Do you have a chronic illness?
A chronic illness or disease is a health condition that lasts more than one year and causes functional restrictions or requires ongoing monitoring or treatment. Chronic diseases are among the most prevalent and costly health conditions in the United States. Half of all Americans suffer from at least one chronic disease and the number is growing. Chronic diseases include, cancer, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, heart disease, respiratory diseases, arthritis, obesity, and Lyme and COVID-19 patients with long term symptoms. These can all lead to hospitalization, long term disability and reduced quality of life.
The causes of chronic diseases are well established and well known; common risk factors are responsible for most of the main chronic diseases. Risk factors for chronic disease are tobacco use, the harmful use of alcohol, raised blood pressure, physical inactivity, raised cholesterol, overweight/obesity, unhealthy diet and raised blood glucose. In addition, having a chronic disease increases your risk for another disease such as Coronavirus (COVID-19).
What can you do to prevent or slow down the progression of your chronic disease? The solution is better disease management by working with a licensed health care provider who will help you better manage your disease by providing you with treatment options, accountability, and will help coach you towards healthier choices.
Tools that one can use to better manage their chronic disease:
- Quit smoking. You can check with your health care provider for programs or medications available to help you do this.
- Cut down on the use of alcohol.
- Lose the weight you need. Finding a medically supervised weight loss program will help make you more successful.
- Lower your blood pressure and cholesterol through diet and lifestyle changes.
- Get your diabetes under control.
- Regular exercise can help you manage symptoms and improve your health. Aerobic exercise can help improve your heart health and endurance and aid in weight loss. High-intensity interval training is safe and effective for most people and can take less time. In high-intensity interval training, you alternate exercising at high levels of intensity and exercising at a less intense level for short periods of time. Strength training can improve muscle strength and endurance. Always check with your health care provider first before starting any exercise program.
- Eat healthier! Cutting down on salt alone can help lower your blood pressure. Eat more “real foods” like lean meat (especially fish), fresh fruits and vegetables, raw nuts, olive oil and reduce the intake of processed foods, especially processed bready carbs. The color of food is the color of health, and you should get a variety of colors of fruits and vegetables in your weekly diet.
- Find a licensed health care provider that can help detangle the web of your illness and individualize your treatment plan with diet, lifestyle changes, supplements, and medications as needed.
You can prevent many of the chronic diseases through healthier choices and learn to better manage the illnesses you have. Find a licensed health care provider (who accepts insurance) that treats the patient as a whole and not just the illness, will educate you on your options, individualize your treatment plan, and work with you to help you reach your optimal health!