There are numerous studies and articles on how your family relationships can affect your physical health. Changes in cognition or mental action and emotions result to physiological responses that manifest physically. For example, a married couple who argue all the time are under a lot of stress and this can result to increased blood pressure, heart rate, and more. Chronic stress will make anyone ill.

Let us reverse the scenario. What if it’s not your loved ones that are causing you to be unhealthy? Perhaps you don’t deliberately mean to cause them harm yet you are unaware that your lifestyle can greatly impact your family and be burdensome to them in the future.

I recall a beautiful lady who came to my clinic many years ago. She said: “My husband and I are happy with how my body looks.” She explained that she wasn’t there to get sexier. She was thinking of her family and how she needs guidance to be a healthier version of herself for them. 

Please take a moment to reflect on these questions:

• Is your lifestyle healthy or unhealthy?
• Is there anything in your lifestyle that you need to improve on?
• Why do you want to be healthier?

Wanting to be a healthier version of oneself is common. After all, who wants to get sick, right? Getting oneself to actually begin something good is quite easy for many people. Unfortunately, sustaining a healthier lifestyle is challenging. Especially if you have no purpose or if your motivation is self-serving. If you don’t see the bigger picture, you could easily revert to your old ways. For instance, you might be motivated to lose weight to fit your wedding dress but what happens after you achieve wedded bliss? 

There are so many ways to prevent yourself from developing preventable diseases that will not only affect your life but your family’s as well. They may not be of great importance to you but these seemingly insignificant factors may just spare you from damaging your health and hurting your family including your finances. 

Firstly, go for a regular medical check-up. You are not invincible. Our bodies are aging every second in this planet. You may not feel any symptoms but don’t be too complacent. After all, there are people who simply dropped dead from a stroke or heart attack. Both are very much preventable. You don’t need to undergo an expensive executive check-up. If you’re on a tight budget, begin by having your blood pressure, blood sugar, and basic blood chemistry checked. Have your eyes and teeth checked as well. Did you know that poor oral hygiene can cause an infection that affects the blood vessels in the body? Inflammation in your arteries may cause clotting, heart attack, and stroke. On the other hand, the eyes may not just be the window to your soul. It can show symptoms that are related to your blood glucose, blood circulation, and many more.

Secondly, be compliant in taking your prescribed medications. If you were prescribed maintenance medications, be compliant. That one missed dose may just send you to the emergency room or worse, prematurely to the afterlife. If you have an infection and has been prescribed antibiotics, make sure you take them religiously and not try to shorten the required dosage just because you feel better. That would make you develop resistance to antibiotic therapy. Communicate with your physician regarding symptoms and observations so your medications can be adjusted or discontinued if necessary. Don’t be your own doctor.

Lastly, watch what you eat. This may be cliché but it is what it is. Diet is the major factor in pursuing wellness and even healing. It’s not just what you eat. What you don’t eat matters too. Especially if you don’t eat much fresh produce. On the other hand, you may be eating a plant-based diet you say, but if it’s French fries instead of boiled potatoes then you have a problem with food choices. Whenever you’re tempted to eat large portions, think of your family members. How hurt they will be when you get sick because you failed to control your appetite! Vegetables may not taste great to you but just think about how this will make you healthier because of the numerous plant chemicals or phytochemicals that will give you benefits beyond basic nutrition.

Pursue a healthier version of yourself this 2024 with the right motivation. To honor God with your body and to be able to take care of your loved ones better. 

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