How to look after your health? 13+ tips from a doctor, nutritionist and psychologist

Taking care of your health doesn't have to be a full-blown ordeal. Together with experts - a doctor of medicine, a clinical nutritionist and a psychologist - we suggest how to take care of your health effectively, with pleasure and in accordance with scientific research.

The first step is to change your thinking. Then all it takes is a few minutes a day. And over time, the new normalcy will become so ingrained in your blood that you will never go back to your old habits.

The first step is to change your thinking.

See also:

• Lung health after a pandemic
• The Mediterranean diet [the world's healthiest diet]
• How to eat with diabetes and insulin resistance
• Is the SIRT diet healthy?
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"No part will be healthy until the whole is healthy"

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This quote attributed to Plato is the quintessential way to think about oneself and health.

People are like connected vessels. Each sphere of our lives affects the other: diet on our wellbeing, mental health on our relationships, good sleep on our performance at work.

It is not a good thing.

Only a holistic view of health will help you to function optimally and harmoniously and focus on long-term results.

Take this example:

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You have been suffering from a lack of energy for a long time. Your first thought: I need a coffee or an energiser. Ok, that's a short-term solution. However, your condition may have a cause somewhere else entirely. Lack of sleep, hormonal problems, anxiety and nervous tension, deficiencies of vitamins and micronutrients, low mood or thyroid problems - these need to be carefully checked.

When reading this text, think of yourself as "whole".

How to maintain a healthy diet - a few words from a clinical nutritionist

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Remember the balance of nutrients

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You are probably familiar with the saying that you are what you eat. Meaning that food is not only fuel for our bodies, but also (continuing the automotive analogy) the necessary lubricants, fluids and oils. To run like a reliable machine, you need to ensure their harmonious composition.

The latest WHO guidelinesand on healthy eating:

• Consume at least 400 g of fruit and vegetables per day - add vegetables to every meal;
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• Limit your intake of sugars simply to 10% - ideally it should be less than 5%;
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• Care for an adequate supply of fats - this should be around 30% of your daily energy intake. Choose unsaturated fats, which can be found in fish, avocados, nuts and olive oil, among others;
• Care for an adequate supply of fats.
• Avoid saturated fats (fatty meat, butter, cheese, cream, coconut oil) and trans fats. Saturated fats should be less than 10% in your diet and trans fats should be less than 1%.
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• Limit your daily salt intake to 5g, or one teaspoon - choose iodised salt.
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There are a few more rules worth adding to this:

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• Eat regularly - approximately every 3-4 hours.
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• Drink plenty of water - start and end your day with a glass of water.
• Drink plenty of water - start and end your day with a glass of water.
• Climit stimulants - especially alcohol.
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• Make sure you get the right macroof your meals, i.e. protein, carbohydrate and fat content;
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• Read the ingredients of the products you buy and check the RWS values, which determine how much of a particular ingredient you should consume in a day
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• Eat for pleasure, not obligation.
• Eat for pleasure, not obligation.
• Take the word "diet" out of your head and replace it with "nutrition".
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• In your daily or weekly plan, follow the 80:20 rule, i.e. 80% of food is healthy and balanced and the remaining 20% is space for your little pleasures.
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• Avoid restrictive diets and elimination diets - unless your health requires it.
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Take a look at your eating habits

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Are you eating under stress? Are you always eating in front of a screen - whether at work or on Netflix? Don't have fixed meal times? Are you plagued by the yo-yo effect

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These are just some of the signs that you are eating inappropriately. It can spoil your wellbeing and take away your energy - your relationships and working life will suffer.

How to prevent this?

How to prevent this from happening?

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Remember that water is life

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There is not a drop of exaggeration in this statement - water is an important component of every cell in our body. Over 60%and we are made up of water - the brain and heart 73%, lungs 83%, muscles and kidneys 79%, and bones around 31%.

