" I ’m a bedside hospital nurse , and 80 % of my long - term , seriously ominous patients have a smoking story . I speculate that if all those smoker did n’t exist , the hospital would shin to fill the bed because there would be much few truly sick people to admit . "
We recentlyaskedmedical professionals of theBuzzFeed Communityto tell us the “small” habits people overlook that can actually improve their health. Here are the eye-opening results:
1.“I’m an oncology nurse and have experience as a dermatology nurse. Wear sunblock!!! I always thought that since I’m brown, I didn’t need to wear any, but the effects of sun damage can be both subtle and highly consequential. Skin cancers are sneaky and don’t always appear in the area that was exposed.”
" Do n’t let your unnatural peel changes go undiagnosed ; see a skin doctor ! "
— happyorca36
2.“Wearing hearing protection! I’m in audiology and see people with noise-induced hearing loss every day. It’s preventable, easy to implement through good habits, and depending on what you use for hearing protection, it’s incredibly inexpensive; I give away free earplugs at my clinic!”
" Taking care of your ears and hearing now is a lot easier than deal with hearing loss and expensive earshot aids subsequently . "
— brenyz
3.“Increase your protein intake. Most people think their metabolism is slowing down as they age, but in reality, you lose about1% of muscle mass per yearwhen you start approaching age 40. Many of us lead a protein-deficient diet. Increasing protein, along with weight-bearing exercises, can help increase your muscle mass — which helps regulate blood sugars, burn calories, along with many other health benefits.”
" The finish is20 grams of proteinequally divided four time per day . Your consistence can only process so much at once , so it needs to be divided throughout the day . Also , talk with your physician about this if you have kidney topic . "
— 31 , Wisconsin
4.“Nurse here: If you have pain or an issue that isn’t going away in a reasonable amount of time, please talk to your doctor or nurse practitioner. I have heard way too many stories from people who sat on issues that they ‘hoped would get better on it’s own,’ or they ‘didn’t want to be a bother,’ and that issue became so much worse (e.g., cancer, heart failure exacerbation, etc.).”
" You will feel so much better and have a fighting chance if you get check out preferably rather than later on ( for instance , it ’s easy to treat leg 1 cancer than later stages of cancer ) . And , even if it ’s nothing — you know it ’s nothing and can get backsheesh / strategy to manage the publication or get nuisance stand-in . "
— wiggums
5.“I’m a physician assistant in primary care/internal medicine. Please, just get more physical exercise. You don’t need to join a gym. Walk, dance in your living room, or do anything to stay active. Your body, joints, and waistline will thank you.”
— 40 , California
" Move your soundbox every Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . Even small movements can assist you age in blank space , maintain mobility , decrease your risk of inveterate disease , and reduce mortality . I recommend bowel movement as light as stretching to patient of all ages and abilities . "
— 35 , Colorado
6.“Physical therapist assistant here. STRETCH! Just a little bit of stretching can do wonders. So much of our lives are spent in one position (usually seated) that everything locks up, and it builds over time. Just a few minutes of stretching can prevent back, hip, shoulder, and neck pain. It’s also harder to tear or injure yourself if you’re more flexible, and it’s easier to strengthen anything if you have more motion.”
" Andthe affair is , the by and by you lead off , the harder it isand the more time you have to give to it to regain flexibleness , so you might as well start out now . So stretch ! "
— 33 , Texas
7.“Get vitamin D. Vitamin D is best obtained through direct sunlight but can also be supplemented with oral capsules. Regular sunlight boosts mood and reduces inflammation in the day to day. Further down the road, vitamin D facilitates calcium absorption to prevent osteoporosis.”
— 28 , New York
8.“Decrease or stop smoking. Smoking puts your body at so much more risk for other stuff. Chances are, if you haveCOPD(chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), you will have other chronic health conditions: diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory issues, etc. Even when patients say they haven’t smoked in years, the damage is already on the body.”
— 26 , Ohio
" Stop smoking . I’m a bedside hospital nurse , and 80 % of my long - term , seriously ill patient have a smoke story . I theorize that if all those smokers did n’t exist , the hospital would scramble to take the bed because there would be much few rightfully sick citizenry to admit . "
— 38 , Ohio
9.“Optometrist here. Two easy things everyone can do to prevent screen-related eye issues: The first is the20-20-20 rule; for every 20 minutes of near work, take a 20-second break to look 20 feet (six meters) or more away. We all have muscles in our eyes that shift our vision from distance to near and back again. The closer we look, the harder those muscles have to work, making prolonged near work can be very tiring for the eyes. Taking a short break every so often allows your eyes to ‘put the weight down’ and stretch from time to time.”
" The second habit is toplace awarm compressover closed eyes for 5–10 arcminute daily to foreclose and/or regale dry eyeby stimulate the fossil oil secreter in the eyelids calledmeibomian secretory organ . There are microwaveable centre mask made just for this intent ; I highly recommend getting one and using it daily ! "
— 33 , Pennsylvania
10.“Drink water throughout the day. Please drink more water! Your body will thank you”
— Anonymous , New York
" ride out well hydrated helps admiration in so many elbow room : remain ' regular , ' give way some relief from huffy throat due to a cold-blooded and/or allergy , helpskeep your joints lubricated(a little less run-down joints ) . "
11.“Diaphragmatic (belly) breathing, with inhales and exhales. When belly breathing happens, it uses the diaphragm muscle (located in the upper abdomen). When that muscle expands (on the inhale), it touches up against our vagus nerve. Our vagus nerve sends a signal to our parasympathetic nervous system (rest, relax) to kick on, and then relaxation ensues.”
