Easy Steps You Can Take for a Lifelong Journey Toward Better Health

Personal health and wellbeing is just that — personal. Your plan to achieve better health is influenced by your goals, lifestyle, family, genetics and medical team. It’s important to tailor your roadmap to your needs, but there are some key things you can do to contribute to a healthy life.

Here are five tips for a lifelong journey toward better health:

1. Create a plan.

Like any big undertaking, it’s important to have a roadmap to help guide you. List your health goals, such as lose weight, lower blood pressure, run a marathon, or be able to keep up with the grandkids. Then work with your primary healthcare provider to establish steps you can take to get there.

2. Exercise!

Speaking of running a marathon or keeping up with those grandkids, getting your heart rate up at least 30 minutes a day is one of the main ways you can maintain lifelong health. And it’s not just important for heart health; exercise can clear your mind and increase endorphins, which benefit your mental health as well.

3. Get plenty of sleep.

Consider a solid night’s sleep your mind’s equivalent of a deep clean. Quality sleep is elemental to reducing stress, increasing mental acuity and a stronger immune system.

4. Eat a healthy, balanced diet.

With all of the fads and diet trends out there, it’s easy to get overwhelmed or abandon healthy eating entirely, but nourishing your health with a well-considered, balanced meal plan is imperative to long-term health, including diabetes prevention. Don’t hesitate to talk to a professional nutritionist or your healthcare provider to learn more about what healthy eating means to you. Aspen Valley Hospital also provides Dietitian Demos that are an excellent place to start your healthy eating education.

5. Understand your daily medications.

Whether it’s a multivitamin, allergy pill or suite of medications you rely on for your health, it’s important to understand what each one does, its potential side effects and how medications interact — or don’t — with each other. Work with your primary care provider to better understand medications and their alternatives when applicable.

Aspen Valley Hospital is your partner in your journey to lifelong health and wellbeing. We offer classes, events and workshops to help educate and empower our community members in reaching their personal health goals. Learn more about the Hospital’s many wellness tools.