What do you guys do to be proactive about your health?

[Strelets]

Not necessarily sure if this is actually good for hypochondria from a reassurance standpoint, but I'm wondering - we all have/had worries about things here. So my question is simple, what do you guys do to try to avoid that? What do you do to be proactive and preventative about potential health measures you're afraid of?

Are they good or bad?

 

[bin_tenn]

For me, everything I used to worry about was fairly farfetched. Exotic diseases with extremely rare incidence rates. So that stuff I just forced myself to stop worrying about. The stuff I still kind of worry about now is about heart health. I'm a smoker and I don't exercise regularly. However, I've been trying to improve my diet and be more physically active, even if I'm not "exercising" any activity is better than none. I did start lifting weights a few times a week, so that's a plus - I started that several months ago.

I know if I quit smoking it would greatly improve my overall physical health. It's just SO DIFFICULT to quit, unfortunately. I hope one day, sooner than later, I'll get there.

 

[Strelets]

For me, everything I used to worry about was fairly farfetched. Exotic diseases with extremely rare incidence rates. So that stuff I just forced myself to stop worrying about. The stuff I still kind of worry about now is about heart health. I'm a smoker and I don't exercise regularly. However, I've been trying to improve my diet and be more physically active, even if I'm not "exercising" any activity is better than none. I did start lifting weights a few times a week, so that's a plus - I started that several months ago.

I know if I quit smoking it would greatly improve my overall physical health. It's just SO DIFFICULT to quit, unfortunately. I hope one day, sooner than later, I'll get there.

Try nicotine patches. I don't smoke, but I've heard that nicotine patches do petty well.

 

[Gooze17]

Chaotic worked great for me with chewing tobacco. Gave me insane dreams though. I try to exercise, a big part of my anxiety is it destroys my appetite so I won’t eat but maybe once a day. Which I’m told makes anxiety worse. So trying to force myself to eat, even if it’s small snacks throughout the day. I started working from home in august and I’ve noticed my anxiety has gotten significantly worse since then.

 

[cheer_mom]

I worry about my chronic vein insufficiency as well as my heart. I have been trying to walk more to help with my leg health and heart health.

 

[Fraser]

I have a gene variant called APOE e4 which makes me four times as likely as a normal person to get Alzheimer's. To counteract that, I have started eating a Medeterrean diet, don't eat processed sugars, drink coffee, don't drink, and am starting to do aerobics (running). Over the course of the next three months, it is my goal to get my weekly minutes of running up to 200 (40 minutes a day, five days a week).

I'm also starting a yoga course tomorrow and I try to meditate for at least 45 minutes a day.

 

[Watermelon]

I had weight loss surgery and honestly believed that as I started losing weight I would feel better about not getting illnesses that large people are prone to! I’ve lost 7st and mentally nothing has changed if anything but has gotten worse as now my anxiety meds don’t work properly

 

[suzzeeb]

For me, everything I used to worry about was fairly farfetched. Exotic diseases with extremely rare incidence rates. So that stuff I just forced myself to stop worrying about. The stuff I still kind of worry about now is about heart health. I'm a smoker and I don't exercise regularly. However, I've been trying to improve my diet and be more physically active, even if I'm not "exercising" any activity is better than none. I did start lifting weights a few times a week, so that's a plus - I started that several months ago.

I know if I quit smoking it would greatly improve my overall physical health. It's just SO DIFFICULT to quit, unfortunately. I hope one day, sooner than later, I'll get there.

I smoked for over 20 years and tried many times to quit. I finally got so tired of worrying about the health issues I was ready to quit. I loved smoking! I know that sounds weird to nonsmokers, but I really loved it. I just couldn't take the fear of what would happen to my health if I continued. So I finally got some patches and just took it one day at a time, and the days and weeks and months passed and I still thought about it but less and less until I barely thought about it. I am so glad I quit when I did. It forced my husband to quit also and I don't really think he was ready but didn't want to keep smoking if I wasn't. So now its been about 15 years I think. You can absolutely do it. Just push through the first few weeks and even though those are the hardest, the days keep passing and you will be so happy you did it.

 

[Sweet T]

I have a gene variant called APOE e4 which makes me four times as likely as a normal person to get Alzheimer's. To counteract that, I have started eating a Medeterrean diet, don't eat processed sugars, drink coffee, don't drink, and am starting to do aerobics (running). Over the course of the next three months, it is my goal to get my weekly minutes of running up to 200 (40 minutes a day, five days a week).

I'm also starting a yoga course tomorrow and I try to meditate for at least 45 minutes a day.

That’s great you are taking such great care of yourself. Many people have the APOE e4 gene. I love that you are being so proactive. You must be so proud of yourself

 

[bin_tenn]

I smoked for over 20 years and tried many times to quit. I finally got so tired of worrying about the health issues I was ready to quit. I loved smoking! I know that sounds weird to nonsmokers, but I really loved it. I just couldn't take the fear of what would happen to my health if I continued. So I finally got some patches and just took it one day at a time, and the days and weeks and months passed and I still thought about it but less and less until I barely thought about it. I am so glad I quit when I did. It forced my husband to quit also and I don't really think he was ready but didn't want to keep smoking if I wasn't. So now its been about 15 years I think. You can absolutely do it. Just push through the first few weeks and even though those are the hardest, the days keep passing and you will be so happy you did it.

Thank you! Did the patches alone work for you, meaning you didn't use any other form of nicotine replacement? I actually haven't tried the patches yet, I probably should. I also still need to schedule some time with the oral surgeon to have a few teeth extracted. I'm hoping that the extractions combined with using patches (definitely shouldn't smoke for a bit afterward) can push me even more to actually commit to quitting.

 

[He Man]

My preventative health habits.. I ride my bike to stay in shape.. I gave up alcohol (which sucks) a couple years back, and I don't drink caffeine anymore. No caffeine translates to almost no sodas for me, which I think is basically why I've never had a cavity. I'm really conscientious about dental care.. I take vitamins from time to time also. I think well rounded vitamin intake prevents anxiety from getting worse..

 

[suzzeeb]

Thank you! Did the patches alone work for you, meaning you didn't use any other form of nicotine replacement? I actually haven't tried the patches yet, I probably should. I also still need to schedule some time with the oral surgeon to have a few teeth extracted. I'm hoping that the extractions combined with using patches (definitely shouldn't smoke for a bit afterward) can push me even more to actually commit to quitting.

The patches did work. I mean the habit part wasn't easy for a few weeks, but I figured a few weeks or months even would be well worth it over the long term. My husband had a more difficult time so he used the patches and when it got tough he used the gum too. I just really wanted to quit on my own instead of having some health issue from smoking force me to quit eventually. I agree with the dental extractions that would be a good time to quit! I've seen so many long-time smokers quit so there is no question you can too! You just can't see it right now, but after a couple months you will look back and wonder why you didn't do it sooner! Good luck!!

 

[MATD]

Even with health anxiety, I don’t worry about it. I’m old enough and remember well enough to know that over the years we have been fed so much crap from “ health experts”, and watched these so called experts change their opinions like their daily underwear. I don’t buy into the mass hysteria. I know to eat a balanced diet and avoid processed foods with strange ingredients on the label.