The Health Trifecta:
Health, Wellness and Injury Prevention
The three pillars of health are: nutrition, physical exercise, and sleep. All three work together and affect each other. For example, not getting enough sleep may lead to sugar and carb cravings. If you don’t eat well, you may not feel like working out. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is one way to prevent injuries in everyday life. Accidents happen, but by building these strong pillars of health you may be able to avoid some of the more predictable ones.
Along with being thoughtful to wear appropriate protective equipment and only equipment that it is intended for that specific activity, here are a few other ideas for injury prevention.
Tips for Preventing Injuries:
- Warm up/cool down: Whether at work or home it is important to warm up prior to activity and cool down after. This time of brain and body connection is important for preparation, recovery and keeping muscles and joints healthy.
- Balanced exercises: Create a routine that includes cardiovascular exercise, strength training, and stretching which alternates muscle groups and take rest days when needed.
- Body awareness: Be aware of anything that may be causing discomfort or pain. If you do feel pain with a specific activity, take a step back to understand where the pain may be coming from.
- Stay hydrated and maintain a healthy weight: The body relies on water for muscle and joint health and the less stress on the joints, the less likely an injury will occur.
- Get enough quality sleep: Sleep allows us to be more alert, make good decisions and avoid injuries. Strive for at least 7 hours of sleep per night. Please speak with your doctor if you are having trouble sleeping.
