Thinking about improving your health is the first step towards creating a better lifestyle for yourself. Making simple changes to your daily habits may help reduce your risk for illness and other medical conditions.

Matthew Plofsky, MD, Family Medicine Physician at NorthShore, recommends the following five tips for promoting health and wellness:

1. Visit your family doctor when you are “well,” not just when you are sick.
   Regular physical examinations are important to help us screen you for preventable and treatable illnesses.  31% of adult males over the age of 20 will develop high blood pressure, which frequently goes undetected. Additionally, diseases such as diabetes, colon cancer and prostate cancer can be prevented or treated through early detection.
2. Live a “healthy life.
   Cardiovascular disease remains the #1 cause of death in industrialized nations.  You can help prevent the onset and progression of this through appropriate measures.  A heart-healthy diet is an important step in this prevention.  Additionally, 45 minutes of exercise on most days of the week can help you achieve a healthy weight.
3. Practice what you preach.
   Accidents remain a common cause of injury for all ages, including adults.  Don’t just tell your children to wear their bike helmets, put yours on also.   Buckle your seat belt, don’t drink and drive, and lock up your firearms if you have them in the house.
4. Take an “emotional pulse.”
   In our hectic and busy lives we encounter many stresses.  How are you dealing with those stressors?  Do you need help with counseling or treatment?  Depression and anxiety as well as other emotional issues frequently go undetected, but also are treatable.
5. Expand your horizons.
   Take some time for yourself. Consider travel or sports. Develop a hobby.  Take a course that may interest you. 

What do you do to promote healthy habits? Have you changed your routine recently in an effort to be healthier?