Healthy Start

Benefits of exercise

Just ten minutes of exercise a day can boost your mood, give you more energy and add years to your life. An exercise routine can help with stress management, improve sleep quality and help protect against a number of chronic health conditions. Exercise also plays an important role in weight maintenance.

Any amount of activity is better than none at all. You can exercise just by getting more active throughout your day. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator or adding some intensity to household chores.

Choosing healthy foods

Many people could benefit from losing weight. However, for many reasons weight loss is challenging. In addition, some people are tempted to choose the “diet of the month” or a plan they have read about online or heard about from friends and family. These diets are often not the most nutritious, and even with some weight loss, may not improve your overall health.

Losing weight is not the only way to improve your health. Choosing healthy foods every day can make a positive difference. Improving the quality of one’s diet without weight loss has many benefits beyond weight loss. A healthy diet can help reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke and certain cancers.

Your primary care doctor can tell you what a healthy weight is for you.

Don't have a primary care doctor? We can help with finding a doctor, call: 216.241.6201 

Annual check-ups with a primary care doctor are important.

During a checkup, your doctor can find problems that might make you more likely to get sick in the future. A check of your family health history could flag risks for inherited conditions like cancer or diabetes. Understanding your health history will make sure you get the screenings you need to catch health issues early.

If you don't have a primary care doctor, we can help with finding a doctor, call: 216.241.6201

Your doctor will also make sure you are on track with screening tests like colonoscopy or a mammogram.

Some diseases, such as colon cancer, can be prevented with regular screenings. 

If you are age 45, you need to get tested for colon cancer, even if you feel you are healthy. Scheduling a colonoscopy could save your life!

Don’t ignore your mental and emotional health.

If you are experiencing any of the following emotional or physical symptoms for more than a couple weeks, we encourage you to seek help from a mental health professional.

St. Vincent Charity has appointments available now! Call for an appointment: 216.363.2580

Emotional symptoms of depression:

• Extreme irritability
• Anxiety
• Restlessness
• Anger management issues
• Loss of interest in activities, including sex
• Fixation on the past
• Thoughts of death or suicide

Physical symptoms of depression:

• Insomnia or oversleeping
• Debilitating fatigue
• Changes in appetite
• Changes in weight
• Difficulty concentrating
• Unexplained aches and pains