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Sunday, September 19, 2010

From USA Weekend: If you only remember 5 things for good health

I read this a few minutes ago and wanted to share.

You can find the article on the USA Weekend site HERE.



If you remember only 5
things for good health...

In his last column, Dr. Tedd sums up his
philosophy

Dr. Tedd Mitchell • 9/19/10

After 12 years, this will be my last column for USA
WEEKEND Magazine. It has been tremendously
rewarding to be able to provide helpful hints on
health. I'd like to leave you with a few of my
thoughts on maintaining good health. Given all the
uncertainties the national health care debate has
brought, it makes even more sense to make personal
health maintenance a high priority. So here are
some tips to remember:

Health is your responsibility. It is not the doctor's
job, the hospital's job, your spouse's job or the
government's job to keep you healthy — it's up to
you. We suffer from chronic diseases that are too
often the result of poor habits. The choices you
make today usually determine the health you have
tomorrow.

Stay active. If you're looking for the fountain of
youth, look no further than that pair of sneakers in
your closet. A daily “dose” of 30 minutes of
moderately intense exercise will go a long way
toward keeping you healthy as you age.

You are what you eat. Diets high in saturated fats
and refined sugars provide lots of calories and little
nutrition. Imagine your plate in four quadrants;
three of them should be filled with colorful fruits
and vegetables. This is a simple but very important
image to maintain whether you're at home or eating
out.

Stop smoking. Smoking is the greatest modifiable
health risk facing our nation. For people who want
to try to kick the habit on their own, stop-smoking
aids are available at the local pharmacy. For those
who need an extra push, professional help can be
found with the help of your local doctor. However
you do it, live smoke-free.

Keep a healthy emotional outlook. Life has ups and
downs for all of us, but how we react to adversity
influences not only our own psychological health
but also the quality of life of those who live and
work with us. It's like Grandma Moses said: “Life
is what we make it — always has been, always will
be.”

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