mineral sunscreens embody titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Chemical-based sunscreens break down extra simply and go away your pores and skin much less shielded from UV rays.
9. Stroll extra
“Strolling for 20 minutes to an hour a number of occasions per week has been proven to assist with weight management and lengthen life,” says Joseph O’Brien, MD, medical director of minimally invasive orthopedic backbone surgical procedure at VHC Well being. “Our sufferers who’re 80 or older are sometimes avid walkers. It is by no means too late to start out.”
10. Stimulate your self mentally
To maintain your mind wholesome, Richard Murray, MD, director of neurosurgery at VHC Well being, suggests not solely enjoying video games and puzzles, in addition to studying new abilities, but additionally participating in common social interplay, which helps enhance temper and cognitive perform.
11. Apply vitamin C
“A skincare routine primarily based on topical antioxidants containing vitamin C, broad-spectrum sunscreen in the course of the day, and topical retinoids at night time is essential to wholesome pores and skin getting old,” says dermatologist Terrence Kenny, MD, founder and director of SkinDC.
12. Select a health exercise that you simply really get pleasure from
“Many individuals are excited to start out a brand new train program initially of the yr, however sticking to it may be very troublesome,” says Chinedu Madu, MD, a heart specialist on the Virginia Coronary heart Middle. “For train to develop into a long-term behavior, it must be one thing you sit up for. You possibly can hike, elevate weights, swim, play pickleball, rock climb, and birdwatch. If you happen to do not discover a type of train that you simply get pleasure from, be open to making an attempt new issues.
Ihssan Jezzini, a surgeon on the Virginia Backbone Institute, says he is all the time making an attempt new workouts: “Prior to now yr, I’ve tried Glow Boxing, Pure Barre, Solidcore, Orangetheory, and Spin lessons. Typically you would possibly strive one thing and by no means return. Otherwise you would possibly uncover a brand new love.” However protecting your exercises contemporary is an effective strategy to make train enjoyable.
13. Apply common rest of the thoughts and physique
One of many keys to a wholesome intestine is a peaceful thoughts. “If you happen to discover that you simply’re overthinking something, take a minute to do respiratory workouts and direct your ideas to one thing extra stress-free or productive,” says Nisha Chand, MD, of Northern Virginia Gastroenterology. “Your intestine responds to the way you work together together with your atmosphere, and stress or nervousness can result in situations like irritable bowel syndrome and might set off signs in medical situations of the intestine.”
14. Exercising exterior all yr spherical
When it is chilly within the winter, many individuals select to train indoors, says orthopedic surgeon Mark Rankin of Summit Orthopedics. However this “reduces publicity to daylight, which is important for vitamin D manufacturing.” [and] Bone well being.”
15. Be versatile together with your objectives
Along with setting small, extra real looking well being objectives for the brand new yr, Paul Silver, MD, internist at Full Concierge Care, suggests taking these objectives sooner or later at a time and adjusting them as you go. “Anticipate to fail periodically,” he says, however do not let these failures maintain you again.
This text seems within the January 2024 challenge of Washingtonian journal.