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Be
the Best you can be
If you were told that actions you could take would give you:
- Better health
- Better weight control
- Reduced stress
- Greater self-esteem
- More energy
As well as a reduced risk of:
- Heart disease
- Cancer
- Osteoporosis
- Depression
- High blood pressure
- Adult-onset diabetes
- Stroke
- Premature death &
disability
Would you
take these actions? Does it sound too good to be true? It's not.
The Tri-Health team is a group
of agencies (Health Unit, Heart& Stroke Foundation, Canadian Cancer Society,
Community Health Centres and others) that have linked together to promote healthy
lifestyle choices (physical activity, nutrition, smoke-free living). We have a
variety of programs available to suit individual needs. There are no meetings, no
costs, just a want to be a healthy you. Read on for where to begin. Engage in
regular physical activity. Eat a healthy diet. Stay smoke-free. And, the benefits
are yours.
It's not all that hard. Find
activities you enjoy, ones that are fun, rather than a chore. Build them into your
daily routine.
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Finding it
hard to be physically active on a regular basis?
- Is your schedule too busy?
Make an appointment to be physically active, and write it in your daybook. Keep
your appointments with yourself!
- Replace your "coffee
break" with a "walking break". It will help energize you!
- Find a physical activity
partner. Motivate each other to "stick with it"!
- Create time for physical
activity whenever you can. Waiting for the kids to finish their music lessons or
sports practice? Go for a walk while you wait.
How
much physical activity do we need to do to stay healthy or improve our health?
If we're starting out with activities requiring a light effort (i.e.. light walking)
we should build up to accumulating 60 minutes of activity every day. (Activity can
be accumulated in 10 minute intervals.) As we progress to more moderate activities (i.e..
brisk walking) we can cut this down to 30 - 60 minutes 4 days a week.
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Remember,
every little bit counts.
Begin slowly! Gradually add on to what you are doing by increasing the time, the
effort or the frequency of your activities. Start with something small, and easily
manageable. Gradually add to it.
Enjoy a variety of:
- Endurance
- Flexibility
- And strength activities.
Need help becoming active? Call
for a free "Walk this Way" kit and physical activity guide.
- Enjoy a diet that optimizes
your health as well.
- Variety is key: try to eat a
wide variety of foods.
- Load up on fruit, vegetables
and whole grains. They're full of nutrients, nutraceuticals and dietary fibre.
- Opt for the dark-coloured
vegetables and fruit especially those that are dark green and orange.
- Choose lower fat dairy
products. Fat is listed on the label as %MF or %BF.
- Select yogurt that is 1% MF
or less
- Pick cheese made from
partially-skimmed milk. Choose hard cheeses that are no more than 15-20 %MF
- Choose leaner meats.
- Try out new foods like dried
peas, beans and lentils
- Go easy on hydrogenated and
saturated fats. These are the ones that lead to clogged arteries.
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Finally, be
smoke-free. If you don't smoke don't start. And, if you do smoke, think about
quitting.
Tobacco smoke contains more than
4,000 chemicals. Many are known to be harmful substances including nicotine, carbon
monoxide, benzene, toluene, formaldehyde, acetone, ammonia, cadmium, and nickel.
More than 40 of these chemicals cause cancer in humans.
Quitting smoking is the single
most effective thing that smokers can do to enhance the quality and length of their
lives. The sooner the smoker quits, the better, to reduce the health risks. But,
it's never too late. For help with stopping smoking call and ask for the "One
Step at a Time" booklet.
Focus on your health. Take care
of yourself. This will set you on your way to being the best that you can be, one
step at a time.
Helpful Hints
Here are tried and true
techniques others have used to cope with the urge to smoke:
- On the day you quit, toss out
all cigarettes and matches. Hide lighters and ashtrays.
- Spend as much time as
possible in places where smoking is prohibited: libraries, museums and theatres.
- Use your hands, try a
crossword puzzle, gardening, house hold chores or letter writing.
- Increase your physical
activity. Walk the dog, ride a bike or play tennis or softball.
- Get plenty of rest.
- Keep healthy substitutes
handy such as carrots, pickles, sunflower seeds, apples and oranges.
- See you doctor if you are
having problems.
- Source: Canadian Cancer
Society: "How to Quit Smoking" pamphlet
- Need help to quit smoking?
Call for the free, "One Step at a Time" booklet.
(Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit)
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