“Don’t wait until you're sick”
Illnesses do not come upon us out of the blue. They are developed from small daily sins against nature. When enough sins have accumulated, illnesses will suddenly appear. ~Hippocrates’
There are grave truths behind Hippocrates’ quote and the majority never hear or think about them until it’s too late.
While going over one of my client’s nutritional meal plan this week, she was disappointed to see that I had not “given” her a smiley face since bootcamp had started. For those not in the know, a smiley face means a person is eating balanced meals and healthy snacks, every 3 hours, hydrating appropriately for their weight and getting enough sleep. She didn’t feel that NOT eating breakfast daily or meals that lack vegetables or protein was a problem. Additionally, she failed to see that Doritos, cookies and fast food often were a detriment to her overall health. Her next remark shook me to my core, as a personal trainer and nurse, and prompted this week’s blog. She stated, “I guess I’m not concerned about eating healthy because I don’t have any health issues”.
We as humans tend to take care all the things around us before thinking of our own health. Most people know they need to get their car’s oil changed and replace their furnace’s air filter routinely to keep those systems healthy and running smoothly, yet many don’t take that same approach to their health. Some tend to put off medical visits unless they feel seriously sick. The “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality may work in many facets of life, but not for your overall health.
Regular checkups and screenings with a trusted primary care physician can establish a comprehensive and objective picture of your overall health. Mammograms, colonoscopies, pap tests and immunizations may take place or be ordered as a result of regular checkups. Research backs up the effectiveness of these system checks, which is why we are told to get them regularly and not wait until it’s too late.
Humans as a species have not changed since the beginning of time. We are all born with the same organs, heart, lungs etc., but our environment has changed dramatically. Fast Food restaurants, frozen meals and microwaves make for quick, convenient unhealthy meals. Online shopping makes it opportune to not even leave your home, missing out on the built in exercise of walking around a grocery store or mall. We are even becoming lazier at home. A Saturday morning cleaning used to burn so many calories. With motorized vacuums, wet jets to clean the floor, apps that have others do your chores, these things contribute to our overall lack of activity.
We are so much more social now that we often forget to plan time for fitness or health. I love the saying when you fail to plan you plan to fail! Preventive care is planning for a healthy you. A healthy and fit you becomes the goal. Preventive care can help you avoid potentially serious health conditions and encourages early detection which leads to earlier treatment for life altering conditions. If it’s been more than a year since you’ve seen a doctor other than being sick, consider making an appointment today. If you are not working out regular think about joining Tadda’s Fitness where we plan your meals and fitness for you, all you have to do is show up. No Mess
