Sensible health tips for 2018 that help lower risk of diseases
Q: At the start of each year, I resolve to get healthier. By April, however, my resolutions have collapsed. How might I succeed this year? A: “Don’t get too complicated with your resolutions. Commit to a health-improvement plan you’re more inclined to stay with,” says Stephen Thomas, M.D., a board-certified Family Medicine physician at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic.
To help reduce your risk of developing health-snatching conditions such as heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and certain forms of cancer, Dr. Thomas offers lifestyle resolutions you’re likely to stay with: • Walk 30 minutes a day most days
of the week. • Eat a diet that’s high in fiber but low in saturated fats, such as fresh fruits, leafy green vegetables, and whole-grain cereals. • Drink six to eight glasses of fluids –
preferably water – each day. • Catch your zzz’s. Most adults need about seven hours of sleep each night. Besides being vital to our health, adequate sleep helps boost alertness and decreases your chances of causing a traffic accident. • Use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher on exposed skin. • Quit using any form of tobacco. • Choose a primary care physician. You’ll be more likely to have your cholesterol checked, get tested for diabetes, and have recommended preventive health screenings to help catch diseases in the early stages when they are more curable.
“Consider starting the year by scheduling a physical exam and discussing your health goals for 2018,” advises Dr. Thomas, who welcomes new patients at Kelsey-Seybold’s Spring Medical and Diagnostic Center.