Simple Steps to Breaking Unhealthy Habits Once and For All

 

(Contributed Post) 

Some habits are truly helpful. Exercising regularly, going to bed at a reasonable hour, and eating a healthy diet are examples of good habits that will have a positive impact on your life. However, there are some habits that are exceptionally negative and effect your health and wellbeing.

It's crucial to break these unhealthy habits as soon as possible. You will be amazed at how your life is transformed once you do. Read on to find out how to quit the habits that are bad for you. And while changing unhealthy habits can be challenging, it will ultimately add to your quality of life.

Ask for Help

The first thing to remember when you want to quit an unhealthy habit is that most of the time, you won’t be able to do it alone. For example, a habit that is actually an addiction, something like alcohol or illegal (or even prescription) drugs, will certainly need expert help. This is why checking into rehab for addiction is the best option for you. You’ll be in the hands of experts who can offer the right kind of medical and professional assistance to rid you of your addiction. 

Other habits may not need expert help, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still benefit from finding support. That might be a friend or family member, or it could be strangers on an internet forum. Who the help comes from is less important than asking for it. Trying to quit a habit by yourself is simply making things harder than they need to be.  

Timing

It’s easy to say that a habit or addiction needs to be eliminated right away, but the timing is important. If you try to rush the process or quit before you’re completely ready, you are at much greater risk of falling back into your habits and addiction even when you thought you had left it all behind.

The key is understanding when you are personally ready. Your friends and loved ones might try to help you, and that’s admirable – it shows you are loved – but you have to be prepared to accept that help. Once you are ready, you can take the next step but never rush into anything, or it could so easily all be undone again. 

Positive Rewards

One way to help yourself when it comes to breaking bad habits is to give yourself positive rewards. Note the word ‘positive’. It’s easy for people to give themselves negative rewards without realizing they have done so, which can be detrimental to the overall effort. 

An example of a negative reward would be takeout or a chocolate bar when you’re trying to quit unhealthy food and eat better by reducing the amount of sugar you eat. A week of eating well is great, but rewarding yourself with the very thing you’ve been trying to avoid is a terrible idea. 

Make sure your rewards are positive so that you can work towards your goals much more easily without concern. 

Recovering from an injury? Here are my top tips

(Contributed Post)

Recovering from an injury can be a long and difficult process. It can be physically painful, but can also have an impact on your mental state, career and employment prospects, and relationships.

What to do when you have an injury

It is important to know the root of injury and pain. We need to look at the big picture as to what triggered the injury. The good news is there are steps you can take to heal fully. Once you know what caused the injury, you can assess your options and regain your health.

Steps to take if you have a reoccurring injury

Heal yourself, before healing the injury. It's important to heal the underlying causes of an injury. Many times injuries are caused by micro injuries that grow worse over time. This is why most injuries do not fully heal but are become chronic. 

Include cardiovascular activities in your exercise regime. Your workout can make a tremendous impact on recovery. Your body needs aerobic activity and non-impact exercise to recover. The increased oxygen intake and use of the muscles will help you to heal faster. Of course, we need to begin slowly and gently so that we do not aggravate the injury. This is where a physical therapist is helpful by recommending the appropriate level of exercise.

How to handle a serious injury

If you have a serious injury, you may feel unable to function or you may feel down and discouraged. To overcome this, it is important to focus on the positive and move forward. 

Talk to a medical professional. Depending on the type of injury you have, you may need additional help to recover. If you have an acute injury, such as a broken ankle, you will need immediate medical attention. Your doctor will assess your injury and decide the best treatment for you. Even if you are not an urgent case, you may still need a quick chat with a doctor so they can start to provide you with the right advice and treatment. This is particularly important if you are planning to use a personal injury law firm if your injury was caused by someone else or happened at work. 

Long-term effects 

An injury can damage your body's ability to carry out its normal daily functions, and may prevent you from returning to full physical activity for a while. This can have an effect on your outlook, and can also restrict your range of activities—including sports and leisure. It's essential to seek the support of a professional, as early and rapid treatment and rehabilitation of the injury are crucial to getting back to the very best of health, fitness, and mental well-being as quickly as possible.