Lifestyle Modification
What Does Lifestyle Modification Entail?
Lifestyle modification entails the adjustment of long-term habits, typically related to eating or physical activity, with a commitment to sustaining the new behavior over extended periods, often spanning months or years. This approach proves beneficial in addressing various conditions, including diabetes and obesity.
Health professionals stress the significance of upholding good health through a well-rounded lifestyle. Embracing a holistic perspective toward health empowers individuals to reap numerous advantages associated with caring for both their bodies and minds. From heightened energy levels and enhanced cognitive function to a fortified immune system and diminished risk of chronic diseases, integrating these practices into daily life can result in profound improvements in overall quality of life. Whether it involves making mindful food choices, finding enjoyable ways to stay active, or tackling detrimental habits, it's essential to recognize that even minor lifestyle adjustments can wield significant influence on our general health and long-term well-being.
Adhering to the following lifestyle guidelines can contribute to better overall health:
1. Whole Food, Plant-based Nutrition
Dietary modifications have historically been the primary treatment for enjoying good health for most patients. Diets work when a person eats fewer calories than they consume on a regular, extended basis. To experience good health via a diet, some nutritional guidelines include:
Eat until you feel satisfied and stop.
Eat plants: prepare and serve foods that are high in nutrients and fiber, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. For the treatment, reversal and prevention of lifestyle-related chronic disease, the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) recommends to have an eating plan based predominantly on a variety of minimally processed vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.
Are you getting these daily?
Greens: kale, swiss chard, spinach, arugula, beet leaves, wok chop, collard greens, mustard greens, asparagus, Brussel sprouts, and chard… and the list goes on. Greens are powerfully healing. They lower your risk of glaucoma, cataract, macular degeneration, diabetic eye disease, not to mention heart disease and stroke!
Beans: eat at least half a cup of cooked beans daily. Beans are the cornerstone of every longevity diet in the world. Areas where people live consistently over 100 years eat at least four times as many beans as Americans do on average!
Berries: berries are a fun colorful capsule loaded with health and good nutrition. They lower your risk of all the major eye diseases including macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataract, and diabetes. Put them on your must-have list daily!
Eliminate or reduce calories that have no nutritional value, such as processed foods, sugar and refined flours
Do not eat between meals. Drink water instead!
Limit your consumption of sugary beverages.
Reduce portion sizes
2. Physical Activity
Consistent and regular physical activity serves as a countermeasure to the detrimental effects of sedentary behavior. It is crucial for adults to incorporate both general physical activity and purposeful exercise into their weekly routines for overall health and resilience.
Engaging in regular exercise aids in weight management, helps prevent high blood pressure, and promotes efficient heart function. Maintaining a healthy weight is key to preventing conditions such as diabetes and other health issues, while also mitigating the risk of vision impairment associated with high blood pressure. Ocular perfusion pressure, influencing blood flow to the eyes, benefits from sustained physical activity, presenting a long-term positive impact on the significant risk of glaucoma associated with low ocular perfusion pressure.
For optimal health, most individuals should strive for 30 minutes or more of exercise each day. Activities can vary and might include walking your dog, participating in a gym class, or engaging in water aerobics. Identifying enjoyable activities and establishing them as daily habits is crucial.
Having an exercise partner makes it easier to maintain consistency and holds individuals accountable. Early morning exercise can be particularly effective for those with busy lifestyles, instilling a sense of accomplishment and reducing the likelihood of unexpected disruptions later in the day.
Breaking physical activity into "mini" sessions is a practical approach. Taking a 10-minute walking break at work, instead of snacking, can leave individuals feeling rejuvenated and ready to dive back into their tasks.
3. Restorative Sleep
Sleep delays/interruptions have been shown to cause sluggishness, low attention span, decreased sociability, depressed mood, decreased deep sleep, decreased caloric burn during the day, increased hunger and decreased feeling of fullness, insulin resistance and decreased performance. Strive for seven (7) or more hours per night for optimal health.
4. Social Connection
Positive social connections and relationships affect our physical, mental and emotional health. Leveraging the power of relationships and social networks can help reinforce healthy behaviors.
5. Stress Management
Stress can lead to improved health and productivity or it can lead to anxiety, depression, obesity, immune dysfunction and more. It is very important to recognize negative stress responses, identify coping mechanisms, and reduction techniques to improve well-being.
6. Avoidance of Risky Substances
The use of tobacco and excessive alcohol consumption have been shown to increase the risk of chronic diseases and death. Smoking is an addictive habit that is extremely detrimental to your body’s health and harms all of the organs in your body, including your eyes.
Smoking is the single most preventable cause of death and disease in the United States. Along with the increased risk of well-known diseases such as cancer and emphysema, smoking can cause blindness and other eye-related conditions.
Treatments often take time, different approaches and many attempts. Patience and support are an important part of breaking risky substance habits.
Other Suggested Programs To Consider
Websites To Visit
Documentaries To Watch
Books To Buy… And Read
Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes
Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease