Whether you like Obamacare or not, it’s hard to deny that one of the foundations of the new healthcare plan is that preventative health care is emphasized.  Everyone knows that staying healthy is easier and cheaper than trying to manage health issues after they’ve already developed.  If you are thinking of making the move towards a healthier lifestyle, but aren’t sure what to do, here are a few easy ways to start:

*Have an electronics-free time.  Schedule 30 minutes to an hour every day where you turn off the television and electronic games and do something with your family or friends.  You can take a walk, play a card game or simply sit around and talk about your day.  It really doesn’t matter, so long as you’re interacting in a positive manner with people who are meaningful in your life.  This time is so important because it helps contribute to better relations, daily happiness and an attitude of gratitude.

*Look at ingredients.  It is so easy to stop at the store and grab something in a box for dinner.  But – have you really looked at the ingredient list in some of these mass-produced items?  They can contain preservatives, additives, high-fructose corn syrup, and chemicals designed to enhance flavor and color.  Research now shows that many of these non-natural ingredients may contribute to obesity and even aggravate disorders such as ADHD and autism.  The easiest thing to do is to start cutting out food products that contain ingredients you can’t pronounce.

*Replace with fruits and vegetables.  As you start cutting out these mass-produced items, you’ll need to start replacing them with something.  Start adding in more fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables in its place. Even several small substitutions can make a huge difference over the long run.  One example is to quit drinking diet soda for dinner and replace it with some carbonated water mixed with a little frozen fruit juice.  The taste is a little different but the health benefits are invaluable and you will soon get used to the taste to the point where diet soda starts to taste “funny”.

*Clean up your environment.  Many people don’t realize that their environment can cause health issues.  Houses that contain lots of dust or clutter can contribute to asthma or breathing issues.  Houses with a rodent or bug problem can exacerbate allergies and asthma.  It’s important to make sure that where you’re living and spending your time is clean of dust, pet dander and bugs.

*Move.  Our bodies are designed to move.  There’s no doubt about it. Yet, it’s sometimes hard to add physical activity into our daily life. We sit at a computer all day.  We sit in the car as we drive home and we sit at night watching TV. This level of inactivity is simply not good for us.  Even walking for as little as 30 minutes per day can be healthy for our heart, our circulatory system and even our emotional well-being.  If you live a sedentary life, it’s time to start adding some daily movement.

If you don’t feel you’re very healthy, it is tough sometimes to get started on a good health journey. But please remember that even making one small change can make the biggest difference over the long run. And before you know it, one small change can become two or three or four or more. You can do it!

Great health is a journey – not a destination!

In today’s world, diabetes is a health crisis.  And it’s becoming worse.  The fact is that diabetes affects 25.8 million Americans, with 7 million not even knowing that have this killer disease[1].  An astounding 79 million Americans have pre-diabetes. Pre-diabetes means that the person’s blood glucose level is higher than normal, but not enough to be diagnosed as diabetic.  Diabetes is the 7^th leading cause of death in the US and the cost of treatment for diabetes run about $175 billion dollars per year.

When diabetes is diagnosed early, the chance of successful management of the disorder is very high.  When it’s diagnosed in the pre-diabetic stage, people could actually make enough changes to completely stop the advancement of the disorder!  Diabetes does not have to be a killing disease.

There are risk factors for type 2 diabetes.  These include being obese, having a body style where fat is stored in the abdomen, being physically inactive, having a family history of diabetes, being over age 45 or being African-American, Hispanic, American Indian or Asian American.  Even if you do not have one or more of the common risk factors for type 2 diabetes, you can still become diabetic.

Some early warning signs of diabetes include:

1. Urinating often
2. Feeling thirsty often
3. Blurry vision
4. Cuts or bruises that take a long time to heal
5. Tingling or numbness in the hands
6. Tingling or numbness in the feet
7. Dry mouth
8. Fatigue or being irritable
9. Headaches
10. Losing weight without trying
11. Experiencing recurring skin or gum infections
12. Having patches of darker skin

If you have some of these symptoms or if you have risk factors for type 2 diabetes, it’s best to make a doctor appointment.  He can do a simple blood sugar test, which will allow you to know whether your blood sugar level is too high.

If you find that your blood sugar level is too high or if you’re diagnosed with diabetes, it’s best to start making changes.  You will need to make dietary changes as well as changes to your physical activity level.  The highest risk factor for type 2 diabetes is being overweight, so reducing your weight can provide the most benefit.

[1]All facts pulled from: http://ndep.nih.gov/diabetes-facts/

Sunshine clinic is a walk in medical clinic located in Rockledge, Florida.