Mind Your Body

Jill was feeling sluggish and tired all the time. She had been trying to eat healthy and exercise, but it wasn't really making a difference. That's when she heard about the seminar presented by St. Luke's University Health Network on how to improve overall health. She decided to check it out.

When she arrived at the seminar she was greeted by the presenter who began with a simple statement, “In the world we live in today, we hear a lot of advice on what it takes to stay healthy but maintaining or improving your health does not happen through some magic pill. Did you know that what you do or don’t do on a regular basis has a huge impact on your overall health?”

The presenter then went on to explain that 80% of chronic health conditions such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease can be prevented by following five simple steps. The first step was to maintain a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI). Keeping a healthy weight reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, gall bladder disease, diabetes, and other chronic diseases. Additionally, people who are overweight have more complications from illness than people who are in a healthy weight range, so it's best to keep your BMI within the range of eighteen point five to twenty four point nine for optimal health.

Jill was surprised to hear how simple it was to improve her health. She left the seminar feeling inspired and determined to make some changes in her lifestyle. She was determined to get her BMI within a healthy range and take control of her overall health. From that day forward, she made sure to eat healthy, exercise, and get enough sleep. She also started taking vitamins to ensure that she was getting all of the nutrients she needed.

In no time, Jill began to feel the difference. She had more energy, felt better overall, and even lost some weight. She was thankful that she had gone to the seminar and was determined to stick with her new healthy lifestyle.

things you can do for your health it's not only important to eat your fruits and veggies but also to choose the right types of foods to maximize your health benefits try to avoid processed and sugary foods instead of reaching for a candy bar reach for an apple

Jill was determined to lead a healthier lifestyle and was on her second step of her health journey; avoiding tobacco in this day and age seemed like a no-brainer. Over 200 million Americans had already chosen a smoke-free lifestyle, but Jill wanted to make sure she was one of them. She was proud of herself for making the decision to stay away from tobacco, but she also knew to avoid secondhand smoke as well, since this was known to cause cancer.

If Jill had smoked or used other forms of tobacco in the past, she knew it was never too late to quit. She looked up the video titled 'How to Quit Smoking' in the description below and watched it to get some tips on how to do so.

Feeling motivated after her success in step two, Jill moved on to step three; move, move, move! She was surprised to learn that 60% of American adults didn't get enough regular physical activity and realized that she was one of them. She knew that even just thirty minutes of moderate intensity activity five days a week could significantly reduce her risk of many chronic diseases. She decided to start small; she took a walk for thirty minutes a day and gradually increased her exercise over time to benefit even further.

For step four, Jill ate her fruits and vegetables. Eating the right foods was a struggle for her, but she knew that eating five or more servings of fruits and veggies a day was probably one of the best things she could do for her health. She tried her best to avoid processed and sugary foods and instead of reaching for a candy bar, she reached for an apple.

Jill was proud of herself for completing the four steps and knew she was on her way to a healthier lifestyle.