When thinking up your resolution list for 2020, we challenge you to not just think about ways to lose weight and improve your finances. We also want you to consider how you can improve the health of your bones and joints so that they can stay strong and pain-free for years to come!
Let's take a look at some resolutions you might want to consider making in the new year:
Resolution 1: Get More Vitamin D
During the winter, we tend to spend less time outdoors. As a result, we are not getting enough of the vitamin D we need each day naturally from the sun. Vitamin D is an essential nutrient, which helps the body absorb the calcium it needs to keep your bones healthy and strong.
Even in the cooler months, try going for a stroll outside each day to get in some vitamin D from the sun, as well as a cardio workout. However, if the weather outside is not cooperating, you can always get vitamin D from the foods you eat.
Foods that are high in vitamin D include:
- Wild-caught fish
- Fortified dairy and soy
- Nuts
- Eggs
- Liver
- Shiitake mushrooms
It's also a good idea to have your vitamin D level checked as part of your annual exam and to talk with your doctor about whether supplementation might be beneficial.
Resolution 2: Get More Exercise on a Daily Basis
This is a guideline you should be really familiar with—you need to be aiming to get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise in on a daily basis. Guidelines indicate that a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week is needed for optimal health.
While we have the best of intentions each new year, we tend to start falling off the exercise bandwagon as the months go back. But that doesn't need to be the case this year!
This year is going to be the year you stick with your resolution of getting exercise on a daily basis. Whether it is walking, dancing, yoga or playing a game of basketball with friends, exercise, especially weight-bearing exercise, is important for healthy bone density and to help keep your ligaments and tendons in better shape.
Don't make it too complicated. Even performing squats and/or lunges at your work desk is better than nothing and can help to strengthen your joints.
Resolution 3: Get Help When Aches and Pains Won't Go Away
One of the bad habits many of us have is waiting too long to see a doctor for an ache or pain we might have. Rather than seeking medical attention for knee pain or shoulder pain, we wait to see if it will clear up on its own. However, while we wait, the injury or discomfort can go from mild to severe.
Therefore, make a resolution to yourself that in 2020, you won't put off medical care when you need it. When you seek the help of our knowledgeable and experienced orthopedists, you are better able to recover from an injury, as well as have a greater chance of being stronger and more flexible than before the injury ever occurred.
Learn more about the full range of services we offer at Parkridge Bone & Joint.