I take on many roles in any given day. I'm a mother, wife, teacher and doctor. In those roles, I spend much of my time dispensing advice. But I'm also fortunate to receive some good advice.
(Getty Images)
In more than 20 years as a practicing family physician, I have recognized some habits that my healthiest patients share.
Now, I'm sharing this collective wisdom. Perhaps you can integrate some of these best practices:
1. Many of my patients start their day with exercise. I try to do the same, and I make it fit within my lifestyle. No matter where I am, I find like-minded people to meet me for exercise at an early hour. Waking up early is easier knowing that someone is waiting for me.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, most healthy adults should get between 150 to 300 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. I try to meet this goal on most days, but if life or an early morning meeting requires me to be somewhere else early in the day, I won't hold myself to the goal for that one day.
2. My healthiest patients don't deprive themselves of caffeine, though I try to limit myself to one cup each day. The evidence supports avoiding artificial sweeteners, but milk is not off-limits. There's enough research on the benefits of coffee and tea for adults to enjoy these drinks without guilt.
3. They drink water. I keep a glass by my desk and fill it again throughout the course of the day. The flavor of my water changes depending on the season. When my garden is at its peak in the summer, fresh basil, mint or a slice of cucumber end up in my glass and lead me to savor the water.
4. My healthiest patients are attentive to their food choices. Some follow the principles of the Mediterranean diet, which offers a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Others make it a point to bring their lunches to work. Packing lunch also helps limit portions and avoid overindulging. Another trick is to eat off real plates. Eating from real dishes elevates any bagged or leftover meal.
5. They find a way to remain grounded. Some practice a formal religion, while others have their own form of self-reflection, such as meditation. New research has emerged that informal contemplation of a few seconds has the same effect as meditating for longer periods, especially for those new to the practice of meditation. It's hard to carve out much time for this activity in an already busy day. This means that spending even a few seconds of mindfulness throughout the day can still be beneficial. I try to practice mindfulness during routine activities, such as waiting for my computer to turn on or in between tasks during the day. Instead of reaching for my phone to check social media accounts, I spend those seconds taking a deep breath and paying close attention to the sound of my own heartbeat or focusing on my inhalations and exhalations.
Let's face it: Sometimes life gets in the way of pursuing a healthy lifestyle. I have a sweet tooth that gets indulged far too frequently, and often when my alarm sounds, I turn it off and roll over. On those days, I forgive myself and refocus on the rest of the day.
There are many small things that each of us can do to create healthy habits and, in turn, a healthier lifestyle. I thank many of my patients for showing me the way.