Everyday wellness. What exactly is this? It’s the realization that the choices we make every day—from the foods we eat (yup, coffee alone doesn’t cut it for breakfast), to if we exercise (sitting in your car doesn’t count) to how we manage our stress (hyperventilating in traffic, anyone?)—all contribute to our overall health.The great news, no…the fabulous, life-saving, wonderful news (especially when we’re all too busy to do one more thing), is that the majority of chronic diseases are lifestyle-driven. (Think high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, arthritis and some cancers.)Earlier this year, in a study published by the CDC, Bellow et al. found that those diagnosed with chronic heart disease were more likely to be overweight or obese, smokers or not regular exercisers. And it’s heart disease that’s the leading cause of death in our country.Now, this may seem obvious, but how often do you really think about preventing heart disease (or for that matter any chronic disease) on a daily basis? Unless you’ve been diagnosed with one—probably not at all. But in lifestyle matters like weight, smoking and exercising, it’s the little, everyday decisions that make all the difference.I’ve been practicing medicine now for over ten years and, I’ve seen some pretty remarkable examples of how people can change their lives. Simply. Effectively. I’ve watched a patient start to eat breakfast in the morning and help stabilize her moods. I’ve watched another patient begin a stretching routine and suddenly that decades-old back pain began to fade. I’ve watched countless moms change their behavior and in so doing change their families’ behavior. How cool is it for you to change and then your child’s pre-diabetes goes away?Every day, you make thousands of choices (according to a Cornell Study we make an average of 221 daily choices about food alone!). This column will arm you with simple, actionable ways to make the right choices for your health.Remember the children’s story, “The Tortoise and the Hare?” The tortoise wins the race, not the hare. What’s the point? It is absolutely necessary to take the concepts behind everyday wellness slowly, every day. After all, by doing so, you are making a lifestyle choice. How to lead your life. Every day. (And, remarkably, it doesn’t take long to get addicted to these new behaviors! I recently started practicing yoga—and now am surprised to find myself rearranging my schedule because I don’t want to miss my class.)What are the areas you’d like me to write about in this column? Leave a comment with your feedback!
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