Small Habits, Big Results: Preventive Health Made Easy

Healthy habits and preventive measures go hand in hand when it comes to prioritizing the well-being of our minds and bodies. These proactive steps are essential as they can act as a guide to help us avoid or slow the progression of an illness. Implementing healthy habits can enhance vitality throughout the day and over the long term once they become routine, whereas the not-so-good ones can increase your chances of acquiring various diseases (1). The implementation of habits that are both healthy and preventive will aid you and your future self in reducing the harm from previous negative lifestyle choices – let’s start making a difference now so that we can benefit more in the long run!

Changes in Daily Life

Reducing the risk of chronic diseases and illnesses will only be met when the time and care is taken for active prevention. Habits don’t develop overnight, but there are small steps that can be taken to bring effective change. Slowly transitioning to healthy habits is necessary to improve one’s quality of life; the American Heart Association suggests that positive steps can be tied with things that are done regularly in a practice called “habit stacking” or “habit chaining” to help solidify their place in daily routines (2). It could start with something as simple as adding in movement while waiting for the food in the microwave or drinking The Plug as the coffee brews. Starting off small will help solidify the habit into the daily life routine, whereas a drastic change can become unmanageable and unrealistic. Simple actions are more likely to become a habit quicker; the British Journal of General Practice found that “small changes can benefit health: slight adjustments to dietary intake can aid long-term weight management, and small amounts of light physical activity are more beneficial than none” (3). Remember: progress over perfection!

Get Moving

Physical activity is one of those practices that tends to be picked up and quickly dropped. But if realistic goals are set, failure is less likely because it’s not disrupting as much of the set routine in your daily life. Instilling movement as a lifestyle habit doesn’t have to be intense; when starting out, it should be light so that it’s easily maintained. According to the CDC, getting regular physical activity can help you manage, delay, or even prevent chronic diseases (4). Starting with small movements or moderate exercises will make it easier to develop into a habit and become a part of the daily schedule. Movement in any form can increase cognitive abilities and reduce the risk of depression, all the while lowering blood pressure and the chances of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes (5)!

Eat Well

Just as lack of physical movement can increase the risk of disease, your diet can do the same. Daily food decisions impact your overall health based on what is being consumed and the frequency of consumption. The choices that are made when it comes to food depend on the individual’s lifestyle and schedule, making the initial process of change harder due to convenience. The lack of proper nutrition in easily available food becomes progressively harmful to your health as most packaged foods are over-processed and packed with sodium, which increases blood pressure and the risk of stroke and heart disease (6). Bad eating habits not only cause damage to the integrity of the body but also directly affect the mind; Harvard Health states that “eating high-quality foods that contain lots of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants nourishes the brain and protects it from oxidative stress” (7). And don’t get us started on those sugary drinks! Luckily, The Plug can be a great alternative; our unique blend of 13 plants, fruits, and flowers strengthens immunity and boosts energy with no added sugar. 

Effectively changing the way you eat can be challenging. Similar to exercising or physical movement, switching up your consumption habits will be a gradual process over time. To actively implement healthy eating habits, you must be attentive to what you consume and the effects your diet will have on all areas of your health. Simply substituting processed foods for whole or all-natural foods will allow the body to get the nutrients it needs to decrease the chances of developing chronic diseases.

Rest & Recover

In addition to nutrition and physical movement, quality sleep plays a major role in how we recover and operate day to day. Humans need adequate rest for proper cognitive performance and function, as the lack of regular sleep or a set sleep schedule affects one’s attention span, memory, reaction time, and problem-solving abilities (8). Disordered sleep also causes low energy levels that often lead back to unhealthy habits because the body isn’t motivated to move.

Don’t think that setting a regular bed time should just be for kids! Introducing a set routine or “lights out” time that considers quality rest will allow you to be in the REM cycle of sleep longer, giving your body a chance to fully destress and recuperate. Sleep that is often disturbed or irregular can lead to the development of diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and depression (4). Shutting off your phone and avoiding screens before hopping into bed and avoiding caffeine late in the day can help regulate sleeping patterns, ensuring sufficient rest.

Starting small to reverse bad habits is key for long-term impact. By instituting even one minor lifestyle change, it can increase self-confidence and willingness to work towards other health-promoting habits (3).

Preventive Measures for the Long Run

The transition from bad habits to good ones will be slow and gradual, but it will prioritize disease prevention nonetheless! Now that you know the best habits to include in your daily routine, there are also some preventive steps you can take to nurture your future self. Staying informed and being proactive about your health can make all the difference when it comes to reducing the risk of disease or even catching a problem before it gets worse.