Additionally, water is responsible for the proper functioning of our body. Including for:

• regulating our body temperature through breathing and sweating,
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• transporting nutrients, namely proteins and carbohydrates, into the bloodstream,
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• excretion of toxins and unnecessary metabolic products,
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• amortisation of the brain, spinal cord or fetus during pregnancy,
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• the formation of saliva,
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• greasing joints,
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For your own health and well-being, it's worth getting into the habit of drinking water regularly and hydrating your body. I know this can be difficult at first - especially if you lead a busy lifestyle - so try to systematically introduce the following principles:

• Begin your day with a glass of water -it's better than coffee: you'll improve your metabolism and give yourself energy.
• Water is a great way to start your day.
• Have water with you at all times - at your desk at work, on the move or on an afternoon walk.

• Keep water in sight - as soon as you see a glass or bottle is empty, fill it.
• Add healthy and tasty additions to your water (mint, lemon, lime, ginger, favourite fruit) - you'll be more likely to reach for what you enjoy.
• Reach for water before you feel thirsty - it or dry mouth are the first signs of dehydration.
• Start monitoring your daily fluid intake - divide your day into glasses/bottles, install an app or set reminders on your smartphone.
• Drink a glass of water before bed.

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Supplementation? Only safe and informed

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Here the matter is simple. Take care of a healthy and balanced diet first. This is the best way to provide your body with nutrients, vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients. Supplementation, i.e. supplementation of individual components, is the last resort.

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However, in Poland we even love dietary supplements and ingest them at a mass.

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Is this a problem? Potentially yes, because vitamins can be overdosed, and excesses are sometimes more dangerous than deficiencies.

Incompetent and overzealous supplementation can lead to such dangerous phenomena as:

• kidney failure,
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• diseases of the liver,
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• gastroenteritis and diabetes,
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• stomach disorders,
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• weight loss,
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• nausea,
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• disordered taste,
• disordered taste.
• weakening of muscles,
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• deterioration of vision,
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Who should take dietary supplements?

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Persons with deficiencies or in a state of increased need. The most important groups are:

• pregnant and breastfeeding women,
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• people on elimination diets, including the ketogenic diet,
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• athletes and people doing hard physical work,
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• women using contraceptives,
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• persons taking metformin,
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• seniors and older people,
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• persons undergoing chemotherapy,
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• persons during recovery from illness,
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• persons working mentally,
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9 rules for safe and informed supplementation

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1. First a balanced diet, then supplementation.
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2. Do blood tests and find out what you are lacking.
3. Consult with your doctor.
4. Consult the results with your doctor, pharmacist or clinical nutritionist.
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5. Supplement only the ingredients you actually need.
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6. Drug or supplement? If you have a choice, choose the drug.
7. Supplement.
8. A supplement is not the same as a supplement - choose trusted manufacturers.
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9. Follow the recommendations of your specialist and the leaflet on the pack.
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10. Do regular tests and determine the concentration of individual ingredients.
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11. If everything is normal, you can stop supplementation, but the final decision should be made by your doctor.
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What substances are worth supplementing with?

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It depends on your needs and health status. The most commonly recommended substances are:

• vitamin D - the one substance that basically everyone should supplement, as it is difficult to get 100% from the sun in our climate (and even more difficult in the diet), especially from autumn to summer,
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• unsaturated fatty acids Omega-3 and Omega-6,
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• vitamin B12,
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• iron,
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• folic acid,
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• calcium,
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• magnesium,
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• creatine and beta-alanine,
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• probiotics and prebiotics.
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See also:

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• Vitamin B12 deficiency - causes, symptoms, treatment
• Vitamin D deficiency - what symptoms may cause concern
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• Best vitamin D - which one to choose?
• Maximum vitamin D dose - what is the limit?
• Vitamin D overdose - is it possible?
• Omega acids - types, properties, deficiency
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• DHA acid - what is it, health properties, sources
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• Best magnesium - which one to choose and why?
• Do you need to combine vitamin D3 and K2?
• B vitamins
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin E
• MSM
• Zinc

Caring for a healthy lifestyle isn't just about running in the park in the morning - some advice from a doctor

Prevention is better than cure, so get checked regularly

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Systematic preventive examinations are the basis of health care. Unfortunately, in Poland we are more concerned about our cars than ourselves. We are not exaggerating - as many as 83% of car owners take their vehicle to a mechanic at least once a year and check its technical condition. Meanwhile, only 57% of Polish people get tested at least once a year, performing a morphology or other basic blood tests.

