Health issues and conditions are rarely ever completely self-directed, but can be contributed to. For example, those who smoke regularly are not guaranteed to contract lung cancer, but it does raise their likelihood of suffering this condition a great deal more than a non-smoker, with no predispositions, possibly could.
However, it’s also true to say that engaging in a bad habit or implementing great habits will not guarantee either outcome. There’s a fair amount of genedic predisposition and positive or negative luck involved.
That doesn’t mean you should disempower yourself. Often, habits can have more of an effect than we know, more than basic advice would suggest. In this post, then, we hope to dig a little deeper into the effects of your habits on health outcomes, so that you can feel inspired to make good decisions now and potentially prevent certain issues from causing you problems as time goes on and you become older.
With that in mind, please consider some of the following tips:
Progress Is Not Linear
It’s essential to recognize that progress is not linear, in any form. This means that when implementing healthy habits for health prevention or to manage a condition, you should try and be as mindful as possible. For example, if you’re losing weight to go from being obese to at a healthy weight, measuring yourself weekly (and not daily), giving yourself a break if you haven’t lost as much as you had intended, and taking some time for yourself can be key. Progress is not linear, so it’s always healthy to remind yourself of that.
Measurements & Checkups Are Essential
Ultimately, it’s important to go through checkups so you can properly assess your current health condition and any preventative measures it may require. For example, an HBA1C test can be ideal for those who may be pre-diabetic, allowing their doctors to come up with a restorative plan to help you achieve their best health. On top of that, measurements such as checking your sperm or egg health if you’re trying to conceive, or even checking cardio performance once quitting smoking can all be a healthy new approach to take. This allows you to see incremental progress that you won’t want to be rid of, opening the door to something new.
Finding Your Genetic Dispositions Is Helpful
It’s also a good idea to understand your genetic dispositions so you can understand what habits to avoid. For example, if your family has a history of heart health issues, then it can be good to eat a diet with limited salt, to gain steady exercise to strengthen this muscle, to ensure you deal with your stress as much as you can and to get good sleep in kind. This isn’t to say your genetic predisposition is going to affect your life, nor may it ever be a real factor, but you can still act wisely within that framework and gain good results.
With this advice, you’re certain to see the true effect of your habits on all manner of positive health outcomes.
