While browsing through a small store last month, I came across this amusing sign.
Of course, because death is inevitable, the exact opposite is also true:
Eat Junk & Be Sedentary
Die Anyway...
Of course, because death is inevitable, the exact opposite is also true:
Eat Junk & Be Sedentary
Die Anyway...
The sign made me think of the people I’ve encountered throughout my life who’ve resigned themselves to living in poor health because they attribute their fate to bad genes. They’ll say “Almost everyone in my family has [fill in the blank: heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.], so what’s the point of trying to be healthy when the odds are stacked against me?"
It’s true that genetics play an important role in your health.* Some sources attribute about 1/3 of health outcomes to something you can’t control – the genetic endowment you received from your parents. Another 1/3 can be attributed to your environment, which is something you may be able modify only after childhood.
Do you live in an area with sidewalks that make walking easier? Is your pantry and refrigerator stocked with healthy foods? These environmental influences are powerful because they lead us to make healthier choices with less thought and effort. The right environment could help make active living and healthy eating behaviors become the social norm.
The final 1/3 of health outcomes are related to behaviors within your control. Of the many tips to take charge of your health, the three most important things you can do to improve your health and prevent disease are:
1. Not smoking
2. Healthy eating
3. Regular physical activity
Beyond disease prevention, I engage in these behaviors because they make me feel better and give me more energy today, not just decades from now. And the healthy behaviors don’t involve drudgery. I eat healthy foods that taste good and I engage in enjoyable physical activities. Walking, swimming, biking, and kayaking top the list of my favorite activities right now. How about you? What activities did you love to do as a child and what's holding you back from doing them now?
Although it may not be possible for everyone to achieve excellent health or an ideal weight, we can all strive to engage in healthy behaviors that will energize us today. When moving toward healthy sustainable behaviors, taking that very first step is usually the most challenging. Surround yourself with positive environmental cues to make those healthy choices easier.
It’s true that genetics play an important role in your health.* Some sources attribute about 1/3 of health outcomes to something you can’t control – the genetic endowment you received from your parents. Another 1/3 can be attributed to your environment, which is something you may be able modify only after childhood.
Do you live in an area with sidewalks that make walking easier? Is your pantry and refrigerator stocked with healthy foods? These environmental influences are powerful because they lead us to make healthier choices with less thought and effort. The right environment could help make active living and healthy eating behaviors become the social norm.
The final 1/3 of health outcomes are related to behaviors within your control. Of the many tips to take charge of your health, the three most important things you can do to improve your health and prevent disease are:
1. Not smoking
2. Healthy eating
3. Regular physical activity
Beyond disease prevention, I engage in these behaviors because they make me feel better and give me more energy today, not just decades from now. And the healthy behaviors don’t involve drudgery. I eat healthy foods that taste good and I engage in enjoyable physical activities. Walking, swimming, biking, and kayaking top the list of my favorite activities right now. How about you? What activities did you love to do as a child and what's holding you back from doing them now?
Although it may not be possible for everyone to achieve excellent health or an ideal weight, we can all strive to engage in healthy behaviors that will energize us today. When moving toward healthy sustainable behaviors, taking that very first step is usually the most challenging. Surround yourself with positive environmental cues to make those healthy choices easier.
Be Well,
Mary
*NOTE: Each step up the U.S. socioeconomic ladder provides greater opportunity for people to engage in health promoting behaviors and avoid health damaging ones. Reaching for a Healthier Life: Facts on Socioeconomic Status and Health in the U.S. describes this social gradient of health.
June 2013 Update: New research found that four lifestyle changes protect against early signs of vascular disease, coronary heart disease, and early death from all causes by 80 percent over an eight-year period. The four lifestyle behaviors include:
1. regular physical activity
2. eating a Mediterranean-style diet
3. keeping a healthy weight
4. not smoking
The most important factor is not smoking. Regular physical activity and healthy eating will certainly help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight. After not smoking if you focus on active living and healthy eating, keeping a healthy weight will happen.
P.S. Please ignore the text box below; your comments are always welcome here.
Mary
*NOTE: Each step up the U.S. socioeconomic ladder provides greater opportunity for people to engage in health promoting behaviors and avoid health damaging ones. Reaching for a Healthier Life: Facts on Socioeconomic Status and Health in the U.S. describes this social gradient of health.
June 2013 Update: New research found that four lifestyle changes protect against early signs of vascular disease, coronary heart disease, and early death from all causes by 80 percent over an eight-year period. The four lifestyle behaviors include:
1. regular physical activity
2. eating a Mediterranean-style diet
3. keeping a healthy weight
4. not smoking
The most important factor is not smoking. Regular physical activity and healthy eating will certainly help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight. After not smoking if you focus on active living and healthy eating, keeping a healthy weight will happen.
P.S. Please ignore the text box below; your comments are always welcome here.
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