Other data are equally worrying:

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• As many as 1 in 10 men have never had a blood test.
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• 60% of women have a basic blood test at least once a year.
• 70% of people have never had a blood test.
• 70% of people aged 55+ have a blood test at least once a year.
• Other screening tests
• Other health checkups (dental check-ups or eye examinations) are performed once a year by only 33% of Poles and twice a year by only 12%.
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Examinations and preventive care reduce the risk of disease, disability and help detect conditions at an early stageand. In practice - they allow you to live a longer and happier life.

What checks are worth doing? You can find out everything in the Preventive check-ups calendar.

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Screenings for 20-30 year olds

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ALL

• Dental check-ups - once every six months.
• Dental check-ups.
• Basic kit: morphology, ESR (Biernacki's precipitation), glucose levels, urinalysis - once a year.
• Blood pressure measurement, weight control and general examination with an internist - once a year.
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• Measurement of blood electrolyte levels (potassium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium) - once every 3 years.
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• Lipidogram (measurement of blood cholesterol and its HDL and LDL fractions and triglycerides) - once every 5 years.
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• USG of the abdominal cavity - once every 3-5 years.
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• RTG of the chest (especially smokers) - once every 5 years.
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• Check of nevi with a dermatologist - every few years.
• Check of nevi with a dermatologist - every few years.

WOMEN

• Breast self-examination - once a month (between days 6 and 9 of the cycle).
• Breast examination - once a month (between days 6 and 9 of the cycle).
• Gynaecological examination and cytology (preferably by the same trusted doctor) - once a year.
• Gynaecological examination and cytology - once a year.
• Transvaginal ultrasound - once every 2 years.
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MEN

• Testicular self-examination - once a month.
• Testicular examination - once a month.
• Testicular examination by a doctor (for testicular cancer) - once every 3 years.
• Testicular examination by a doctor (for testicular cancer) - once every 3 years.
• Proctological examination (for men at risk of prostate disease) - once.
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Testing for 30-40 year olds

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ALL

• Dental check-ups - once every six months.
• Dental check-ups.
• Basic kit: morphology, ESR (Biernacki's precipitation), glucose levels, urinalysis - once a year.
• Blood pressure measurement, weight control and general examination with an internist - once a year.
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• Measurement of blood electrolyte levels (potassium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium) - once every 3 years.
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• Lipidogram - once every 5 years.
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• USG of the abdomen - once every 3 to 5 years.
• Cranial x-ray - once every 3 to 5 years.
• RTG of the chest (especially smokers) - once every 5 years.
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• Check of eyesight and fundus examination - once every 5 years (in case of identified defects, checks according to doctor's recommendations).

WOMEN

• Breast self-examination - once a month
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• Gynaecological examination and cytology - once a year
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• Breast USG - once a year
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• Tranvaginal ultrasound of the reproductive organs - once
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MEN

• Testicular self-examination - once every six months
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• Examination of the testicles by a doctor (for cancer) - once every 3 years
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• Proctological examination (for men at risk of prostate disease) - once
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Blood tests for people aged 40-50

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ALL

• Basic kit (morphology, ESR, glucose, general urinalysis) - once a year
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• Blood pressure, weight control, general examination with an internist - once a year
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• Lipidogram - once every 2 years, and if you are at risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease, are overweight or smoke - once a year
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• Check of eyesight, funduscopic examination and intraocular pressure - once every 2 years
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• Ecg - once every 3 years
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• Abdominal USG - once every 3-5 years
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• RTG of the chest - once every 5 years, and if you smoke, once a year
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• Gastroscopy - once every 5 years
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• Bone density test - once
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• Dental examination and teeth cleaning of plaque - once every six months
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• Dermatological check-up of nevi and moles
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WOMEN

