Living a healthier lifestyle is really up to us. No one can force us to eat right, to exercise, or even to brush our teeth in the morning. Our health is in our control. And if you feel like its slipping away from you, there’s nothing wrong with getting back to the basics and refining your healthy habits.
That’s why the Care Cards were created by Involution Studios. The Care Cards are designed by a team of research’s and illustrators to give you ‘sometimes surprising, always practical’ health tips for all parts of your lives. Some of them seem obvious (i.e. drink water), but everyone could use a little reminder to stay away from that the sugary juice or the third cup of coffee. From eating, to exercising, the daily routines, get yourself back on track with these easy simple tips.
Move More
Our ancestors walked 10,000 steps a day. People who walk or run 30 minutes at least five times a week live longer.
An increase in light activity increases fitness, so fidget and putter and do housework.
Friends who exercise together stick with it longer. Find an exercise buddy and then… run, bicycle, swim, row, hike, ski, or walk.
Make walking a daily habit — for your commute, errands, stairs, and fitness — and get that step count going up.
Eat Food
Michael Pollan got it right: real food is better for humans.
The outer aisles of the supermarket are where the healthiest foods are: greens, fruits, poultry, nuts, grains, and diary. Fill up the cart.
Meals at home and a brownbag lunch at work are more nutritious than eating out.
Families who eat the evening meal together eat healthier.
Drink Water
Water is actually a nutrient. Our bodies need water replenished throughout the day to replace the large amount lost to vital functions.
Fluid needs, like energy needs, increase when we are active or outdoor temperatures are high.
High-fructose and sugared drinks make us gain weight and crave sweets. Water is the best thirst quencher.
An 8-ounce glass of water near your bed at night will remind you to start the day with what you cannot live without.
Exercise is Medicine
Exercise habits are as important a vital sign as a person’s pulse, heart rate, and temperature.
Doctors should ask about, and record, their patients’ activity levels.
150 minutes per week of moderate activity is recommended for baseline health benefits.
Exercise can also be included in a treatment plan: for injury recovery, weight loss, and even some mood disorders.
Get More Sleep
Healthy adults have a basal sleep need, or amount needed for optimal performance, of seven to eight hours per day. Children and teens need more.
A consistent sleep schedule, even on weekends, is critical. Insufficient sleep affects productivity, mental acuity, and even physical health.
Create a relaxing bedtime ritual, and keep laptops out of the bedroom. Beds are for sex and rest.
Short naps help you recharge and pay down a sleep deficit.
Make sleep a healthy habit.
Take Baby Steps
Healthy habits are interconnected.
A small change in one area, like cutting down on tv time, triggers change in other areas, like diet.
A combination of small steps leads to big change: improved nutrition, greater activity, more motivation.
Two small behavior changes at a time, jump-started over a few weeks, are optimal.
Do two. Stick with them for six weeks, the amount of time needed to form a habit. Add two more.
Your Healthcare Provider is in your Pocket
Wearable gadgets and smartphone apps like Nutrino track data, vital signs, and health habits like sleep or nutrition. Nutrino will also help you decide to what to eat based on your personal health profile.
In the future, we’ll use personal technologies even more to monitor micro changes in the body and fine tune medication, diet, exercise, and doctor visits.
Today, a wearable device and an app like Nutrino can help you understand health issues, see patterns, and develop healthy habits.
Start Now. Right Now.
What is one healthy habit you can do now that you can do again tomorrow?
Try one of these:
- Drink water.
- Take a walk.
- Ignore the vending machine.
- Eat greens.
- Meet up with your fitness buddy.
- Reach out to a trusted friend.
The mental barrier to getting started is often the toughest one. Power through it today.
Once you overcome the inertia of getting started, make a plan to reach your health goals.
The Health Axioms were created by Involution Studios, and are shared according to Creative Commons Attribution 3.0.