5 ways to keep the body healthy

Seek help early for injuries and pain issues.

Many people who seek help from healthcare professionals contact them after weeks and months with issues of injury and pain. In a typical day, as therapists, we see many patients who have been dealing with stress and worries related to the issues they are experiencing in their daily lives. As a result of the stress, their days are filled with negativity, difficulties with concentration, reduced sleep, lack of energy for meaningful activities and a sense of unease that spreads throughout their body. By seeking help early, one can get a sense of the cause, contributing factors and a targeted plan that is tailored to the individual to reduce their symptoms. Remember that a pain-filled day has ripple effects in one's daily life.

Follow health authority recommendations for physical activity

Health authority recommendations for physical activity are developed from a report issued by the World Health Organization (WHO). The purpose of the recommendations is to reduce the burden of disease in Norway and prevent the development of physical and mental illnesses. The recommendations to authorities are to move 150-300 minutes per week with moderate intensity, or 75-150 minutes with high intensity. The recommendations also include strength training 2x/week to prevent conditions such as osteoporosis. Unfortunately, many people find it difficult to start exercising. A simple tip can be to start small and try to incorporate more everyday activities (go to the store, take a 10-minute walk, do 20 squats, etc.). By fulfilling the health authority's requirements for physical activity, you can prevent a number of lifestyle diseases such as cardiovascular problems, hypertension, high cholesterol levels, arthritis, osteoporosis, and depression.

Train strength and conditioning weekly

Exercise has many health benefits, both physical and mental. Those who exercise weekly have a lower risk of developing heart and vascular diseases, strokes, colon cancer, breast cancer for women, early death from all causes, arthritis, hip fractures, falls, depression and dementia. Strength training contributes to increased strength, burns calories more efficiently, reduces belly fat, reduces fat mass (in combination with diet), reduces the risk of injury, improves heart health and reduces blood sugar/blood fat levels. Cardiovascular and respiratory system (heart, blood, and lungs) have more of the same effects, but in a greater degree. With systematic training, you will generally become more robust to various types of stimuli, you will have more well-being, live longer and have lower blood pressure.

Seek help if you struggle to start exercising

Now that we have gone through some of the benefits of physical activity and exercise, it may be difficult to know where to start. In principle, this is not so dangerous. The most important thing is to get started. However, you should be careful with this "all or nothing" mentality. Lifestyle changes do not have to be a total upheaval of how your daily life looks today. By contacting someone who is skilled in the field of training and rehabilitation, including physiotherapists, chiropractors and personal trainers, you can get a kickstart and things can feel more manageable. Make sure your interests are taken care of and you feel a certain degree of control over your own situation.

Prioritise sleep and meaningful activities

Sleep is essential in helping us heal physically, recover from illness, manage stress, problem-solve, remember, and improve motor skills. A good night's sleep is not just about quantity, but also quality. Simple tips to improve sleep can be: having a regular sleep schedule, not consuming caffeine after 5pm, being active every day, avoiding blue light 30 minutes before bedtime and prioritising relaxing activities during the last hours before sleep. Another tip is to incorporate some time for meaningful activities every day. This can be a workout with a friend, a coffee with someone you care about or a training session. This is important for maintaining balance between stress and joy in daily life.