Sticking to Your Healthy Resolutions
What Is a Healthy Weight for Me?
A healthy weight is one that helps you get the most of your life. It’s a weight that gives you a good quality of life. If you have a healthy weight, you’re likely to live longer and less likely to develop diseases such as some cancers, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Different people have different healthy weights. If you’re tall, you can be healthy at a heavier weight than someone who is shorter. Let’s say you’re 5 feet 10 inches tall. A healthy weight for you is generally anywhere between 132 to 176 pounds. If you’re 5 feet tall, a healthy weight for you is generally somewhere between 99 to 132 pounds.
One of the best ways to know if you have a healthy weight is to weigh yourself and determine your body mass index (BMI) by using a BMI calculator. You can also know if you’re at risk of developing certain diseases by measuring your waist circumference.
If you often run out of energy when doing simple activities, or if your clothes feel a little too tight, it’s worth thinking about whether you’ve added some weight. In celebration of Healthy Weight Week (January 15-19, 2018), we want to share some tips on how to maintain a healthy weight.
Ways to Maintain a Healthy Weight
Set Attainable Goals
Your healthy weight goals may not be the same as those of others. Start by asking yourself, “What is a healthy weight for me?” You may want to add some weight or retain the weight you have. Perhaps you’re trying to lose a bit of weight or a lot of weight. Any of these goals are achievable if you set realistic targets.
For instance, if you’re overweight or obese, you can aim to lose at least 5 percent of your total weight. Achieving this weight will have significant benefits for your overall health. If you’re underweight, you can aim to eat a variety of foods from various food groups every day.
It’s a smart idea to do specific things, as well. Think about the things you enjoy doing and match them with how you want to achieve a healthy weight. For instance, with physical activity, you could ask yourself whether:
- You’d like to join a group.
- You’d like to have an instructor.
- You’d like to discuss your goals with a health professional.
You may also want to consume less junk food and eat more vegetables instead. You may also want to improve body posture and even join a soccer team or take up swimming. It’s your body and your health, so think about the best way you want to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
Share Your Goals With Friends and Family
Achieving a healthy weight is easier when you have the support of friends and family. Talk to them about what you hope to achieve and ask for their support. If they’re not too willing to help, don’t give up. You could get them involved by suggesting a physical activity you can do together. You can also walk together to a park nearby and prepare healthy snacks once a week. If you take the initiative, your friends and family may follow your lead.
Get Back Up When You Slip
If you slip up, forget it and concentrate on your next step. It’s not about how many times you slip, but rather how quickly you get up. Commitment to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight can be an exciting journey that will improve your life and happiness overall.
Ask Us for Help!
If you need someone to talk to about following through on New Year’s resolutions, contact Hamilton Healthcare Center. We’re a multilingual, multicultural, family-centered medical home. Call us at (717) 232-9971 today if you need any help.
5 Ways to Prevent Glaucoma
Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness in the world. It belongs to a group of eye diseases that lead to damaging the main vision nerve — the optic nerve. In the early stages of the disease, glaucoma has no symptoms at all. Often, it’s not until the disease is at an advanced stage that vision loss becomes evident, and by then your eyesight may have suffered irreversible damage.
For this reason, it’s important to take measures to protect your vision, even if you have normal eyesight. We’ll be discussing what you can do to prevent glaucoma in celebration of Glaucoma Awareness Month. But first, a bit of background on this common eye disease.
What Is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a disease that affects the optic nerve. It causes progressive damage to the optic nerve and leads to a subtle loss of peripheral vision. If the disease is not diagnosed early, it can progress to permanently blurred or dimmed vision or even blindness.
What Causes Glaucoma?
No one knows the main cause of glaucoma. However, elevated eye pressure is the major risk factor for developing the disease. The increased eye pressure comes when the aqueous humor (the clear fluid in the eye) does not drain properly. The aqueous humor usually flows in and out of the eye through a tiny channel. If it does not drain properly, it causes pressure to build up in the eye, which often leads to glaucoma.
Who Is at High Risk for Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is common among people over age 40. You’re at high risk of developing the disease if you:
- Have diabetes
- Have a family history of glaucoma
- Have had serious eye injuries in the past
5 Prevention Tips for Glaucoma
1. Regular Eye Exams
Currently, regular eye exams are the best way to prevent significant glaucoma damage. In general, a check for glaucoma should be done:
- Every four years before age 30
- Every three years between age 40 and 50
- Every two years between age 50 and 60
- Every six months after age 60
2. Benefits of Exercise
A regular exercise regimen will benefit your overall health. Even moderate exercise such as walking at least three times a week lowers your IOP. The benefits of exercise last if you continue to exercise. That’s why it’s recommended that you engage in moderate exercise on a regular basis.
3. Wear Eye Protection
Wearing protective eyewear when engaging in sports or high-risk activities is important. Eye injuries can lead to traumatic glaucoma, so protecting your eyes against injury is another way to prevent the disease.
4. Lower Your Insulin Levels
As insulin levels rise, it causes an increase in blood pressure and possibly eye pressure, too. Over time, this can make your body insulin-resistant, and insulin resistance is linked to elevated eye pressure. The best solution is to avoid sugars and high-carb foods such as bread, rice, pasta, potatoes and cereals. For a check-up on your blood sugar levels, visit one of our locations!
5. Eat Dark-Colored Berries
Bilberries are known to prevent and even reverse macular degeneration, and blueberries and cranberries have bioflavonoids, which are also beneficial. These berries work by strengthening capillaries that carry nutrients to nerves and eye muscles. However, since berries contain sugar, they should be consumed in moderation to avoid an increase in insulin levels.
Ask Us for Help!
When you need access to comprehensive, affordable glaucoma care, contact Hamilton Healthcare Center. We can point you in the right direction of a provider that can help. Call us at (717) 232-9971 for more information today.