Navigating Health

Archive for January, 2010

Most people are aware that regular activity is a vital part of a healthy lifestyle. However, that doesn’t make it easier to find the energy and time for exercise in our busy lives. However, there are plenty of options for improving health besides a strenuous session at the gym and simply deciding to walk to work can have significant health benefits. Studies have shown that increasing levels of physical activity on a day to day basis is the key to long term health. So, take a new look at how you can build activities into your life everyday. The amount of exercise that people take during their lives has dropped significantly over the past 50 years or so. An increasingly mechanized, automated and computerized world has reduced the amount of walking and heavy work that most of us need to do. There is therefore a greater potential role for regular physical activity, which should ideally be encouraged from a young age.

It’s never too late to become more active. Exercise that speeds up the rate of the heart and is taken for at least 30 minutes, three or more times per week, is an effective way of promoting cardiovascular health. Such exercise known as aerobic exercise- strengthens the heart muscles so that it becomes more efficient at pumping blood around the body. As a result your heart rate slows down, showing that you are becoming fitter. Regular cardiovascular workouts also improve circulation, lower blood pressure and reduce blood cholesterol levels. Many people enjoy playing as part of a team or in competitions. Such team activity expands your circle of friends and encourages feelings of mutual respect and shared responsibility while learning new skills.

A healthy weight is one where you are not too thin or too fat for your height. Being overweight or obese puts your health at risk, but so does being underweight. A healthy weight is one that you can maintain throughout life; fluctuating weight levels push up your risk of disease. Since the 1950’s, increasing affluence, poor eating habits and more sedentary lifestyles have meant that obesity has become much more common in developed countries. Obesity affects both men and women, and recently is increasingly apparent among children. Doctors also use waist size as another useful measurement of obesity and health risk. So whether you’re an apple or a pear shape affects your heart’s health.

Fat around the waist indicates an increased risk of heart problems. Exercise helps to use up calories and promote a higher level of health. If you are not used to exercising, simply taking a long, brisk walk two or three times a week will provide some benefit. But if you are able and motivated to exercise at a higher and more strenuous level, activities such as running, cycling and swimming are more effective at helping you to shed those unwanted pounds. Putting on weight as you get older is not inevitable.

Although your body’s metabolic rate slows down with age, the effect is modest. The best way to prevent weight gain is by physically active. Most people’s middle age spread is the result of becoming more sedentary but eating more or less as they did when they were active. This excess energy intake is stored in the body as fat. It is probably a good idea to start out by assessing your diet and identifying high fat and high sugar foods that you eat.

Pregnancy is a time of great excitement and joy for parents to be, but the major physical changes experienced by the mother can cause some discomfort and may be stressful. Close contact with your health-care team is the best way to protect both your own and your baby’s well being. The team will also be able to answer any questions that you have and reassure you that your pregnancy is progressing normally. Although most women feel anxious at some stage, it is important to remember that the vast majority of pregnancies end with a healthy baby.

Once you suspect that you might be pregnant, you should visit the doctor. By medical conventions, pregnancies are dated from the first day of the last period. Most routine antenatal care will be undertaken by a midwife, who will usually be based at your doctor’s surgery. Your doctor will refer you to a specialist obstetric unit based at a hospital but you will probably only see the consultant once in early pregnancy and a short time before delivery.

You will also visit the hospital for ultra sound scans. Your first antenatal visit will usually involve taking a medical history, followed by an examination. You will have to give a sample of blood and urine for a series of routine tests. At this stage, all tests are designed to pick up any significant risk factors that may complicate the pregnancy as it progresses. A healthy, balanced diet is extremely important during pregnancy in order to maintain your health and nurture your baby. It is usually only in the last couple of months, when your baby is growing rapidly that you may need to eat more.