Adopting Healthier Habits this Autumn

Building Healthier Habits this Fall

As the weather cools down and the leaves begin to change, take some inspiration from mother nature and transform your health. The health experts at ATRIO are here to share some tips to help you shift toward a healthier lifestyle this autumn.

Pay Attention to Your Cholesterol Levels

With autumn in full swing, that means plenty of seasonal sweets and treats coming during the holidays. While it’s perfectly fine to indulge in different foods and snacks, it is still important to pay close attention to your cholesterol levels.

When your total cholesterol gets too high, it leaves you at an increased risk for developing the following health issues:

• Atherosclerosis
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Peripheral arterial disease (PAD)
• Transient ischaemic attack (TIA)

Healthy Cholesterol Ranges

The following cholesterol levels are considered healthy and ideal:

• Total cholesterol: 125 to 200mg/dL
• LDL: Less than 100mg/dL
• HDL: 40 mg/dL or higher

Foods that Lower Your Cholesterol

Hgh-density lipoprotein (HDL) is commonly referred to as “good” cholesterol as it helps to manage your overall cholesterol levels. HDL absorbs bad cholesterol and transports it to the liver where it’s then broken down and removed from the body.

To increase your HDL levels, try adding these foods to your plate this autumn:

• Whole grains
• Olive oil
• Coconut oil
• Beans
• Legumes
• Fatty fish
• Eggs
• Nuts
• Okra
• Apples
• Grapes
• Strawberries

Also, be sure to limit your intake of processed and fatty foods

Quit Smoking

When it comes to supporting almost every area of your health, quitting smoking or never starting is your best bet. Whether you’ve recently picked up the habit or you’ve been smoking for decades, quitting smoking and using tobacco products can provide you with the following health benefits:

• Reduces your risk for most cancers.
• Lures your risk for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Reduces risk of cardiac events like heart attack and stroke.
• Improves your quality of life.
• Reduces your risk of premature death by up to 10 years.
• Improves cholesterol levels.
• Decreases the risk of recurring respiratory infections.
• Reduces coughing.
• Improves lung function.
• Improves asthma symptoms.
• Reduces the risk for pregnancy complications.
• Lowers the risk of having a pre-term baby.

Wash Your Hands Often

When it comes to protecting yourself f from getting sick, washing your hands properly is your first line of defense. This is because illness-causing germs and bacteria spread in the following ways:

• Touching your face with unwashed hands.
• Preparing or eating food with unwashed hands.
• Cross-contamination.
• Touching soiled communal surfaces.
• Coughing or sneezing into your hands.

When you wash your hands properly, you can help to stop the spread of germs to yourself and others. Be sure to follow these steps each time you wash your hands:

• Wet your hands with clean running water.
• Lather your hands with antibacterial soap.
• Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds.
• Rinse your hands with clean running water.
• Dry your hands with a disposable hand towel or air-dry them.

Support Healthy Brain Function

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, affecting upwards of 80% of dementia patients. This degenerative disease affects one’s cognitive brain function, becoming more severe over time—to the point where the affected person can no longer take care of themselves.

While you can’t completely prevent AD from developing, you can reduce your risk by, there are plenty of habits you can introduce into your routine to reduce your risk and support healthy brain function for years to come. Some simple brain-stimulating activities to add to your routine include:

• Leading an active lifestyle.
• Continue socializing with friends and family.
• Read books.
• Solve math problems.
• Take up painting or drawing.
• Play board games.
• Solve puzzles and brain teasers.

Look After Your Eye Health

When it comes to taking care of our health and wellness, we rarely think of taking care of our eyes. Your sight is one of your most important senses, allowing you to perform most of your everyday activities—making it increasingly important that you take care of your eye health.

A common ailment affecting eyesight is the development of cataracts, making your vision blurry and hazy. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways that you can prevent vision loss from affecting your golden years.

Have Routine Eye Exams

When it comes to ailments affecting your eyes, they often go without noticeable signs and symptoms making it imperative that you stay up-to-date on your eye exams. Even if you think you have 20/20 vision, your eye specialist will be able to look for early causes for concern during your exam.

You can further prevent vision loss related to smoking by:

• Wear sunglasses with UV protection.
• Getting regular physical activity.
• Maintaining healthy cholesterol levels.
• Maintaining healthy blood pressure levels.
• Eat a nutrient-dense diet.

Get Your Flu Shot

While leading a healthy lifestyle is important when it comes to protecting you from getting sick, getting vaccinated is also important. Not only does it help to protect you from illness-causing viruses, but it also helps to protect other members of your community.

The seasonal influenza (flu) vaccine is an immunization that helps to protect you from common strains of the flu that are projected to be the most prevalent during the upcoming flu season. The early autumn is actually the best time of year to get your seasonal flu shot. This is because it takes your body about two weeks to develop the appropriate antibodies to fight off infection.

If you’re unsure if you’re up-to-date on your immunizations or which ones may be appropriate for your unique health condition, reach out to your primary care provider.