Image Credit: https://veganliftz.com/
The COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t discriminate. It is what the news and doctors all around the world preach. However, the truth is a little different. Ultimately, the virus discriminates geographically, as its genome has mutated to better adapt to different climates and local immune resistances.
Call it viral discrimination or immune training, but COVID-19 can affect both healthy and unhealthy individuals. The reason lies in the fact that most immune systems have never faced anything quite like that before. As such, some people record only minor symptoms as a result of immune recognition and less harmful virus mutation. Others, unfortunately, will require ventilation support to survive. The death toll is witness to COVID-19 discrimination.
If there is one thing we can learn from this is that your immune system requires a lot of care. Indeed, when it comes to your health, you can’t afford to make bad decisions that could weaken your immune system in the long term. Looking after your health begins by being able to make informed and helpful decisions about handling physical and mental complaints. Training your immune system to react and defend yourself starts with your health choices.
Making an informed decision is tricky
There is no denying that most poor health decisions are the result of laziness or over-indulgence. Of course, you know that a piece of fruit would make a better snack than a pack of chips. But the bag of chips is here, and the apple is in the kitchen. Besides, you don’t fancy eating an apple right now. If this sounds like a familiar scenario, it’s because most of us indulge from time to time. However, indulging is a process that requires knowledge. You are aware that you’re not making the best decision for your body. But, you console yourself by thinking you’ll do better next time.
Unfortunately, making a good health decision isn’t always that easy. More often than not, faced with complex information to process, you can find yourself making uninformed health choices, as this blog post explains. Health literacy, aka the ability to obtain and process health information before making a decision, is reduced for individuals who don’t work in the healthcare industry. As a result, when confronted with a medical choice without the support of dedicated health administrators, you are at risk of putting yourself at risk.
Making time for health appointments
How many of us choose to ignore health issues because they don’t have time for a medical appointment? When you work all day, you can find it hard to make time for appointments outside of your working hours. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has taught people an essential lesson about smart technology. Telemedicine visits, rendered more popular during the pandemic, can be a life-changer for busy patients and doctors. There is no such thing as not having time for your health.
Getting your information from the right sources
Fitness influencers on social media are vocal about products they sponsor and health tricks they deploy to achieve results. However, 9 out of 10 influencers have been found to give bad health advice, potentially endangering their followers. Whether you’re turning to Instagram influencers for nutritional tips or you’re reading a blog about how to boost your immune system with unheard-of tips, you need to think twice about following the trend. Ultimately, doctors, nutritionists, and fitness trainers are specially trained to provide educated and informed guidelines about health. Influencers who are not qualified to these standards should abstain from giving guidance.
Listening to your body
Your body has a way of letting you know what it needs. Unfortunately, most people tend to ignore the signs. You can learn a lot by focusing on your body’s reactions to food. Indeed, eating mindfully can not only help you lose weight but also maintain a healthy weight. The mind can affect your perception of food and, more importantly, your sense of hunger. For instance, when you’re feeling sad, you may be likely to turn to food for comfort. Understanding the triggers can help you to establish a healthier relationship with food. Additionally, becoming aware of harmful food habits — from craving control to falling into a yo-yo pattern – will provide the key to body knowledge.
Rejecting mental health self-diagnosis
We live in a society that embraces mental health. On the one hand, this enables people to speak freely about their health issues. However, it also encourages a lot of individuals to self-diagnose mental health diseases. How many times have you come across bloggers who share their experience with self-diagnosed anxiety or depression disorders? While mental health is something people should talk about, you still require expert knowledge to handle your issues. Self-diagnosis could miss an underlying medical condition. Brain tumors, irregular heartbeat, or hyperthyroidism can masquerade as mental health issues, for instance. When you decide on your ailment, you not only undermine the role of the doctor but also put yourself at risk.
Understanding there’s no easy solution
Almost 90% of Americans don’t consume enough fruits and vegetables to maintain a healthy and balanced diet. Many try to make up for deficiencies by relying on vitamins and supplements. Can popping multivitamins replace a balanced and nourishing diet? The answer is no. Indeed, supplements don’t affect your health and longevity as effectively as nutrients that come from the food you eat. According to studies, the lack of beneficial evidence demonstrates that dietary changes are a sustainable and lasting solution.
Thinking you’ve got time to get things checked
It’s okay; I’ll sort out a medical appointment later.
If it is your way of approaching health issues, you need to realize the risks of postponing health services. Indeed, ignoring minor symptoms could endanger your health. Your body has a way of communicating with you and letting you know when things are not as they should. As many health issues can evolve quickly if left unattended, delaying medical care could put your health and even life at risk.
Making informed and good health decisions is a delicate balancing act. Sourcing the information and knowledge you need requires research and support. Additionally, learning to treat your body with care and mindfulness could be a life-changing experience that helps to get back on track. Ultimately, handling health decisions with care can give your immune system a helpful boost.
