Can You Reverse the Effects of an Unhealthy Diet & Lifestyle?

Regardless of how long poor habits have been hanging around, it’s never too late to make healthy diet and lifestyle changes. Yep – we’re talking about reconstruction and renovation at a cellular level, so do you have the guts to take on your very own fixer-upper?

Looking at your lifestyle

Over time, we develop a run-down way of functioning. It could be a poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking, stress, or drinking excess alcohol. These lifestyle risks can silently and insidiously increase our risk of developing grave health issues, impacting on our overall function and health. Unfortunately, their effects can’t be easily fixed with an early night’s sleep and some multivitamins.

Obvious signs of poor health habits are both seen and felt; a bulging waistline, shortness of breath or early tiredness in the daytime. But it’s what you don’t see or feel that puts your long-term health and life on the line.

Lifestyle diseases and chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer and dementia are on the increase. The Heart Foundation states that Heart Disease is the single biggest killer of Australians, but can mostly be prevented. According to Diabetes Australia, there are large numbers of people with silent, undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes which may be damaging their bodies with an estimated 2 million Australians at high risk of developing the disease.

Our less than healthy habits can range from frequent snacks down at the coffee cart, lack of physical activity or a rock star partying lifestyle. But there is always a cost to your health. This is because chronic diseases emerge due to the combination of many adverse and subtle changes in the function of cells and tissues, with small and persistent changes in hormone levels and immune function. While scientists continue to study these chemical and cellular changes to uncover complex interconnections that are at the root of serious disease, it always comes back to the importance of lifestyle choices as the decipherable cause. Always!

It’s never too late to renovate your lifestyle

The good news is, some of the causes can be undone with some lifestyle renovating. Changes in lifestyle habits can quickly improve complications and health risks related to poor food choices, physical inactivity and constant stress. This can help ease pre-existing disease severity and improve prognosis, but even more importantly can prevent serious disease from developing in the first place.

For example:

  • Blood glucose (sugar) levels fluctuate much less by eating low glycaemic index (GI) foods and this can be experienced as soon as eating one healthy meal
  • Eating less saturated fat and more vegetables, fruits, legumes, and other plant based foods can decrease cholesterol levels in just a few weeks
  • High blood pressure can be remedied by adding in regular physical activity, reducing high salt foods and decreasing alcoholic beverages to 2 or less standard drinks per day.

When you think about it, our habits, creature comforts, vices and cravings have been around for over a decade or more and can be stubbornly difficult to budge. There’s no surprise that with any healthy change there is some discomfort, new learnings and trial and error until you find what is workable to fit your lifestyle. Each small change whether it be to food choices, lifestyle or emotional balance is beneficial to our health. Imagine climbing up a ladder - with each rung being a positive change so that the health benefits eventually add up with measurable and visible gains to your overall health and wellbeing. In this way, you can tackle lifestyle changes one bit at a time.

But with any flip worth doing, there are a thousand reasons and benefits to make changes, including a new physical and mental vibrancy, and a renewed zest for life. In true renovation style, here are the top six positive ways to help you make successful and lasting healthy lifestyle decisions.

  1. Be a project manager and target the most important areas

On every renovation show, they say that kitchens and bathrooms sell houses. A few changes like updated appliances, new tiles and plenty of bench space equates to a functional and pleasant house that becomes a home.  Pick your most obvious habits and behaviours to change, choosing just one or two at a time.  If it is lack of physical activity, you’ll be amazed at how a 30 minute walk each day will have a profound impact on your health and quickly reduce shortness of breath.  Or how having a healthy breakfast (if you tend to skip it) can improve your energy levels and metabolism to reduce tiredness and hunger later in the day.

  1. Be prepared for a tear down of unhelpful habits

If a wall is in the wrong place, or the roof is caving in – these structures need to be torn down and redesigned or rebuilt.  So it is with old unhelpful habits and feelings that have been part of a routine resulting in poor health. These can be difficult to shift and are sometimes the consequence of situations that trigger an unhealthy action. The trigger can be internal (such as boredom or a stressful deadline), environmental (like the wafting smell of KFC), or social (the work luncheon that turns out to be a bunch of pizzas, or the deluge of Friday after work drinks). The challenge is then to identify these triggers and set about either altering the trigger or making changes to the routine.  We can change many things, like leaving work drinks early, avoiding KFC drive-throughs, incorporating meditation or going for a walk to reduce stress – we may even decide to change jobs. These changes can make a world of difference.

  1. Let go of perfectionism, you don’t need “a grand design”

Have you noticed how renovations are rarely about perfecting a house, but more about working within a budget?  Changing a habit is rarely an instant and complete overhaul funded by every ounce of our willpower. Rather it is more like a project we chip away at, evaluating our progress along with the highs and lows. For each low it’s important to assess what the trigger has been, how to adapt (or reduce) the likelihood of this happening again, regroup and carry on.  It takes measured and consistent work rather than getting everything perfect and right straight away (we are more likely to give up if we are expecting 100% perfection), but I promise that it gets easier to change habits with mindful reflection, self-kindness and practice. Old habits take time to change!

  1. Do a bit of DIY with the right knowledge

Even the best of the best renovators call on experts for specific jobs.  There is no point in being bombarded by every type of health expert (including your neighbour – unless they are in fact an expert on health), each giving different and conflicting advice about what works best.  Choose advice from qualified health experts, or evidenced based books and articles to combine your knowledge (often common sense) with application. This means you can choose what elements of a healthy lifestyle plan you are most likely to achieve (and maybe even like) and combine them into what works for you.

  1. Make a floor plan for success

“Let’s throw out the floor plans and renovate this house from scratch” said no expert renovator ever. You will need a plan to follow, and this plan is driven by goals, values and a vision of what your renovated lifestyle will look like.  This means that in building new healthier habits it’s realistic to start with foods (or habits) that are at least tolerable and maybe even likeable. Choosing physical activity that you actually enjoy, whether it be line dancing, deep water running or joining a local walking group. Then, reminding yourself why these changes are valuable to you – perhaps it is about self-care, having the energy to support a loved one or role modelling a healthy lifestyle to significant others. These floor plans help to steer us in the right direction, even when the going gets tough.

  1. Celebrate the move into your new abode!

Every new house renovation is celebrated with a party or a house warming – blood sweat and tears have led to this moment.  Likewise, celebrate each healthy lifestyle goal reached and each habit you have worked hard to change – your new and improved habits for a healthier lifestyle deserve a reward that really speaks to you.  How’s about a full body massage, some new threads or tickets to a concert?  It is never too late to renovate your lifestyle. The benefits of renewed health and wellbeing will serve you both in the present and for years to come…and you’ll be so glad that you did it!




 

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Our Disclaimer: All client testimonials are genuine accounts of experiences on the LifeShape program. Due to the personalised nature of the LifeShape program, results may vary based on an individual’s compliance, motivation and personal history.

Acknowledgement to Country: LifeShape Clinic acknowledges Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures; and to Elders past and present.
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