The World Health Organization reports show noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as chronic lung disease, heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes collectively cause about 74% of deaths globally. The statistics indicate that an epidemic poses devastating health risks to families and communities, you and your health, and threatens to overwhelm the global health system. Fortunately, you can protect yourself from noncommunicable diseases with simple lifestyle changes. In fact, according to the Pan African Health Organization, reducing NCD’s risk contributors, such as alcohol and tobacco use, unhealthy diets, and physical inactivity, can significantly help curb such pandemics. In this article, you can learn about different steps and actions you can take to protect yourself and your overall health.
1. Staying Warm
According to Nidirect, cold weather makes your body susceptible to infections and viruses. Therefore, you should try to stay warm, especially when temperatures drop below zero. Keeping warm safeguards you and your health from diseases such as pneumonia and the common flu.
You want your home to be as warm as possible. Sometimes, burning wood to heat your living area or to use your HVAC system isn’t enough, especially when living in a large house. For this reason, you might need an alternative heating source. A heating oil for homes company can help boost your home heating systems.
While you might want to heat all the rooms during the day, it might be impossible. Ideally, keep your main areas of the home at temperatures around 64-70 degrees Fahrenheit during the day while maintaining the rest of your home to a minimum of 61 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure your bedroom temperatures are above 65 degrees Fahrenheit at night. When using a fire or heater, open the door or the window a little to enhance ventilation. Although some people love using an electric blanket to help keep warm at night, it has an inherent risk of electrocution so some may choose to avoid it.
2. Wildlife Problems
Wildlife is unpredictable, and when they feel threatened, that innocent-looking dear will do everything possible to protect itself. Therefore, avoid stray wildlife encounters at all costs. Most importantly, Centres for Disease Control and Prevention advise contacting emergency animal removal if you encounter a dead animal. Contact with some animals or injuries from their scratches and bits could spell doom to your health.
Protecting you and your health involves preventing wildlife attacks from stray animals at home or during the morning run. Keep in mind the possible wildlife dangers and avoid doing things that may put you in harm’s way, such as getting a photo of a bear near your home. Wild animals can also cause diseases. For instance, reptiles like snakes can carry salmonella.
In essence, wild animals do great independently, with less or no interaction with human beings. Whenever you see a stray wild animal in your yard, such as a deer, avoid the temptation to feed it. Otherwise, you’ll attract deer to your home, endangering your family. Remember, compost piles, fruit trees, and bushes attract wild animals such as raccoons and bears. This doesn’t mean you have to do away with all the fruit trees in your yard, just ensure you pick up the fallen fruits to minimize wildlife attractions.
3. Utilizing Available Resources
It’s necessary to utilize all the available resources to keep you and your health in check. Some ways to keep your health in great shape are simple and cheap. Starting simple on your healthy lifestyle journey, as you’ll most likely fail if you set huge vague goals.
A popular adage suggests that water is life. Well, it’s true. Fun fact: according to USGS, about 60% of your human body is water. The importance of water for your overall health can’t be overemphasized. You’ll need to take water daily to survive, and your water needs depend on your age, location, and level of activity.
Typically, an adult male will require 3 liters, and a female about 2.2 liters of water daily. However, your body needs clean water. If the water becomes contaminated, that’s your cue to contact professionals for well drilling services. There’s no better way to treat your body than refreshing, clean water to replenish your organs.
4. Alternative Restroom Options
According to the National Library of Medicine, many viruses and bacteria, when seeded into household bathrooms, remain in the bowl after flushing. Even worse, continual flushing can’t remove a persevering fraction. Can you even try to think about what happens with public toilets? Scary! For this reason, it’s wise to carry a portable restroom when traveling long distances – but what if you can’t?
When using a public toilet, there’re chances of touching many germ-infested areas, from the door handles, faucets, stall doors, and toilet paper dispensers. To protect yourself and your health from disease-causing viral particles and bacteria, it’s best to cover your hands with tissues and wipes to avoid touching such surfaces directly with your bare hands. The longer you stay in any toilet, the higher your chances of encountering bacteria and viral particles. So, you’ll need to be fast and do your business quickly.
Don’t forget your hygiene routine, such as washing your hands using soap and drying them with a clean towel. You’ll need to wash your hands correctly to eliminate germs for better results and ultimately protect you and your health. If possible, wash your hands for about 20 seconds with warm water and soap, dry them using a paper towel, and avoid using the air dryer. When there’s no water, always use a sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Although it isn’t as effective as warm water and soap, it’s way better than not washing at all.
5. Addressing Concerns
While your home is supposed to be your safe haven, it can potentially make you sick. Allergens and microbes are some of the main health threats hiding in our home spaces. For this reason, leave no stone unturned when it comes to matters of you and your health.
