In the last article we discussed ways to love yourself with a healthy lifestyle, In this session we will explore three more ways to achieve this goal.
1. Embark on a moderate to high-intensity exercise regimen.
Each week, we suggest adults should get at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75-150 minutes of high-intensity exercise. While children exercise at least one hour every day of moderate to high-intensity exercise.
Starting slow and working your way up to a regular routine increasing consistency. Consider an exercise buddy to help keep you accountable.
Moderate exercises include walking briskly, which helps increase your heart rate and breathing. While high-intensity exercise, such as jogging or running, your heart beats much faster, and you sweat more profusely.
In addition to this, we advocate muscle-strengthening activities two or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms). These activities could include lifting weights and resistance training.
People who use digital fitness trackers are in a position to track their exercise, sleep, intake and hydration and even their menstrual periods in women. Investing in similar lifestyle modification supports is a great way to motivate and encourage as well as keep track of fitness and lifestyle goals.
Improved physical fitness with weight management reduces obesity, which is a risk factor for several cancers including breast cancer, colorectal cancer.
2. Drink water
The human body consists mostly of water and water is vital for our continued good health. Consuming at least eight 8 ounces glasses of water every day helps your brain performance. This equates to a minimum of 2 litres of water daily. Dehydration triggers headaches and staying hydrated is an important way for people with frequent headaches to reduce them or ward them off altogether. Water is also important to flush food through our digestive system, protecting against constipation, and through our kidneys. Water improves satiety, especially when taken half an hour before a meal, as it helps reduce caloric intake.
Water improves performance with exercise: staying hydrated allows our muscles to perform optimally; conversely not getting enough increases fatigue and affects temperature control. Water is also important for skin health, improving skin moisture and density, and reducing premature signs of ageing.
3. Adopt a safe skincare regimen
Skincare is an important part of self-love. Our skin is our largest organ and the body’s first line of defence against physical, chemical and microbiological agents. Your skin represents you, and the glow of healthy skin comes from doing the right thing with your body. Some of these include eating healthy, getting adequate sleep, drinking lots of water, and then caring for the skin like applying sunscreen and using moisturizer.
An effective skincare regimen includes bathing with mild soap and water, not antiseptic soap, using a soft sponge to wash your body, applying moisturizer immediately after the bath. It is important to avoid creams and lotions with the descriptive terminology brightening, lightening, whitening and glowing.
To prevent skin damage and skin cancer reduce ultraviolet radiation from direct sunlight exposure. To achieve this, wear a hat outside, wear sunglasses when walking or working outside, and use sunscreen. Yes! You heard me right! Sunscreen is not only for “Oyinbos”. It is for everyone to protect their skin from damage by ultraviolet radiation. Sunburn can increase your risk of skin cancer including melanoma.
People with many, irregular or large moles, those who have freckles or fair skin or light brown hair are also more likely to develop skin cancer.
UV rays are strongest between 10 am and 4 pm, and during this time especially you must stay out of the sun but if you must be in the sun, the use of sunscreen is important.
If you develop a skin condition or notice a suspicious rash or discolouration on your skin. A mole begins to bleed, or itch or you develop a skin condition, rather than buy over-the-counter (OTC) creams and medications, you should seek the help of your primary care doctor.
Make an appointment to see the doctor at Ingress Health Partners, where we are happy to examine you and ensure that you get the care you need for your skin and body. We can also refer you to a specialist as needed. Make an appointment to see us today!