• Breast self-examination - once a month
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• Gynaecological examination and cytology - once a year
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• Tranvaginal ultrasound - once every 2 years
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• Breast ultrasound and mammography - once every two years
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• Thyroid hormone testing - once
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MEN

• Testicular self-examination - once a month
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• Prostate check-up - once a year
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• Lung X-ray - once every 2 years (smokers as advised by their doctor)
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Tests for people aged 50+

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ALL

• Baseline kit + lipidogram - once a year
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• Blood pressure - every 3 months
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• Weight control, general examination at internist - once a year
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• Abdominal USG - once a year
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• RTG of the chest - once every 5 years, and smokers once a year as part of lung cancer diagnosis
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• Bone density test - once
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• Colonoscopy - at least once every 5 years
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• Ecg - once a year
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• Ophthalmological examinations - once a year
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• Dental examination and teeth cleaning - once every six months
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• ENT consultation - once every 2-3 years
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• Dermatology consultation - once every 5-10 years
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• Urology consultation - once a year
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• Cardiology consultation - once every 3-5 years
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• Determination of magnesium, uric acid, creatinine and albumin concentrations - once a year
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WOMEN

• Gynaecological examinations, cytology and ultrasound of the reproductive organs - once a year
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• Mammography - once every 2 years
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• Breast self-examination - once a month
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• Thyroid examination - once a year
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• Sex hormone determination - once every 2-3 years
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• Calcium and phosphate determination - once a year
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MEN

• Prostate check-up (per rectum examination) - once every 2 years
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• PSA antigen determination (helps detect prostate cancer) - once a year
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• Testicular self-examination - once a month
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• Testicular examination by a doctor - once every 3 years
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If you haven't had regular checkups so far and you're afraid you'll forget when to do your next one - make an appointment for your next one and set a reminder on your smartphone for that date or the day before to prepare for it.

See also:

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• Thyroid tests - why are they so important?
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• Hypothyroidism
• Blood tests - everything you need to know
• Cervical cancer - prevention
• What are liver tests?
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• How to donate blood?
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Preventive tests for seniors

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In addition to the standard tests for men and women, the most recommended preventive tests for seniors are:

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• Pressure check - once a month
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• Lipidogram - once a year
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• Exercise and resting ECG - once a year
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• Glucose testing - once a year
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• Liver tests - once a year
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• Determination of vitamin D, B12, B9, iron and ferritin - once a year
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• Creatinine and uric acid testing - once a year
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• Dental check-up - once a year
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• USG abdominal scan - once a year
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• Electrolyte determination - once every 2-3 years
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• Thyroid ultrasound - once every 2-3 years
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• Ionogram - once every 2-3 years
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• Gastroscopy - once every 3-5 years
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• RTG of the chest - once every 5 years
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• Cancer screening
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Care for your loved ones and take advantage of various occasions throughout the year to present them with a package of check-ups. Birthdays, name days, Mother's and Father's Day, Grandmother's and Grandfather's Day or holidays and anniversaries are perfect for this.

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What about children and young people?

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Children and adolescents are covered by universal preventive checkups, so-called "balance sheets", which help to detect developmental abnormalities or possible diseases at various stages. Balance sheets are carried out from the age of 2 to 18 and include:

• physical measurements,
• physical examination
• examinations for posture, vision and hearing defects,
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• examination of blood pressure,
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• examination of mental development,
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• medical interview,
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As part of your child's preventive health care - regardless of age - it is also a good idea to have regular:

• blood tests (blood count, ESR, ASO, CRP),
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• Iron and ferritin determination,
• Blood tests (blood count, ESR, CRP).
• determination of vitamin D concentrations,
• examination of blood glucose
• glucose test,
• fluoride test,
• urine test (urine),
• fluoride test.
• urinal examination (general, culture),
• fecal examination,
• fecal examination.
• fecal examination,
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• USG abdominal examination,
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• dental check-ups,
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• orthopaedic check-ups,
• physical check-ups,
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• language therapy checks,
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Move on!