Get Checked Out

One proactive step you can do is to get regular checkups and screenings. Asking your healthcare provider questions will allow you to be more aware of what is going on inside your body. Annual or biannual checkups will not only clear any questions you may have but will be an opportunity for the doctor to identify an illness in the early stages. Orlando Health physician Dr. Thomas Kelley states, “Even if you think you’re healthy and you’re not experiencing any symptoms, there can be developing issues that often go unnoticed and can also be life-threatening if left unchecked” (9). 

When doctors are able to detect a chronic illness early enough, it allows the patient to make proactive decisions for their health on the next steps of prevention and make a difference in the course of the disease. Tests like mammograms, colorectal cancer screening, or blood sugar testing can identify early signs before aggressive disease progression (10). The integral step is making that first appointment or scheduling that screening – so don’t be nervous! Think of it as taking care of your future self.

Learn Your Family History

Looking into your family medical history can help you learn whether or not you’re at risk of certain diseases and conditions; it’s also a good way to determine which lifestyle habits to drop or pick up. When it comes to disease prevention, having a look at the bigger picture will help guide doctors on what to look out for and decide which screenings should be scheduled for closer observation. But knowing your family history isn’t just necessary for your doctor – it can motivate you to evaluate your current lifestyle habits and determine which ones to adopt for the future. Open communication about familial diseases with relatives will help decide whether or not early screening should be considered. The CDC recommends creating a conversation with family members by asking these four questions to best aid in prevention (11):

1. Do you have any chronic diseases or conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol?

2. Have you had serious diseases like cancer or suffered from a stroke?

3. How old were you when each of these diseases and/or conditions were diagnosed?

4. If a relative passed away, what was their age and cause of death?

Presenting the doctor with a health history, even if incomplete, gives them the necessary information on what steps can be taken for further prevention. Knowledge is power, so learn about your family history if you haven’t already! 

Routine is Key

The best step for preventive care is to follow a routine that instills healthy habits so they can be effective long-term. A daily routine creates a designated time for those habits to be carried out to, in turn, have a stronger impact on your overall well-being. Behavioral Medicine Review found that “part of forming a habit is consistent repetition” (12), so don’t think of adopting habits as a “go big or go home” mentality. Trying to start big often leaves the habit abandoned or at an unattainable level, so be patient with yourself! We know you’ve got this, PlugFAM!

Bibliography 

1. How Your Bad Habits Affect Your Health [Internet]. WebMD. Updated 2023 Sept 29. Available from: https://www.webmd.com/balance/ss/slideshow-bad-habits

2. Making Habits Stick [Internet]. American Heart Association. Available from: https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-lifestyle/habits?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9YvsueqD_QIVvfLjBx3mQgQEEAAYASAAEgLUjvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds 

3. Gardner B, Lally P, Wardle J. Making health habitual: the psychology of 'habit-formation' and general practice. The British Journal of General Practice : the Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners [Internet]. 2012 Dec;62(605):664-6. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23211256/ 

4. Preventing Chronic Diseases: What You Can Do Now [Internet]. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2024 May 15. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/chronic-disease/prevention/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/about/prevent/index.htm 

5. Health Benefits of Physical Activity for Adults [Internet]. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2024 Mar 25. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/health-benefits/adults.html 

6. Tips for Reducing Sodium Intake [Internet]. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2024 Jan 31. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/salt/reduce-sodium-intake/ 

7. Selhub E. Nutritional psychiatry: Your brain on food [Internet]. Harvard Health Publishing | Harvard Medical School. 2022 Sept 18. Available from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-psychiatry-your-brain-on-food-201511168626 

8. Alhola P, Polo-Kantola P. Sleep deprivation: Impact on cognitive performance. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment [Internet]. 2007;3(5):553-67. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19300585/ 

9. Smiley JD. Why do so many men skip regular health checkups? [Internet]. Medical News Today. 2022 June 7. Available from: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/why-do-so-many-men-skip-regular-health-checkups   

10. About Family Health History [Internet]. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2024 Sept 24. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/family-health-history/about/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/genomics/famhistory/famhist_basics.htm

11. Family Health History [Internet]. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/family-health-history/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/genomics/famhistory/index.htm

12. Arlinghaus KR, Johnston CA. The Importance of Creating Habits and Routine. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine [Internet]. 2018 Dec 29;13(2):142-144. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30800018/