" For those who can take thick hint , it ’s a great tool to bring on relaxation , sedate the aflutter system , and allow the rest of the organs to get back to piece of work instead of being try out . "
— 42 , NYC
12.“I’m a neurology resident and see a lot of patients with strokes. My biggest tip is if you have a condition likeatrial fibrillation(an abnormal heart rhythm) and are on a blood thinner that you’ve been instructed to take daily, make sure you find a way totake it EVERY day.Not just most days or 95% of days. It might only take one or two missed doses to cause a clot, leading to a deviating stroke. We always see this, and it’s so sad and preventable.”
" As an aside , if a family member short developstrouble talk or walking , is suddenly confused , or break weakness or spiritlessness on one side of the body , bring them to an ER ASAP for slash rating . "
— 30 , Pennsylvania
13.“Brush your teeth with fluoride-containing toothpaste twice a day; floss daily. It’s good for your teeth and gums and improvesheartandlung health! Seriously, you decrease your risk ofpneumoniaand heart attack.”
— 40 , New York
" I ’ve been an ICU nurse for seven years . Please brush your tooth regularly . There is a definite correlativity between oral health and overall health country . affected role with poor dental hygiene , more often than not , have core and lung return . Hell , the sheer amount of infective endocarditis ( heart transmission ) that doctorstraced toa bad tooth boggles my mind . . , , It always surprises me when we have patients in my ICU , and they do n’t brush their tooth or even think to ask me for a soup-strainer . The patient who does n’t call back to brush their teeth in the morning is disturbed than the one who does scrub off the morning breath . I ’d say about 80 % of my patients do n’t call back to sweep their tooth at all during the twenty-four hour period . Brush your tooth , and go to the dentist . "
— 42 , Alabama
14.“Floss, floss, floss…You only have to floss the ones you want to keep!”
— Anonymous , Ohio
15.“I work as an NP in wound care, where we emphasize limb salvage. If you are diabetic or have a loss of sensation in your feet, check your feet daily and wear light-colored socks (this shows if something is bleeding). If you see open sores, cracks, or calluses with blood under them, go and get it taken care of as early as possible.”
" I seefar too often people overlook something on their feet because they ca n’t experience it and end up losing toes or even their footbecause they came in too late . "
— christinac4952235b1
16.“So much of our mental health is alsotied toour physical health. It really sucks, but sometimes getting out of the house, feeding yourself regular meals, and allowing yourself to rest when you’re tired do wonders. Self-care isn’t just bubble baths and face masks. Self-care is ensuring your space is clean and safe and that your body is fueled to do what you need to get done that day.”
" rest , food for thought , and exercise are often the first things to get axed when we ’re stressed and interfering . But these things are important , too . "
— fireferret19
17.“A colonoscopy can save your life, but you must finish all yourcolon prep! I’m a surgical technologist and assist in many colonoscopy procedures each week. During the colonoscopy, the doctor searches your colon for any abnormalities that may present themselves, such as a polyp.”
18.“A brisk 15–30-minute walk helps your heart, mind and mood. Truly can make a difference!”
— 47 , California
19.“Med student here. We’re trained to look for the upstream determinants of health. If your back hurts, it would be a disservice to just look at your back. I’m going to consider how old your mattress is, what kind of shoes you’re wearing, whether there are any new stressors in your life, how’s your core strength, etc. Our bodies will compensate for what we do to it (if my TV hung on the left wall, my neck is going to prefer turning to the left, and I may even find that my neck aches when I turn in the opposite direction after a while).”
" We ’re complex existence , and health ailments are often the result of many unlike matter in our life coming together ( environment and genetics).If you are n’t address the upstream determinant that may be contributing to your aches and pain , it will be fell try out to get past them . The next time you palpate an ache or hurting , deal : What things might be coming together to create this perfect storm ? "
— 27 , California
20.“Colorectal surgeon here. Try fiber supplementation (psyllium, store brand, nothing fancy) to optimize stool consistency. Most of the time, it’s not hemorrhoids; your itchy anus is because your anus is not meant to hold liquid stool so you can get leakage, and stool is very irritating to the perianal skin. And please, for the love of god, stop aggressively cleansing the area or using Preparation H. I don’t know a single colorectal surgeon who recommends Preparation H.”
" Usezinc oxide(Desitin or butt paste ) to protect the skin and preclude itch . Also , intragroup hemorrhoids area normal partof anorectal chassis . They are only tough when they bleed or prolapse . "
— 43 , USA
And finally…
21.“I’m in orthopedics. Take care of your body when you’re young. So many patients come in saying they’ve had multiple knee/shoulder surgeries due to injuries from their teens or 20s. The majority of them now have arthritis or need knee/shoulder replacements in their 40s and 50s.”
— 32 , Hawaii
Medical professionals, what are some other “small” habits people overlook that can improve their health? Or, if you prefer to remain anonymous, feel free to use thisGoogle form.
observe : Some reception have been edit out for length and/or lucidity .