If your home has moisture and less aeration, everyone might suddenly develop a stuffy nose, soar throat, cough, and itching. Such symptoms mean your home may be moldy, and you’ll need to contact mold removal contractors to get rid of the allergen. Mold allergies lead to a weak immune system and lung problems. Ensure you check your walls and roof, and address plumbing leaks before it causes moisture.
Your carpet can trap dirt, dust, and other irritants. During cleaning, such particles can get into the air, causing irritations and possible infections. For this reason, consider hard flooring or cleaning your carpet in a safe area. Purchasing an air filter can allow you to remove these particles from the air within your home, improving its quality.
To address mental health concerns, you can learn how to meditate to a healthier, happy life. You don’t need countless hours sitting in a room to benefit from meditation. Taking about 5-10 minutes or less daily to clear your mind from negative thoughts and anxiety helps. Also, the craft is known to lower blood pressure, improve headaches, improve the immune system, and decrease muscle tension, amongst other benefits.
6. Oral Care
According to the World Health Organization, oral diseases affect about 3.5 billion people globally. Additionally, tooth decay in permanent teeth is the most prevalent health condition. For this reason, it’s a healthy habit to visit your dentist for regular teeth checks; whenever you notice your teeth are misaligned, you should seek help from orthodontics for braces treatments.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises keeping your teeth healthy. They recommend practicing good oral hygiene (brushing your teeth twice daily), going slow on alcoholic drinks, brushing your teeth using fluoride toothpaste, drinking fluoride water, and quitting tobacco. To protect you and your health, ignoring your oral care isn’t an option. You’ll need to schedule routine visits with dentists and orthodontists often. Also, playing your part in maintaining healthy dental hygiene is equally critical.
7. Skin Care
According to the National Institute of Aging, your skin loses fat and becomes thinner with age. While aging isn’t avoidable, there are proven steps that lower the process, making your skin seem younger. One of the superb tips is protecting your skin from the sun.
Prolonged sun exposure can increase the chances of developing age spots, wrinkles, and other skin-related problems. Even worse, increasing your risk of developing skin cancer. Use sunscreen, seek shade, and always wear protective clothing to protect yourself.
Smoking will make your skin look older and also contributes to adding wrinkles. With this knowledge, quitting smoking will not only save your lungs, but you’ll also be protecting your skin. Also, treating your skin gently and managing stress helps.
According to MedlinePlus, your skin is your body’s largest organ. For this reason, it requires proper care to feel and look healthy. Put differently, healthy skin is good for you and your health in general. Visit a reputable dermatologist for informed tips on how to protect your skin.
8. Covering Costs of an Accident
About 42,915 people succumbed to road accidents in 2021, a 10.5% increase from 2020, which saw nearly 38,824 fatalities and many injuries. These worrying statistics are per reports by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The trend seems to continue in the coming years. Although some road accidents are sudden and not easily avoidable, most of them are due to avoidable human errors. Drivers can prevent them by following the general road safety rules.
That said, accidents can lead to loss of livelihood, disability, and pain. You might also have to go through a court or settlement process. For this reason, ensure you have insurance coverage for loss of wages, claims, and other accident-related expenses.
When you sustain an injury due to an accident, call reputable personal injury lawyers. A good lawyer can help you get compensation for your injuries, especially if the accident resulted from negligence by the involved parties. Additionally, they’ll advise on how to proceed with the complex claims procedures and court cases.
9. Elective Procedures
Did you know plastic surgery procedures improve your appearance and help you feel better about yourself? The procedure has a wide range of health benefits that probably don’t know exist. For example, the process can help improve your vision, breathing, self-confidence, and neck and back pain.
During a nose job, the surgery corrects a deviated nose and opens the nasal passages. After the nasal procedure, patients usually have improved breathing, ample oxygen flow, snore less, and sleep better at night. The upper eyelid procedure is also known to reduce eye strain and improve vision.
10. Mobility Concerns
Quite frankly, aging is certain and comes with some problems, such as mobility challenges. However, according to the National Library of Medicine, long-term structured physical activity has proven to be more effective in minimizing the risk of significant mobility disability in seniors, especially those with a sedentary lifestyle. Doing exercises like walking while navigating daily tasks can help maintain independence and emotional and physical well-being.
As a senior or a caregiver to an older person, it’s wise to know to make home improvements that can enhance mobility at home. Start by widening doorways and installing grab bars and handrails. Additionally, getting the right mobility equipment, such as the best mobility scooters, rollators, canes, and walkers, also helps.
Noncommunicable diseases, road accidents, and skin problems are among the myriad things that threaten your health and well-being. However, there are several practical actions to protect and enhance you and your health. Your health is critical, and you must protect yourself by staying warm to safeguard yourself from diseases such as pneumonia and cold flu. Practice the tips in these guidelines, and poor health will be the least of your worries.
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