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Patty Craig : A Slice of Time

We hear of so many people getting sick. I’ve been thinking about what is within our control to help us stay as healthy as possible. I believe three things – food choices, exercise, and medical check-ups – are generally within our control.

What should we eat each day? First, an adult needs about eight glasses of water per day, and some people need even more. Second, an article, “FDA Daily Nutritional Requirements to Help You Eat Right” (https://www.livestrong.com/article/440416-fda-daily-nutritional-requirem...), explained that the Food and Drug Administration has created daily nutritional requirements called daily values (DV) for vitamins and minerals and for the three essential macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates and fats. The DV for total fat consumption is 65 grams per day, the DV for total carbohydrate consumption is 300 grams per day, and the DV for protein is 50 grams. The details of our daily nutritional needs are more complicated than this, but this is a simple way to begin thinking of nutrition. I believe that male and female dietary requirements also differ somewhat, but that isn’t addressed in this particular article. Recently, since I am often a lazy eater, I’ve focused on eating more fruits, vegetables and protein. Planning ahead helps me to be more successful with foods. I believe that eating a healthy diet will help us to some degree combat illnesses.

How much physical activity is needed? The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) stated that “physical activity is important for everyone, but how much you need depends on your age” (https://www.choosemyplate.gov/resources/physical-activity-amount). For adults, 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate level activity is recommended each week as well as strengthening activities twice a week. For those 6 to 17 years old, 60 minutes or more of physical activity is recommended per day; this activity should include muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening activities. Children’s activities should be developmentally appropriate and fun. For younger children ages 2 to 5, playing actively several times each day is recommended. Being active is a health indicator. Honestly, I am active; however, in cold-weather months, I don’t always complete the 2 ½ hours of activity per week that’s recommended. Yet, awareness of that 2 ½-hour goal is helpful, and being as active as possible builds stronger bodies.

Why are health care check-ups important? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explained, “Regular health exams and tests can help find problems before they start. They also can help find problems early, when your chances for treatment and cure are better. By getting the right health services, screenings, and treatments, you are taking steps that help your chances for living a longer, healthier life. Your age, health and family history, lifestyle choices (i.e. what you eat, how active you are, whether you smoke), and other important factors impact what and how often you need healthcare” (https://www.cdc.gov/family/checkup/index.htm). And the CDC also stated that your regular health care provider is the best place to go for health services. Being a diabetic, I do go for health care check-ups because I want to be as healthy as possible. Yet, many do not get regular check-ups. I hope they are not less healthy because of this choice.

Interestingly, Michael Moore commented, “Healthcare should be between the doctor and the patient. And if the doctor says something needs to be done, the government should guarantee it gets paid for” (https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/healthcare-quotes). Meanwhile, being proactive about staying healthy is important – food choices, exercise, and medical check-ups are important. Let’s just do it.

 

 

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