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You don't have to immediately pour out hectolitres of sweat at the gym - it's not even advisable to begin with. Instead of helping you, you could harm yourself, get injured, or just plain demotivate yourself.

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Choose the sport or physical activity you enjoy most and start practising it. Regularly. The effects will surprise you. Just remember to adapt the intensity of the activity to your own possibilities and state of health.

And if you don't know what to do, go for a walk. Still not many people realise how great its power is.

And if you don't know what to do, put on a walk.

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Some studiesand suggest that just looking at pictures of nature already positively stimulates our brain activity. So if you have the opportunity to do so at work, every now and then take your eyes off your computer screen, look out of the window and gaze into the distance. Your eyesight will also thank you. As a last resort, you can set yourself a natural screen saver.

Already living in the vicinity of green parks, woods or gardens is associated with greater life satisfaction and mental comfortand.

Also consider moving your activities and workouts into the fresh air. Research  confirms that such exercise boosts self-esteem more and we feel more energetic and less tense, depressed and irritable afterwards .

Limit stimulants

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How so! After all, everything is for people!

But is everything beneficial? Inthe right doses anything can be a poison, and no one (I hope) needs to be reminded of the harm of alcohol abuse , compulsive smoking  or drug use .

However, did you know that:

• Coffee in excess (actually caffeine) can exacerbate symptoms of anxiety and insomnia, as well as causing heart palpitations  and even migraines ;
• Sugar contributes to, among other things, obesity , diabetes, hepatic steatosis , and also promotes the development of depression and can cause mood disorders .

Smile till you laugh

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You may just be smiling under your breath or knocking yourself on the forehead, however, the saying that 'laughter is health' is indeed true - science doesn't lie.

Chuckling, retching or laughing gleefully - especially when combined with exercise can improve mental and physical health.

Experiencing positive emotions and laughing together connects us to people and strengthens relationships.

Don't forget about (good) rest

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Without work, there is no work? Yes. But without proper rest and recuperation, you will quickly lose energy and will not be able to work.

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And yet rest improves productivity, regenerates the body, strengthens immunity, supports stress management, improves mood and influences decision-making.

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So how to rest well? Realise your needs, do what you enjoy and find the right dose for you - only then will rest be truly effective and valuableand.

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Start getting enough sleep

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Treat sleep as one of the most important tasks of the day - plan it carefully and prepare for it.

Start with this:

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• Establish consistent bedtimes (including weekends) - your body craves consistency and routine.
• Give up caffeine - stop drinking coffee 6 to 8 hours before going to bed.
• Relax - treat yourself to a hot bath, meditation, yoga or your favourite music.
• Exercise a little - but not right before bed. Exercise and stretching reduce muscle tension.
• Avoid blue light - put away laptops, smartphones and TV preferably as early as 2 hours before bed.
• Make your bedroom a paradise and asylum - don't pay bills in bed, don't do work, and air the room properly before going to bed.

See more:

• Sleep hygiene - 8 proven ways to get a healthy night's sleep
• Melatonin for sleep - properties and dosage
• Air purifiers - ranking
• Scented diffusers
• Scented candles
• Scented candles

Care for your mental health - a few words from a psychologist

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Manage your stress

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Our lives are constantly rushing by. One deadline chases another. Slowly, we start to lose our way and over time we lose control.

With stress alone, we can't manage our stress.

There is nothing wrong with stress itself. Ba. The chemical mechanisms that occur in our bodies when we get stressed actually help us to overcome the circumstances that led to the stress. The problem arises when you experience stress continuously.

Long-term stress unbalances the entire bodyand. It directly affects our physical and mental health. It reprograms our brain, and our adaptive capacity to such situations begins to gradually decline .

