Celebrating National Wellness Month with Tips from Your Urology Team
This August, Ackerman Urology is celebrating National Wellness Month. First established in 2018, National Wellness Month aims to encourage individuals to prioritize all areas of their health. The Global Wellness Institute defines wellness as “the active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health”. Wellness is considered a multidimensional concept. The Global Wellness Institute identifies the six most important dimensions as: physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, social, and environmental. They advise that individuals think of wellness as a continuum, given that a solid foundation of wellness helps us prevent and overcome disease. August is a time to stop and reflect on our individual state of wellness. Use this month to focus on self-care, establish healthy habits, and create sustainable routines. Maintaining your wellness will work to prevent problems before they start.
Why Wellness Should Include Urologic Health
Urology often gets left out of the wellness conversation, but it plays a major role in quality of life. Good urinary and reproductive health is essential for comfort, confidence, and independence. Preventive care in urology can help detect issues early and support long-term wellness. Urological conditions can impact mental health and increase the risk of mental health issues. There is a reciprocal relationship between urological health and mental health. Psychological issues like stress, anxiety, and depression can lead to urological conditions like increased urinary frequency, urgency, and pain during urination. It is important to maintain strong urologic health in order to achieve an optimum state of wellness.
10 Ways to Focus on Wellness this Month
- Establish wellness routines
This month, try to evaluate the areas you need to personally work on to improve your overall wellness. In each of these areas, establish consistent routines that work to improve and maintain wellness. Reflect on your current habits, identify what you want to change, and create a plan that you can stick to in the future. Utilizing a habit tracker could be helpful here.
- Take time for yourself
Take time this month to do something for yourself. Whether that means getting a massage or even something as small as buying yourself a coffee. Do something that feeds your soul. This month is an opportunity to look within and work to improve not just your physical health, but your mental and emotional health as well.
- Stay hydrated
Staying hydrated is a crucial factor in promoting wellness. Good hydration can contribute to better energy levels, improved digestion, clear skin, and strong kidney function. It is especially important to stay hydrated in the summer heat. Focusing on hydration can help prevent UTIs, kidney stones, and bladder conditions.
- Get moving
Staying active affects all areas of wellness. Try to get moving daily. Doing so works to improve your overall mood, boost your metabolism, and encourage strong heart health. Staying active can also help manage prostate symptoms, as well as supporting a healthy weight, which in turn lowers the risk of developing urologic issues.
- Eat mindfully
Food does not just feed your body; it feeds your mind. It is important to maintain a balanced diet, improving digestion, reducing inflammation, supporting immune function, and fueling your mind. There are several foods that have been proven to promote urological health including, cruciferous vegetables, berries, fish, tomatoes, green tea, legumes, pumpkin seeds, cranberry, and hibiscus. The Urology Care Foundation also advises that individuals eat less red meat and dairy products to protect their prostate.
- Manage stress
In today’s world, stress is more prevalent than ever, meaning it as important as ever to focus on managing that stress. The CDC explains that learning to cope with stress in a healthy way can reduce your stress. They emphasize the importance of taking care of both your mind and body. They recommend several techniques to manage stress: temporarily unplugging from news and social media, taking time to unwind, practicing daily gratitude, connecting with others, getting enough sleep, exercise, healthy eating, limiting alcohol intake, avoiding drugs/smoking, and keeping up with regular health appointments. Chronic stress can worsen conditions like overactive bladder and erectile dysfunction. Everything is connected, National Wellness Month is an opportunity to determine how you can personally manage your stress.
- Prioritize sleep
Sleep is essential for the human body to operate. Getting enough sleep is critically important for both physical and mental well-being, impacting almost every aspect of your overall health. A great habit to have is going to bed and waking up at the same time each day. This helps regulate your schedule and works to ensure you are getting the proper amount of sleep. The NIH recommends that adults get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night. Prioritizing your sleep has many benefits, including memory enhancement, hormone regulation, and physical/mental healing. In addition, poor sleep has been linked to increased bathroom visits, hormone imbalances, and prostate issues.
- Know your numbers
One easy step you can take during wellness month is to make sure you know your numbers: cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, PSA levels, etc. These can be determined by a simple wellness check-up with your doctor, basic labs, and a PSA screening.
- Schedule check-ups
Take time this month to schedule your annual check-ups or any other appointments that you have been putting off. Keeping up with your check-ups can save your life. Consistent exams and screenings help you stay ahead of health issues and/or identify any issues in the early stages. Schedule an appointment today with Ackerman Urology for prostate cancer screenings, urinary symptoms, or men’s health evaluations.
- Keep track of your wellness
Utilizing resources like a wellness tracker can help you stay on track with your health and wellness goals. Keeping your thoughts, goals, and plans organized in one place can help you maintain your wellness practices.
Small Steps = Big Change
This month, choose 1 to 2 habits you want to focus on this month. Think of your wellness as a daily practice, not a matter of perfection. Wellness is not just the absence of illness; it is the presence of vitality.
Our Commitment to Wellness
At Ackerman Urology, we are here to support our patients at every stage, whether they are addressing a concern or simply staying proactive. We specialize in a variety of areas: men’s health and vitality (sexual health, erectile dysfunction, low testosterone, non-scalpel vasectomies), prostate health (prostate cancer, elevated PSA, enlarged prostate, prostate disorders), bladder health (bladder cancer, blood in urine, overactive bladder, urinary infections), and kidney health (kidney cancer, kidney stones, kidney disorders). Schedule an appointment with Ackerman Urology today and take a step towards wellness. This month, take care of yourself the way you deserve. Start small, start today.
