Why You Should Prioritize Your Health

There is a well-known saying that you will never understand the true value and importance of your health until it is something that you no longer have, and this is true. Your health is wildly important, and here are some reasons why you should make it a priority.

Better Function

As you age, your body naturally declines. Healthcare professionals and fitness experts will warn you that you are likely to lose function more rapidly in the muscles if you do not exercise regularly. This is true of the muscles in your brain as well as those in your legs, arms, and other parts of your body that you might commonly associate with working out.

To maintain functionality and full mobility in your body, you should exercise regularly. Healthcare professionals recommend that you exercise five days a week for at least 30 minutes. Additionally, you should dedicate at least two of these days to strength training. Doing so will help to prevent your body from weakening. 

To stay sharp and maintain a good level of neuro health, try to stimulate your brain regularly. To do so, you could read, write, or do puzzles like crosswords, word searches, or sudoku. In addition to this, you should try to socialize with others as much as you can. Engaging in conversations with others regularly can help you maintain emotional intelligence and keep you thinking quickly. 

As sources like nursinghomelawcenter.org will tell you, nursing home abuse and neglect are shockingly common issues. To keep yourself from becoming a victim of this treatment, you must do all you can to keep your body functioning well as you age. This way, you can care for yourself as long as possible and stay out of nursing homes.

A Better Mood

Your health directly impacts your mood. When your body feels properly nourished, you will feel happier. One thing you can do to boost your mood is try to eat a balanced diet. There are some foods and drinks that are considered superfoods and are packed full of nutrients that will keep you happy and healthy. Eating junk all of the time will leave you feeling sluggish. It is perfectly fine to have a little treat now and then, but the key to feeling well is moderation–this goes for healthy foods are well as junk since it is possible to overdose on vitamins, like vitamin C, and experience symptoms like nausea. 

In addition to eating right, physical fitness can also have a positive effect on your mood and your mental health. Exercising is great for stress because it activates the release of dopamine in your brain, making you feel motivated and satisfied.

A Longer Life

The most obvious reason why you should prioritize your health is so that you live a longer, easier life. It is said that exercising for a little over an hour every day makes you nearly 40% less likely to die a premature death when compared to those who do not. On average, people who exercise regularly are also likely to have increased life expectancies of seven years over those who do not exercise.

These increased life expectancies are even greater when it comes to eating an optimal diet. When compared to a typical Western diet, those who switch to and maintain healthier eating habits from the age of 20 could live at least a decade longer than those who do not. Women who maintain healthy eating habits can live nearly 11 years longer, while men who maintain healthy eating habits could live 13 years longer than those who follow a traditional Western diet.

Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice is a shockingly common issue in the United States. Each year, nearly 400,000 people die as a result of it, leading to over 20,000 medical malpractice cases. Medical malpractice can take on many forms, including things like medication errors, surgical errors, and misdiagnoses. These simple mistakes made by healthcare professionals can have severe consequences, leading to conditions worsening in patients or even death in many cases.

Despite how much effort is made by healthcare professionals to correctly perform medical procedures, sometimes mistakes happen. These mistakes are often a result of simple mix-ups and miscommunications in the operating room, between the doctor and the patient, or by someone else down the line. The only guaranteed way to keep yourself from becoming a victim of medical malpractice is to prioritize your health. If you live a healthy enough lifestyle to keep yourself out of the hospital altogether, then you will have a lower risk of becoming a victim of medical malpractice.