The Importance of a Healthy Diet and Staying Active?

The Importance of A Healthy Diet And Staying Active To Avoid (Conditions We Treat) From Happening.

A healthy diet and physical activity can help you maintain or attain a healthy weight, manage and prevent diseases, improve sleep, and boost your mood. Additionally, it can help you keep up with your work-home activities and become more productive. Certain health conditions, such as chronic diseases, can be prevented or managed by consuming a balanced diet and staying physically active. Whether young or old, embracing a healthy lifestyle is never too late or early. 

At Advanced Care Specialists, our nutritionists highly recommend a healthy diet and physical activity to prevent diseases and for overall body health. Whether you have arthritis or a work injury, maintaining a healthy diet is crucial to preventing diseases. If you are already suffering from certain diseases or injuries, our comprehensive approach and alternative medicine are guaranteed to help you get back on track. 

What Is A Healthy Diet?

It has been scientifically proven that a nutrient-rich diet maintains or improves overall health. A healthy diet provides the body with the essential nutrients it needs for proper function and chronic disease prevention. A healthy diet should include all major food groups such as healthy fats, lean protein, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and drinking plenty of water daily. 

Physical activity is also crucial in maintaining good health and should be combined with a healthy diet in order to reap the best results. Making drastic changes to your diet and physical activity can be daunting. To avoid getting overwhelmed, it is advisable to start with smaller changes, beginning with one thing at a time while giving yourself time to adjust. Within no time, your body and mind will get accustomed to a healthy lifestyle, leaving you healthier and better able to manage any chronic condition you may have.

At Advanced Care Specialists, we treat the following conditions:

  • Arthritis
  • Personal injuries
  • Lower back pain
  • Neck injuries
  • Work injuries
  • Sports injuries
  • Auto injuries
  • Knee pain

How A Healthy Diet and Staying Active Can Prevent The Following Conditions

A healthy diet and physical activity can help prevent:

Arthritis

This is a joint disease that can cause pain, stiffness, swelling, and limited range of motion. Although there is no sure way of preventing arthritis, a healthy diet and exercise can help keep the disease at bay. They can also help manage the condition and prevent it from worsening. There are various types of arthritis, and every condition varies from person to person. Being overweight and having a sedentary lifestyle can increase your risk of arthritis. To avoid arthritis, you can:

  • Control your blood sugar levels since high blood sugars may stiffen joints, making them prone to injuries and stress. Consume a diet rich in omega 3, such as trout or salmon, to help reduce inflammation. Other foods include broccoli, vitamin C, nuts, green tea, and cherries.
  • Shed extra weight and maintain a healthy weight to avoid putting pressure and stress on your weight-bearing joints. 
  • Stop smoking since it puts stress on the protective tissues in your joints. You can talk to your doctor for help with quitting smoking.
  • Physical activity or exercises can be achieved by exercising five times a week for 30 minutes. Low-impact exercises are the best since they don’t stress the joints and strain muscles. Swimming, cycling, walking, yoga, and tai chi are the best. Stretching is also important as it improves your range of motion and flexibility.

Injuries 

Nutrition and exercise play a vital role in injury prevention, management, and treatment should an injury occur. It also helps in a speedy recovery and regaining strength. Injuries may occur from sports activities, exercises, auto, and personal injuries, or work-related injuries. You can prevent injuries by:

  • Going for nutritional screening to check for vitamin or mineral deficiencies, hydration, and energy deficits. If you have sustained an injury, work with your physical therapist and dietician to help you recover faster.
  • Aim for a diet rich in whole, natural foods from various food groups.  Avoid processed and refined sugars, alcohol, smoking, and saturated foods. This helps prevent injuries, obesity, or being overweight, keeping you in good shape while performing activities. Do not forget to stay hydrated throughout the day. 
  • Rest and maintain good sleeping habits by sleeping 7 to 9 hours every night. This keeps you refreshed, alert, focused, and energized.
  • Manage stress and mental health to keep you level minded and focused. Make and follow a routine to avoid anxiety and keep you in control of your day and activities. Reach out for professional help whenever you feel overwhelmed.
  • Before any physical activity, prepare your body by warming up, then recover by cooling down by performing gentle stretches to prevent injuring yourself.
  • Follow a training routine and program and avoid overtraining or improper exercise techniques. Follow your trainer’s advice, and use protective gear while sporting or working. Be aware and alert to your surroundings to avoid injuries.
  • Practice good workplace ergonomics by maintaining good posture, exercising regularly, taking short breaks in between tasks, avoiding staying in one position for too long, and drinking plenty of water.

Knee, Neck, and Back Pain

To keep your joints healthy, increase your vitamin D and calcium intake. These nutrients strengthen your bones, prevent osteoporosis and prevent injury. Calcium and vitamin D- rich foods include: 

  • Egg yolks
  • Beef liver
  • Colorful fruits
  • Olive oil 
  • Milk and milk products such as cheese, yogurt
  • Vegetables such as okra and leafy greens like spinach, kale, bok choy, and collards.
  • Soybeans, lentils, and white beans
  • Vitamin supplements
  • Fatty fish, like salmon, sardines, perch, and rainbow trout
  • Fortified foods such as oatmeal, breakfast cereals, and juices 

You can improve your joint health by choosing a variety of exercises that target different muscle groups. Keep alternating your exercises to avoid overuse and repetitive stress on the joints. 

You should also avoid smoking since it reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood, preventing your body from getting a full supply of nutrients required in the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in joints.

Wear the right kind of shoes to offer support and stability during physical activities or at work. Your shoes should be comfortable and well-fitting to avoid falls or trips which could lead to an injury. Additionally, avoid positions or activities that put stress on your joints and use your strongest joints and muscles to perform tasks. 

For optimal health and nutrition, it is important to embrace a healthy lifestyle to prevent diseases or injuries. If you are already injured or ill, our team of physical therapists, nutritionists, massage therapists, chiropractors, and doctors at Advanced Care Specialists offer customized treatment plans suited to your needs. Contact Advanced Care Specialists today for help and advice on a healthy and active lifestyle. You can also schedule an appointment online. We are glad to help.