Woman are known to be more logical than men. Not braggin’ here, but it’s a fact that women have a larger logic center than men. (Sorry guys!) So if us gal-pals are so logical, why do we make such dumb choices when it comes to our health?
Dumb choice number one: using tanning beds. I know it feels like winter lasts forever, but tanning beds? Seriously? The World Health Organization has determined tanning beds have the same cancer risk as smoking cigarettes and ingesting arsenic. Why then, if the carcinogenic jeopardy is so great, do women keep the neighborhood tanning salons in business? Simple. Endorphins. Tanning is an addictive habit same as drugs or alcohol. Best advice? Go cold turkey. It’ll be hard in the short term, but worth the withdrawals in the long run. And if you’re still dying for a little color on your arms and face, get outside–with plenty of sunscreen slathered on. Oh, and take a Vitamin D supplement.
Dumb choice number two: depending on caffeine for an energy boost. Are you downing a six-pack of Diet Coke every day while trying to stick to a pretty restrictive diet? Well, drinking caffeined, diet drinks ain’t the way to go. If you’re dieting, the best choice of drinks is WATER. Boring? Maybe. But H2O is truly your best bet to keep your body hydrated. And if you’re hydrated, you won’t feel so hungry. Just saying… And caffeine will DE-hydrate you, making your feel hungry when you’re really not. Just saying again…Then there’s the whole new connection between diet sodas and the increased risk of heart attack and stroke…Okay, I’ll shut up now.
Dumb choice number three: drinking too much alcohol. Okay, this is something I struggle with on a personally level. But drinking more than one alcoholic drink a day, whether it be wine, beer or hard liquor, is setting you up for some serious long-term problems like liver irritation and cancer.
Dumb choice number four: not taking care of yourself. This is actually a multi-leveled problem. First, just because you’re *busy* doesn’t mean you’re active. You might feel exhausted at the end of the day, but did you really exercise? I know making the time to work-out is tough, tough, tough, yet there are sneaky ways to build exercise into your busy schedule. Things like taking the stairs (repeatedly) instead of the elevator, parking in East Egypt and walking to your destination and even making it a point to stand ten to fifteen minutes every hour. Just standing verses sitting burns more calories and forces your body to work harder to keep itself erect.
The second part of *not talking care of yourself* involves getting enough rest. With trying to balance everything we do each day–kids, work, husbands, groceries, cooking, yada, yada, yada–it is any wonder we suffer from insomnia? Part of this reason might be because women tend to hold in stress and anger, which can lead to sleepless nights and overeating. One of the best cures is, drum roll please, girlfriends. Yup. Being able to talk with other women about problems we all experience can make us feel less alone and less weird. No doubt our guys love us to pieces, but do they really, and I mean really understand us? Make time for girl talk with your fave gal-pal—while going for a brisk evening walk. J
I’ll post Part Two in a couple of weeks. What are some of your habits that you KNOW are unhealthy? Please share. Or you can email me, Lynda@lyndabailey.net. Three people will be selected to receive a free PDF copy of my soon-to-be released contemporary romance, Battle Born Love, featured on the right-hand side of this page.
Have a great day and stay healthy!
L.
