Everyone obsesses over having abs and toned arms, but what about the rest? If your other body parts are overlooked, these tips are for you!
by Troop Atomic Mommy
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When it comes to taking care of our bodies, the first thing that comes to mind is watching what we eat and building muscle. So you track your calories and the amount of exercising you do, but what are you doing to care for the rest of your body? To have total body health, you should be giving every part of your body the care they need.
Here are 4 body parts you’re probably overlooking and tips on taking care of them.
#1 Your Feet
Feet are often neglected when thinking about body health. Think about it–you walk a lot, you exercise, you take your pet out for play time, you might be coach for your kids’ sports, or you might have a job that requires a ton of movement. Now ask yourself, when is the last time you had your feet checked or worked on. If your answer is never or once, then it’s time to treat them to the gold standard.
Because our feet get beaten up over time, you need to look at what you should be doing to care for them better. There are several strategies to use when caring for our feet–getting them examined by a podiatrist could be a first step in making sure your feet’s health is top notch. Another option is having your ingrown toe nails professionally managed so you avoid infection or possibly surgery. Or if you really want to show your feet some love, you can opt for weekly foot massages. Even something as small as rubbing lotion on them every morning and night, can be a way to care for your feet.
#2 The Brain
Our brain is another vital component of our body that we must safeguard. As we age, our minds can deteriorate. Perhaps the nerves stop firing or worse, a disease creeps in causing memory loss or slow dysfunction. Because of these occurrences, it is important to begin preventative care for your brain early in life.
But in our adult lives, our mental wellness often goes overlooked, which creates a habit of not caring for our minds. Mental health care has expanded over time and now offers a great deal of benefits when seeking out care. And while many individuals don’t believe in mental wellness or speaking to a therapist, it is important to note this as an imperative first step towards better brain health.
Other aspects of brain health include meditation, yoga, finding an accountability partner who can help you get things off your chest, and seeking additional treatment from your doctor. Additionally, using recreational marijuana to enhance your brain health can be a good treatment option. As it continues becoming legal in more states, you could try products like the Delta 10 Gummies–many of these products have been shown to help with calming nerves and anxieties.
#3 Those Eyes
It’s critical to think about our other body parts, which we don’t see and can easily miss. They, too, require attention. For example, our eyes–they are the windows to the world but if left uncared for, can easily become a health problem.
Some eye conditions are hereditary while others are environmentally induced. Eye issues like Pterygium (a triangular growth that can cover the cornea if left unchecked) and Pinguecula (a yellowish growth that occurs on the conjunctiva and may cause redness or irritation), are both caused by high levels of UV light exposure and sunlight. But both eye conditions can be prevented with proper steps.
While both conditions are treatable, either through eye drops, topical steroids, or in severe cases, surgery, it is best if you aim for using preventive measures. If you are an outdoorsy person or work a great deal in the sunlight, a good tip would be to wear sunglasses whenever in the sunlight. But UV light exists even on cloudy days, so wearing UV protective sunglasses during sunlight, cloudy days or when it is raining, is also an important step.
#4 Your Heart
When you’re in your twenties and thirties, you’re not thinking about heart health. Sure you exercise and try to eat healthy, but your heart health is the last thing on your mind. But according to one study in 2019, done by the American College of Cardiology, out of 2,100 participants, 1 in 5 patients under the age of 40 suffered heart attacks and those same patients were just as likely to die after their heart attacks as those whose ages were between 41 and 50.
With this information in hand, it’s important to start taking steps as early as in your teens to prevent the likelihood of a heart attack in your twenties. Some steps you can take in any age group to prevent a heart attack are quite easy to commit to, while others may be harder. Either way, you need to at least try.
Aim to do aerobic exercise at least 4 times per week for no less than 45 minutes. Include varying intensities of exercise in your routine. Take heart healthy vitamins like fish oil and magnesium, daily. When you eat, be sure your plate is properly portioned to include at least half a plate of leafy green vegetables.
When socializing with friends or family, aim to drink 1 or 2 glasses of wine. Try to avoid hard liquor, but if you must drink, ask for vodka as it does offer some heart healthy benefits. Watch your stress levels. Stress is a known factor in causing heart disease and heart attacks. So to keep your heart healthy, try adding stress-reducing activities to your daily routine. Perhaps adding yoga or writing in a journal can help ease your day-to-day stress. For a more robust stress plan, try taking mini getaways once every 3 months, or start seeing a therapist to discuss your well-being.
Additionally, removing habits that are toxic to your health can also be a great step in preserving heart health. Reduce the amount of caffeine you intake. Cut down on vaping and cigarette smoking. Don’t overthink or overanalyze things. Try not to let the little things bother you. And if you’re in a relationship, try arguing less. Removing or reducing these habits could be very beneficial to your heart health.
The Takeaway
Don’t overlook the above body parts, but if you do, the tips we shared will help you get your overall body health back on track. Remember, implementing any one of the tips above could be the very thing that saves you!
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