Healthy Living

By Chris Comer

Staying healthy, living well…that is all we really want, is it not? How easy would it be if life did not get in the way of all the things we would like to do for ourselves? The Healthy Living Expo of products and services sponsored by Cone Health MedCenter Kernersville may be just what you are looking for!
As an adult, “living well” can mean a lot of different things:

Diet:

Balanced meals are important. ChooseMyPlate.gov is a great place to start. Explanations of grains, fruits, vegetables, protein, and diary are all part of a balanced diet. There are so many options, even for those that have allergies, to eat balanced meals. Junk foods and fatty foods may be confusing, as they may seem like a good food choice, but be careful to read all the ingredients. Eating is something enjoyable for all. So let’s eat food that our bodies (not just taste buds) also enjoy and benefit from.

Exercising:

Some research says to exercise every day; other research says fitness should be three times a week with vigorous activity. No matter what you chose, the key to staying fit is to keep moving. A sedentary lifestyle (sitting still) is something that our bodies can get used to very quickly. Moving does not have to be strenuous or hard on your body. Options such as using the steps instead of the elevator, getting up and moving each hour if you sit for long periods of time, or taking the long way around are all great options for increasing your movement. (Parking at the empty end of the lot may be safer for your car and encourages you to get more exercise.)

Sleeping:

Everyone has ideal hours of sleep that their bodies need. What we do not realize is that you cannot make up lost sleep. If it is six hours that you need, make sure to get six hours every night no matter what. The average is 7-9 hours of sleep each day. Sometimes this is not possible, so small powernaps may be in order for the days when you did not get the full rest you desired.

Organization and Balance:

This is one area that can be very fluid. Everything is on task and working great one minute, and then next you just want to throw your hands up in the air! Learning how to properly deal with problems, challenges, or hurdles is something that we all need to work on. These times call for a way to blow off steam, something to center us. It may be sitting down to read a portion of a good book or grooming your pet. It could even be taking a walk in the woods or sitting on your deck. Find whatever works!

Maintaining harmonious relationships is something that, as adults, can be easy, or so we think. We tend to want to fix things that we may have experienced. Not fixing it gives us anxiety and stress. We have to remember that we have to think of ourselves. If we are healthy and grounded then the relationships benefit and so do we.

Regular check-ups with our primary care physician are very important. In the times of WebMD and call-a-doc, we do not have the opportunity to sit down and really have a face-to-face conversation with our physician. Take the time to do this once a year. Records are an important part of your medical history.
Keeping up with responsibilities are just one more thing on a list we could go on and on about. Knowing that we have a solid foundation assists in balancing our everyday responsibilities. We all have those things that come up and try to rock our world.

The above are just some components to staying healthy. At the Healthy Living Expo there will be screenings, informational booths, food, and entertainment. Look forward to interactive demonstrations of exercise classes and a special appearance by Elvis as well!
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Healthy Living Expo
Monday, March 19
3-6 p.m.
Kernersville Family YMCA, 1113 West Mountain Street in Kernersville
FREE to everyone
For more information please contact the Kernersville Chamber of Commerce at 336-993-4521 or email kchamber@kernersvillenc.com.

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