Your health is definitely the most important asset you can have. If you had everything besides good health, you wouldn’t be happy with any of it.
Understandably, we all slack off sometimes, especially when life gets in the way. But if you feel like it’s about time you got serious about your health, know that there’s plenty you can do.
As a Coloradan, you already know the state presents a lot you can do to maintain optimal health. Let’s make things easier for you with these nine ways to improve your health in Colorado:
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Eat Healthy
Considering food plays a major role in your health, it’s crucial that you stick to a healthy diet and cut out the less useful stuff. Increase your fruit and vegetable intake, as the more green your diet is, the better.
Avoid processed foods and foods rich in fats and excess sugars. If you’re not confident you can come up with a healthy eating plan, consult a dietician and let them structure a healthy diet for you.
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Increase Water Intake
The Colorado climate can be pretty dry. If you’re not drinking plenty of water, to begin with, you’re putting your health at huge risk.
Start by increasing your water intake day by day. You may not be used to it, but it gets better. You could add flavors to it to make it easier to drink plenty.
Remember, water is good for you as every system in your body runs on it.
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Get Outdoors
One thing most people will agree about Colorado is that it’s a beautiful state. There’s plenty to explore, from vast forests like the San River National Forest to scenic mountain passes of Pikes Peak.
Take advantage of the beautiful outdoors the state has to offer to improve your health. Here are some activities you can engage in that can do wonders for your health.
If you have a liking for long walks, you could take on the popular hiking trails like Lion Gulch in the Rocky Mountains. One by one, tick them off and use the adventure to get yourself fit.
Push yourself even further by canoeing the Colorado River. The stamina you build from canoeing rapids is good for your cardiovascular health.
If climbing doesn’t sound so bad, you could take on the cliff walls of Black Canyon or the Rocky Mountains.
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Eliminate Stress
Stress is a leading cause of many negative effects on your physical and mental health. People with stress have a high risk of developing serious cardiovascular diseases, but that’s just one aspect of the negative effects of stress on the body.
While stress is a good thing in small doses, too much of it is unhealthy. Eliminating it from your life is a big step towards improving your health.
You can get rid of stress by learning to accept life’s challenges and drawing strength from negative emotions. Learn to control how you process things through techniques like meditation.
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Drop Alcohol and Smoking
If you’re smoking or consuming alcohol in plenty, avoid it to give your health a huge boost.
Regularly consuming alcohol is bad for your immune system. It has toxic effects that put you at risk of developing major health problems like liver disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and heart disease.
Smoking is even worse, as it damages your airways and lungs over time, causing lung disease. Considering smokers are up to 30 times more at risk of developing lung cancer, quitting is worth it.
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Try Alternative Treatments
We’re living at a time when most ailments have medications that either cure or manage the symptoms.
The problem with modern medications is that long-term use can lead to digestive system issues, dependence, and chronic heart disease.
The use of natural substances as an alternative to certain medications continues to gain momentum, especially with the recent support for marijuana.
If you’re looking into medical marijuana as an alternative treatment, keep in mind that the more you learn, the easier it’ll be to make informed decisions.
Final Thoughts
Staying healthy is about adopting and maintaining healthy habits. Watch what you eat, stay active, avoid stress, quit harmful activities like smoking and drinking, and embrace natural treatment options.
While it won’t happen overnight, small healthy steps in the right direction will get you there.