3 Items Critical to Your Health (Besides Diet & Exercise)

3 Items Critical to Your Health

(Besides Diet & Exercise)

That You May Have Overlooked

By S. R. Morris

 

Diet and exercise are at the top of everyone’s list of crucial items when they talk about health. But there are three other critical items they may have overlooked when assessing their current or future health.

 

According to Dr. Eric Walsh, Director of Public Health and Health Officer for the City of Pasadena, California, three “Rs” are often overlooked by people when talking about health. They are relationships, rest, and “rays of sunshine.” He maintains those three are vital to building and maintaining good health.

 

#1 Relationships affect your health

 

“Relationships are critical because good relationships are supportive and reduce overall stress on the individual, while bad relationships increase your level of stress,” states Dr. Walsh. “Every relationship, such as husband/wife, parent/child, employer/employee, or even your relationship with a neighbor, can affect your health.”

 

But how do relationships actually affect your health? Dr. Walsh employs a medical term called “Allostatic load” and explains what it means in laymen’s terms.

 

“Allostasis is the body’s process of changing to maintain your body in order to survive,” explains Dr. Walsh. “Homeostasis is simply where your body maintains normal. If your body’s normal heart rate is 68 and your normal blood pressure is 110 over 70, allostasis says, ‘Hey, if I want to run up a flight of stairs, my heart and blood pressure is going to have to increase proportionately in order to survive.’

 

“The problem is when allostatic load or overload happens. You’re so stressed that your blood pressure is higher, your heart rate is higher, respiration is higher, and your pupils are dilated. This constant increase damages vessels and affects the immune system. That’s okay when you need adrenaline to get away from a dog or something like that, but the problem is when you are so stressed that every day is like being in front of that dog”. Dr. Walsh continues, “When you’re at work and you’re boss treats you badly, or if you’re married and whenever you’re home it’s so stressful there’s a lot of arguing and fighting. Even a bad relationship with a child or with a neighbor can be detrimental to your health.”

 

So, what can you do to improve your relationships and your health at the same time?

 

Don’t be too proud to go to counseling. Sometimes a neutral third party can make all the difference. Experts give a variety of ways to improve relationships. One simple method is to apply the golden rule�"treat everyone with whom you are in a  relationship, as you want to be treated. Another method is to “walk in the other person’s shoes.” In other words, try to see things through their eyes. Take the high road and mend the relationship by forgiving and forgetting past wrongs. At the same time, remember to forgive yourself.

 

“Improve your relationships at every opportunity and it can improve your health at the same time,” says Dr. Walsh. “Relationships should be supportive, encouraging, and helpful to health. Every relationship is critical because it can lower or raise your allostatic load and can affect your health.”

 

#2 Rest is crucial to good health

 

The importance of proper rest cannot be ignored or overstated, according to Dr. Walsh.

 

“Studies show that men who don’t get enough quality sleep or rest have less control of their appetite the next day,” Dr. Walsh asserts. “Getting enough sleep is critical all by itself. When you learn something that day, make sure you get enough rest so that your brain can put that memory in the right file so you can utilize that knowledge at the right time.

 

“Proper sleep also protects your body by making it able to fight infections. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body can’t search out and destroy the unhealthy cells, like cancer cells,” Dr. Walsh maintains. “When your body doesn’t get enough sleep, your immune system is not going to protects you from things like cancer. Sleep in critical for all these reasons and also for mental health.”

 

Rest does not just refer to sleep. It also refers to vacations or recreational time.

 

“It is essential for people to step away from their work and give their mind and body a rest from the day-to-day routine,” says Dr. Walsh. “Getting away on a vacation is important. I believe the best type of vacation is one in which a person gets back to nature. So do walking, cruises, or finding great hiking routes, or old town walks.

 

“For people who can’t afford to do a cruise or go to an all inclusive resort in Jamaica, they can find a state park within driving distance. It’s a great way to get away. You can pack a lunch or you can go to a museum. These are low cost ways to get away and get relaxed. Everybody needs a break or vacation periodically.”

 

#3 Rays of sunshine are indispensable to good health

 

In recent years, there has been a lot of debate about “too much sun vs. too little sun.” Even if you stay indoors for fear of melanoma or skin cancer, you still need a certain amount of sunshine.

 

“The sun is not your enemy,” claims Dr. Walsh. “We know that the lighter your skin the less time you need in the sun to get enough vitamin D. For someone with very light skin, 15 minutes in the sun is probably enough.  I think getting Vitamin D the natural way, from the sun, is the best way. There are other things you get from the sun that milk, even with vitamin D added, does not supply. In fact, I believe milk from cows is not the best method to get Vitamin D. It’s better to get it from leafy vegetables.

 

“Lying in the sun for hours can damage your skin, but sunshine is fundamental to good health overall. People of African descent, Latinos, and Asians with darker skin need more time in the sun to get vitamin D than a person of European descent. So sun exposure is not one size fits all when it comes to the sun. Regardless of race, everyone needs the beneficial rays of the sun to build and maintain optimal health.

 

“Besides, I believe there is a strong and positive effect on mental health when you find healthy ways to enjoy being out in sunlight. If you wear sunscreen, loose light clothing and large brimmed hats, you still get the mental health effects of natural sunlight in the nourishing realm of the outdoors.” Dr. Walsh concludes.

 

In summary, don’t simply think that exercise and a good diet are enough to guarantee that you are on the road to good health. Don’t forget these three items that are critical to building and maintaining good health. The beneficial rays of the sun, supportive and encouraging relationships, and quality rest are critical to optimal health.