Just One Thing – Step 1: Make a List

By Audrey Burghard, Health and Wellness Coordinator at the Co-op

“With the right food choices, physical activity, and not smoking, we could prevent about 80 percent of heart disease, about 90 percent of diabetes, and 70 percent of stroke,” says Walter Willett, chair of the nutrition department at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston. “Those are the three pillars. They really do make a difference.”

Take a moment to think about those numbers. Those diseases would be almost non-existent if we could somehow find a way to live a healthy lifestyle in this culture of over abundance of food and propensity toward sedentary living. The key word in the statement above is “prevent.” Taking action NOW to prevent disease is a necessary daily action for everyone. Whether you are a “healthy” person already or working toward it, it’s a daily decision to confirm your commitment to health.

We all know that we need to make good food choices, exercise and not smoke. The question is “HOW?”

Stay tuned to my blog to find “Just One Thing” to do each day to move toward a healthy lifestyle. One day at a time, one step at a time, one thing at a time. Let’s work together to simplify the process of moving toward a healthy lifestyle and weed through some of the information coming at us daily about what we should do to improve our health. Let’s get started with a first step:

1. Make a list – Write down a list of things you have been considering doing to live a healthier lifestyle. It doesn’t matter if it has been scientifically proven to work, or it’s something you heard from a friend. If you read about something or know someone who has had success and you want to try to make a change, write it down. It can be something simple, or more challenging. If nothing comes to mind here are some simple questions to get the process going:

• Am I getting enough sleep every night? (7-9 hours)
• Do I drink enough water every day (at least 32 ounces)
• Do I eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables?
• Do I need to lose weight?
• On a scale of 1-10, what is my stress level?
• What does my diet look like on a daily basis? Make a food log for 3-4 days and take a look!
• Am I willing to risk having disease by using tobacco or alcohol to excess?
• Do I have a medical condition that could benefit from making a change? If so, what change would benefit my health and make my PCP or ND happy?

Stay tuned to the Co-op Be Well blog for the next step!

Yours in Health,
Audrey