Living under chronic stress can produce physical, emotional and even personality and social symptoms:

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• shaking hands,
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• pain in the abdomen and 'non-obvious' parts of the body (e.g. back),
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• increased sweating,
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• accelerated heartbeat,
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• problems with memory and concentration,
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• weakened immunity,
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• increased self-criticism and cynicism,
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• lower mood and seeing everything in black colours,
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• nervousness and frustration,
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• social withdrawal,
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• nervous tics,
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• hair loss,
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• disruption of the menstrual cycle,
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• weakened immunity,
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These are just some of the consequences  that result from the hormones raging within us - mainly testosterone and cortisol  - which put us in fight-or-flight mode at all times. This gradually emaciates every sphere of our lives.

You can find out exactly what you can do in the following sections.

See also: Cortisol testing - why is it so important

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Nurture relationships with others and help

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The people around us - family, friends, acquaintances, neighbours - make us feel better ourselves. It is relationships that make us social beings and give us true happiness. Would you rather share joy with your loved ones or consume it alone?

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By helping others, you are actually helping yourself too. Not only will you improve mental wellbeing, boost confidence and self-esteem, but you will also extend your lifeand.

See also:

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• How you can help bees
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Learn to say no, set boundaries

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Denying is never easy. We usually feel obliged to help when someone asks for it.

How many times have you found yourself dropping everything and helping a friend or colleague?"

Continuously being at everyone's beck and call - without taking care of yourself - can over time lead to burnout, irritability and loss of control over your own life.

Setting boundaries is difficult. But necessary.

If you can't commit time or energy to someone - say so, and your body and mind will thank you.

Find time just for yourself

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Maybe you are a wonderful full-time parent and you care for your children. Perhaps you spend most of your day at work and caring for your next projects. Either way, I know it's going to be difficult for you to squeeze even a few moments out of your schedule to simply be alone with yourself.

You need to do this so that you don't go crazy in the rush of more tasks, frustrations or negative emotions.

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A hot bath, a walk alone, a good movie, a workout, a book, a mug of your favourite coffee with a book - no matter what you choose, do it for yourself.

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Get lots of cuddles

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Scientific research clearly shows that physical contact with a loved one reduces stress and releases oxytocin, one of the happiness hormones.

Maybe your mood won't necessarily improve immediately, but you'll feel all the negative emotions much lessand.

Try mindfulness, meditation and relaxation training

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Live in the here and now.

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But what does that mean?"

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An increasingly popular mindfulness is about focusing on the present moment - without judging what you're thinking or how you're feeling.

This very liberating practice will not only align you with yourself, but can also improve your mood and lower your stress levelsand.

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As an additional support for achieving intrinsic Zen you can also use:

• breathing exercises,
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• Schultz autogenic trainingand,
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• Jacobson training ,
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• meditation and mantras,
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• massage,
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• yoga,
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Think good, speak good and... you will be fine

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Textbooks have been written about positive thinking, films have been made and songs have been written (I loveBombay from Beadows, and you?), and still we have a problem with it.

No, I'm not going to offer you clichés like: start thinking positively and everything will change and be fine. No, it won't. But when you stop focusing on the negatives, you can change your attitude towards life and the reality around you.

"Our positive emotions are influenced by time for ourselves, doing what we enjoy, spending time with others, time outdoors," - recalls Jagoda Turowska.

Positive emotions act a bit like a filter for our inner glasses. It's not about smiling silly even when everyone is crying. It's supposed to be your decision to see that spark of goodness even in difficulties - that way you can endure them more easily and become a better person.

And finally...

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The first step to a healthier and happier life is to recognise the need for change. If you can see that something isn't right - make an effort to fix it.

Make changes gradually but consistently. Only then will they last.

Start treating yourself a little like a small child. Be firm with yourself, yet kind and understanding. Don't punish yourself for forgetting to do a workout or being too busy to do a bit of reading.

Don't punish yourself for forgetting to do a workout or being too busy to do a bit of reading.

Didn't get something done today? Make sure you get 1% more done tomorrow.

Take care.

Where do you start?

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