Becky Longacre: Seven health behaviors for people in mid-life

By Becky Longacre

I was once chronically sick, overweight and highly anxious. I had chronic back pain all day every day and was flaring on and off with ulcerative colitis for many years.

Becky Longacre

Since my 20s, I started on the long journey of health and wellness. I was not interested in being a full time or (even a part time) patient. I was interested in healing pain, losing weight and calming my ulcerative colitis and anxiety.

There was a lot of trial and error, and as a nurse, I noticed over almost two decades of practice there were certain common denominators in patients that tended to get better after illnesses.

Now, keep in mind, there are times when you do everything right and you still get cancer or another terrible disease. But for many illnesses we treat in the hospital, I noticed a correlation between certain health behaviors and illness recovery.

Here they are in a nutshell:

1.) Hydration. From assisting in temperature regulation to flushing out lactic acid from our muscles (so they are not sore) drinking enough water is critical to our health and wellness. It even reduces brain fog! Unless you are fluid-restricted by your doctor, drink at least 1.5 liters of water daily if you are a woman and at least 2 liters of water daily if you are a man. Most people are walking around pretty dehydrated.

2.) Healthy food. Due to limited space, I will not get into the specifics of a healthy diet plan, but according to the Mayo Clinic, diets that tend to include lean protein, fruits and vegetables and whole grains are associated with less disease than high fat, processed-carb diets. What is imperative for you to learn is: What diet or eating habits work for you? It is not a one size fits all. Aim to eat food with shorter ingredient lists and pay attention to serving sizes.

3.) Healthy Exercise. Harvard Medical School states that a comprehensive exercise program including cardiovascular activity, resistance training, balance and stretching will increase your endurance, strength, range of motion, and agility. Aim for 30 minutes of various types of exercise most days of the week.

4.) Sunlight and fresh air. When we get outside, the exposure to sunlight helps to stimulate us and wake us up during the day. This also helps us to sleep at night. Aim for at least 20 minutes of sunlight per day.

5.) Sleep and Meditation. Most of the people I talk to are sleep deprived. I can’t emphasize the importance that sleep has on our mental health, our hormones and our metabolism. Aim for eight hours per night.

6.) Community Connections. People who have strong community connections experience less perceived stress. This means that out of 2 people experiencing the same level of stress, the person who has a stronger support network will experience less stress than the person who is feeling like they are alone. So, nurture your family, friends and community relationships! Go out and have fun once per week.

7.) Spirituality/Joy. Take the word that resonates the most with you. Find a connection, an activity, an experience that is bigger than you, that gives you happiness, that connects you with others, that gives or receives love. This can be prayer for some and affirmations for others. Even praying or meditating 5 minutes per day has been shown to slow the brain down and increase relaxation.

Have more questions about health wellness, weight loss and personal development? Ask away! I will address them in future articles. Until I hear directly from you, may you be happy and healthy.

Becky Longacre is a Nurse Coach for Health Transformers LLC. Send her questions at becky@healthtransformersmaine.com or call her at 207-400-7897. Visit her website at www.healthtransformersmaine.com" <