When we think of loving someone generally it’s how we feel about someone else, like our parent, spouse, children and pets. But where do you fit on that list of those you love? Do you even think about loving yourself?

It may even seem a little strange to recognize that you haven’t thought about you and love in the same sentence. We get so busy taking care of things and crossing off tasks on the to-do list that at the end of the day we’re just glad we made it in one piece, sound familiar?

It sounds familiar to me too because I’m a doctor who practices medicine and I see people who get so busy taking care of everybody and everything else that when I meet you (my future patient) your health is in crisis mode. The blood pressure is way too high, the blood sugar and cholesterol, it’s through the roof and exercise and weight loss…what’s that, you ask me?! Let me say for the record that I feel your pain but let me also say you’ve got to make time for your health.

Adopting a healthy lifestyle is not hard but it is a commitment. You have to make a decision and commit to it. For example below are 5 healthy actions that you can start right now and reap the benefits.

Eat breakfast

Drink more water

Exercise 10 minutes a day

Stretch before you go to bed at night

Keep a journal

What’s hard about the list above, nothing really except doing it consistently day in and day out. We have good intentions but when life starts getting crazy these healthy actions get pushed to the margin. What’s the solution? Don’t allow yourself to get away with it. Say to yourself “ I love me and this is my way of showing it” .

Health is a choice. It’s a series of small minor choices. One choice seems insignificant but when combined with all the other choices over time, it packs a punch. Let’s look in more detail at these five health choices that you can make today.

Eat breakfast

Studies have shown that people who eat breakfast have a higher intake of vitamins and minerals. They also had lower cholesterol levels and a reduced risk of heart disease. A nutritious breakfast which includes at least one serving of fruit, helped to control hunger later in the day. A high fiber breakfast was also associated with eating approximately 40% less later in the day.¹

Drink more water

Water helps to remove toxins from the skin, helps to regulate your digestive system as well as lubricating our joints.² It also helps in weight loss because you feel full longer. The human body is more than fifty percent water and staying hydrated helps the body to function at an optimal level.

Exercise 10 minutes a day

You were probably expecting me to say exercise at least 30 minutes a day and I think that 30 minutes a day is a goal worth achieving but where are you going to start? Start at where you are and if it’s 2, 5 or 7 minutes start there. But be consistent!!! It’s only with consistency that your condition will improve and eventually you can do 30, 45 and 60 minutes of exercise. Remember the commitment to yourself and remember that loving yourself means your name also gets on the to-do list.

Stretch before you go bed at night

As we age our muscles tighten and become more tense. Stretching helps to improve our range of motion and reduces our risk of injury. Stretching can be practiced at any age and in addition to improving your range of motion it can help you to relax and improve your sleep. Stretching also improves your circulation.³ 

Keep a journal

Keeping a journal is one of the most inexpensive and effective ways to enlighten, inform and empower yourself. Successful people like Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry keep journals. Keeping a journal is important because it increases your focus, it’s honest and non-judgmental and enhances break-throughs.⁴ When you journal, you are able to express yourself and scream at the top of your lungs through your writing, if you want and it gives you catharsis. Your voice, thoughts and ideas are held in the trusting pages of your journal only for you to see and read.

I know you can probably think of a lot more than five healthy choices and that’s a good thing. But start right where you are and stick with it. Don’t beat yourself up when you fall, just dust off and get right back on and know that we are all rooting and praying for you. Isn’t that the advice you would give to someone you loved?

Dr Willette Davis is a board-certified internist. You can obtain more health information, recipes and exercises on the website DrWilletteDavis.com