Simple Ways to Live Healthy and Happy

A little goes a long way, and that statement is true with being healthy every day.  Below are a few simple tips that will help you to include a little bit of healthy living behaviors that you can slowly include with your day-to-day activities.

Eat healthy foods and a well-balanced diet. Skip the soda and juice for water. Half of your plate should be fruits and vegetables. The other half should be grains and protein. Incorporate a dairy item into every meal. An easy way to do this is to drink low- or non-fat milk.

Wear sunscreen when outdoors. Spending time outside is an easy and healthy way to get the vitamin D you need from the sun. It also gives you a great opportunity to get yardwork done or spend time with your kids. When you’re outside, though, make sure you’re wearing plenty of sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays. Spending time outside without sunscreen increases your chances of developing skin cancer. Don’t think that just because it’s cloudy, you don’t need your sunscreen. 80% of the sun’s harmful rays can penetrate clouds, fog, or mist.

Get your health screenings. Getting your regular health screenings is an effective way of preventing the development of many different diseases and conditions. 

Wash your hands . . .  use soap and warm water. Hum the "A-B-C’s" or "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" twice to know how long you should be scrubbing your hands with soap and warm water.

Do not use tobacco products.  Tobacco use is a health risk for many different diseases and conditions including cancer, stroke, heart disease, emphysema, bronchitis and asthma.  Tobacco includes smoking cigarettes, chewing on dip, using e-cigarettes, smoking cigars and sharing a hookah. For information on how to quit smoking, contact the NET Health Center for Healthy Living at (903) 593 - 7474.

Keep alcohol intake to a minimum. Drink no more than 1 drink per day for women, and 2 drinks per day for men. One drink equals 8 ounces of beer, 4 ounces of wine, or 1 ounce of hard liquor. Never drink alcohol while pregnant. Long-term effects of alcohol can include damage to the brain, cancer, liver disease, fetal alcohol syndrome, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, nerve damage, sexual problems, ulcers and malnutrition.

Wear helmets and other safety gear when biking, skating, riding a skateboard, playing sports and other potentially dangerous activities. Do some research to figure out what protective gear you should be wearing. Talk to other parents and coaches to see what they recommend.

Keep your immunizations up-to-date. For more information on immunization schedules for children and adults visit CDC.gov/vaccines or call our Immunizations Clinic at (903) 510 - 5604.

Cook your foods to the recommended food safety temperatures. All poultry should be cooked at 165° F. Beef, pork, and fish should be cooked to 155° F. For more information, contact our Environmental Health Department at (903) 535 - 0037.