The health requirements of a woman are somewhat different from those of a man. Women are more likely to suffer from ailments like osteoporosis, PCOS and of course, hot flashes and breast cancer. This makes it crucial to take care of your health and proactively take steps towards this on a regular and consistent basis. Besides, good looks and good health go hand in hand.
Making smart lifestyle decisions will ensure that you look good regardless of your age.
Eat Healthy
Eating a balanced and healthy diet is the first step towards good health. Processed foods can do more harm than you realize. Go the natural route and eat plenty of fresh fruits and green vegetables. Include whole grains and foods with high fiber content in your diet. Also avoid indulging in an excess of red meat; lean cuts of meat and fish are healthier.
Calcium deficiency can make your bones weak and increase the risk of bone-related illnesses. Include low-fat dairy products in your diet to prevent this. Yoghurt, or dahi, has a whole host of health benefits—it’s enriched with probiotic bacteria, aids digestion, and improves immunity.
Foods that are high in calories and sugar are best treated as occasional indulgences. Overdoing them will have an adverse impact on your well being. Maintaining a balanced diet will help you maintain a healthy weight and stave off a wide range of diseases.
Be Sun Safe
While sunlight is good for your skin, excessive exposure can be really bad for you. Over time, it increases your risk of contracting skin cancer. Besides, it also triggers skin ageing symptoms like wrinkles and fine lines. If you do need to be out in the sun for long periods of time, use a good quality sunscreen, stay in the shade, and use umbrellas.
Exercise
Lack of exercise is one the primary reasons for poor health among Indian women. Exercise can help maintain flexibility, build strength, and prevent cardiac diseases. Exercise for at least 30 minutes, 5 days a week, to keep yourself healthy. Cycling, jogging, brisk walking, swimming, and yoga are all great options to this end.
Many women tend to put on weight during pregnancy or after giving birth. You can prevent this by starting to work out after a week or so. Take it slow at the beginning—you would do more harm than good by rushing headlong into this. Start with low-intensity walking, and once you feel your strength returning, you can get into other forms of exercise.
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Eliminate Stress
Mental stress actually contributes towards physical illness. You are at a higher risk for this if you manage your home and also work at the same time. Meditating is a great way to reduce stress levels, especially when supplemented by exercise and yoga.
It’s also important that you attempt to avoid unnecessary stress. Stay away from stressful people and situations if you can avoid them.
Remember, being healthy is not just about your physical condition, but about your mental state as well. Treat yourself once in awhile—get a massage, go on a trip, or watch a good movie with the people you love.
Lead a Healthy Lifestyle
Restful sleep is crucial to a healthy life. Get at least 6-8 hours of sleep. During this time, your body repairs itself and refills your reserves of energy. Optimal sleep ensures proper functioning of the brain and is beneficial to your emotional well-being.
Avoid both direct and passive smoking. The drawbacks of this are many and obvious. If you drink, do it in moderation and you should be fine.
Visit the Doctor
Regular health checkups help identify problems before they develop into major issues. If you catch on early, it’s easier to treat the problem and prevent complications.
You should also conduct regular self-examinations. Study your breasts now and then and look for lumps, which could be symptomatic of cancer. If you’re above 40, get a mammogram done at least once a year; the chances of recovery from cancer are much higher if it’s detected in the early stages.
Besides being easier to treat in the early stages, cancer is also less expensive to treat when it’s caught early. These treatment charges become a lot more bearable when you have health insurance to help cover your medical expenses.In addition to a normal health insurance policy, a critical illness policy is a must for every woman. Such a policy will cover you against specified critical illnesses. A recent study done among 1,100 women shows 33% women prefer to get coverage for pregnancy in their Mediclaim policy.
Health isn’t only about the big choices. You also need to be making healthy choices on a smaller, everyday scale. Use the stairs instead of the lift, take your dog for a walk every day, and drink your tea without sugar. Indulging in pizza and or a decadent pastry now and then is absolutely fine, but as with everything, in moderation.