Everyone gets sick once in a while. It’s expected. That’s why they have sick time at work. That’s why there are doctors and insurance companies. But here are a few basic things to make sure you stay in general good health.
Wash your hands.
Sadly enough, not enough people do this. Especially after using the restroom. Studies have been done and a shockingly low percentage of people wash their hands after using the restroom or before meals. Here’s another good time you need to wash your hands…. after petting your cute little animal pets. Hand washing kills something like 90%+ of germs. It’s easy and it takes less than 3 minutes. To make sure you’re washing your hands properly, use hot water, soap, and wash for long enough to cover a happy birthday song.
Drink water.
Water cures all ills. Dehydration is the culprit of many common ailments such as dry skin, hair, acne problems, headaches, and even bloating. Eight cups of water is the minimum so make sure you’re getting at least that much. Keep in mind that fruits and vegetable juices count towards your daily dose of hydrating beverages.
Exercise.
Exercise does not have to mean hours on the treadmill sweating away to exhaustion. Exercise can be as simple as walking across the parking lot to the grocery store or doing housework. That’s right! Vacuuming burns calories! The more active in general you are the more exercise you’re getting. Consider getting a pedometer. Pedometer’s have shown that people who wear pedometer’s are more active than those who don’t.
Laugh with friends.
Watch a funny movie and get your laughs out! Laughing stimulates the immune system and contributes to a better sense of general well-being. Laughing also burns a lot of calories. To guarantee some good laughs, get together with some friends and throw a party full of ridiculous games. Laughter is contagious and when everyone around you is doing it you’re bound to be laughing as well. People who take time to catch up with friends throughout the week (in person, not over the phone) also report a better sense of general well being.
Get some sunshine.
Getting sunshine stimulates the production of vitamin D. This is particularly good for women as well because for some reason extra sunshine reduces the symptoms of PMS. Sunlight also helps to regulate your internal sleep clock so for best results get your daily dosage of sunlight in the early morning.
Sleep.
A full eight hours! That’s the general recommended sleeping time. Of course some people need more or less. I for one need more. Establish a bed-time that you stick to every night that guarantees you’ll get the sleep you need. Also establish a waking time that works for your schedule and don’t oversleep on the weekends. Sleep in at most two hours. Sleeping in too much on the weekends can upset your internal rhythm making Monday miserable.
Abide by these rules and you’ll stay nice and healthy!
