Primary care doctors have an important role to play in patients’ lives. Through their personalized recommendations, they can help patients reduce their risk for chronic disease and improve their overall health and well-being. In addition, they can also help patients better manage their health conditions, so that they can continue to live happy, active, and fulfilling lives.
There are ways to live a healthy life, which primary care doctors themselves also put to practice. Below you will find several of the simple yet effective tips to promote better health, which benefits anyone, including those seeking primary care treatment.
Eat a Well-Balanced Diet
Eat a diet that consists mainly of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and protein. A primary care doctor can help with meal planning to ensure you get the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients you need daily.
Exercise Regularly
Aerobic and resistance exercises are good for physical and mental health. Regular exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight, which reduces the risk of chronic diseases.
Keep Hydrated
Your body requires hydration in order to function properly. Carry a water bottle with you wherever you go and take sips from it for hydration. According to the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, men need 3.7 liters of fluids per day, while women need 2.7 liters per day — and these figures represent fluids from water.
Avoid Junk Foods
Foods are called junk if they are processed, high in calories (loaded with salt and sugar, and other additives) and contain little or no nutrients. Examples include potato chips, french fries, baked goods, ice cream, fruit juices, and more. Regular junk food consumption has been linked to serious health conditions.
Get Enough Sleep
The number of hours of sleep an individual needs can vary, and a primary care doctor can help determine the number of hours that work best for you. Generally, adults need at least six hours of sleep every night, but eight hours is better for their health. Sleep deprivation affects memory, cognition, mood, stress levels, weight, and overall health.
Manage Stress Levels
Managing stress levels is important since stress can lower immune system function, making you prone to getting sick. Being chronically stressed also increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, and metabolic disease. Learning stress management techniques such as yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises helps improve your health and mood.
Prioritize Your Mental Health
Mental health and physical health influence each other, therefore, mental health should be a priority. A healthy lifestyle, managing stress levels, spending time with people you love as well as socializing, and taking time alone with yourself to do hobbies and other activities that bring you joy all benefit mental health.
If you want to live a long and happy life, you should take steps to live a healthier life. If you need support or motivation, seeing a primary care doctor can really help you achieve your health goals. Even with a chronic disease, you can still improve your health and live an active and happy life. A primary care doctor can make personalized recommendations on how you can improve your health, and also recommend screenings and tests that help catch problems early before they become more difficult to manage.
Primary Care Doctor in Tucson, AZ
Your primary care doctor is your ally and advocates for your health and well-being. If you are looking for a primary care doctor that can help manage, treat, and prevent a range of health conditions affecting adults, choose Dr. Robert E. Lending.
Dr. Lending is an internal medicine doctor providing the highest quality primary care services to our patients. He treats patients with age-related conditions such as cardiovascular disease, arthritis, diabetes, obesity, lipid disorders, and respiratory disease and provides health screenings to catch health conditions early.
Who says healthy living cannot benefit patients with pre-existing medical conditions? Dr. Lending can help you live a happier and healthier life with his personalized recommendations. If you are being treated for an illness or chronic health condition, tips for healthy living will need to be further customized, as there may be changes to help get you to optimal health.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Lending, call our clinic today at (520) 795-4291 or use our convenient appointment request form.
