3 Key Health Tips That Every Nurse Wishes You Knew

Nurses spend a lot of time educating patients on the importance of taking care of one’s health. Most nurses wish that their patients understood how easy it is to stay healthy.

Below are three key health tips that every nurse wishes that you knew:

You Can Improve Your Overall Health by Taking Daily Walks

Many people are under the misconception that they have to spend several hours at the gym in order to improve their fitness and stay healthy.

However, walking is one of the best exercises there is. It can be done by almost anyone at any time. This exercise is also fairly easy on the joints.

There are many simple ways that you can get more walking in your day. Parking further away from your destination and taking the stairs instead of the elevator are two ways that you can walk more.

Walking helps strengthen your heart and reduce your risk of heart disease. In fact, studies have shown that people who walk for at least 30 minutes a day for five days out of the week can reduce their risk of heart disease by up to 50 percent.

Heart disease is the top killer of both men and women. Walking also helps you burn calories.

If you walk at a moderate pace for about 30 minutes, you can burn about 100 calories. That might not seem like much, but it will add up in the long run.

Drink More Water

You have probably heard that you need to drink eight glasses of water per day. Approximately 70 percent of your body is made up of water. That is why it should be your primary beverage.

The Benefits of Water

Water helps keep you hydrated. It also helps keep your skin clear and boost your metabolism. In fact, you can lose up to six pounds per year just from drinking water.

Additionally, water is a great alternative to sugary beverages. Sugary beverages are packed with calories and have no real nutritional benefit.

Eat Less Processed Carbs

You may have heard that carbs are bad. That is a myth. Your body needs carbs for energy, but the processed carbs are the ones that you will want to avoid.

White rice, white bread, cake and cookies are some examples of processed carbs. These types of foods cause your blood sugar level to spike. Blood sugar spikes can lead to food cravings.

Replace the Processed Carbs with Good Carbs

You can limit your intake of processed carbs by eating more of the good types. Brown rice, oatmeal and vegetables are examples of good carbs.

These types of food are high in fiber, which is one of the nutrients that helps promote healthy digestion. Fiber has also been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Again, nurses want everyone to know how easy it is to maintain good health. Taking daily walks, drinking water and eating less processed foods are three of the many simple things that people can do to keep themselves healthy.