You At Your Best

By Karen riCe you at your Best When it comes to setting goals for better health, we all need a little motivation. You feel OK. Sure you could exercise more and eat better, but how much difference does that make? The answer is: more than you might think. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer and diabetes are the leading causes of death and disability in the United States, accounting for 90 percent of our annual health care expenditures. It can be easy for adults in the prime of their lives to overlook the danger of chronic diseases, especially if they feel good and aren't exhibiting any symptoms to suggest their health is in jeopardy. And while there's no way to guarantee a person won't develop a chronic disease, certain health behaviors really do increase your risk. Here are five of them: 1 Smoking. The CDC notes that tobacco is the leading cause of preventable disease, and not just among smokers. While 34 million adults in the United States smoke cigarettes, 58 million nonsmokers, including children, are exposed to secondhand smoke, which can cause chronic diseases like stroke, lung cancer and coronary heart disease. The American Cancer Society says about half of all Americans who keep smoking will die due to the habit. Smoking kills more Americans than alcohol, car accidents, guns, HIV, and illegal drugs combined. Smoking not only causes cancer, it also damages nearly every part the body, including the bones, reproductive organs, mouth, skin, eyes, and blood vessels. Quitting can help reverse the effects of years of smoking. 2 Alcohol. Excessive alcohol consumption can cause heart disease, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, and stroke. In addition, the CDC reports that the less alcohol a person drinks, the lower his or her risk of cancer becomes. Excessive consumption of alcohol can also damage your liver and kidneys. When these organs are not functioning properly, they cannot filter toxins out of the body, resulting in potentially irreparable damage. If you are drinking more than two drinks per day, resolve to cut down. 3 Stress. It's easy to underestimate the effects of stress on the mind and body. Left unchecked, stress can contribute to heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure, says the Mayo Clinic. Resolving to reduce stress by adopting certain techniques can improve self-esteem and mood. 4 Inactivity. The CDC reports that just 25 percent of adults and 20 percent of adolescents meet the recommended physical activity guidelines. Low levels of physical activity can contribute to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer, and obesity. Exercise can improve mood and sleep, help people control their weight, improve bone and muscle strength, and potentially extend their lives. Resolving to exercise doesn't require drastic changes. Small steps can add up to big results. 5 Poor nutrition. Although the value of fruits and vegetables is well documented, the CDC reports that fewer than 10 percent of adults and adolescents eat enough of them. In addition, they report that 60 percent of young people between the ages of two and 19 and half of all adults consume a sugary drink on any given day. Those beverages, along with processed foods, add unnecessary sodium, saturated fats and sugar to people's diets, increasing their risk for chronic disease as a result. Resolve to eat more meals made at home and incorporate more fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean protein into your meals. sPonsor Content health goalS: Why bother? A handful of reasons to help motivate you Tulsa Fertility Center's Stanley G. Prough, M.D and Shauna McKinney, M.D. both completed medical school at the University of Oklahoma, and advanced to earn board certification as ob-gyns. They also completed additional fellowship training as reproductive endocrinologists, specializing in infertility. In addition to our renowned fertility doctors, the Tulsa Fertility Center team includes a highly skilled laboratory director board certified in embryology. Tulsa Fertility Center IVF Lab: Cutting Edge Care with Compassion Patient care is the heartbeat of our fertility center, sustained by services provided by our IVF laboratory. The ART lab & fertility laboratory maintains the highest standards so that our patients will benefit from comprehensive IVF lab services that lead to successful pregnancies. Our Lab Director, J. Kevin Thibodeaux, Ph.D. is instrumental in helping us earn full accreditation and a reputation for excellence in ART services. He is board certified as a High Complex Laboratory Director (HCLD) and by the American Academy of Embryology (ACE). Our lab has also achieved accreditation from College of American Pathologist (CAP). Under Dr. Thibodeaux's care, the fertility laboratory team meticulously cares for embryos, safeguards sperm and oocytes, and performs microsurgical fertilization in conjunction with fertility testing and IVF treatment. Patient-Centered Infertility Care Tulsa Fertility Center accepts most insurance plans, and commits to making world-class fertility care both affordable and accessible. We see patients from Fort Smith to Rogers and beyond. Men and women travel to Tulsa to find that our fertility doctors truly care about their struggles to get pregnant. Our greatest accomplishment is the growing number of families that have achieved pregnancy and were finally able to put infertility behind them. Contact the compassionate team at Tulsa Fertility Center to schedule a consultation with one of our physicians, and see what options are available to you. 888-944-1440 or 918-359-BABY www.TulsaFertilityCenter.com Fellowship trained in reproductive endocrinology and infertility (rei): What Does that Mean for you? sunDay, DeCeMBer 27, 2020 | January - Goals for Great HealtH nWaDG.CoM/youatyourBest | you at your Best | 5 Ad Number: 122720nwr6841 Can't get pregnant? We'll get to the bottom of it. Hope Starts Here InfertIlIty • fertIlIty treatment • IVf • Donor Program telehealth & eVenIng aPPoIntments aVaIlable neW PatIent cash DIscount Call 918.359.2229 (BABY) for an appointment today! 115 e 15th street • tulsa, oK www.TulsaFertilityCenter.com

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