With a new year underway, millions of Southern Californians are turning their attention toward health and wellness. From weight loss goals to substance abuse treatment, almost everyone reading this has something they can do to be healthier in 2023.
With that said, achieving better health and wellness is hard to gauge without a way to determine our existing state. Am I overweight? If so, by how much? Am I getting enough sleep? If not, what can I do to change that? It starts with an assessment, followed by a plan.
While you might think it takes the dedicated effort of dieticians and personal trainers to make a meaningful assessment of health and wellness, the truth is we can do most of it on our own.
With this in mind, let’s take a look at seven ways to assess our health and wellness in 2023:
Go to the dentist
Do you remember the last time you went to the dentist? If it’s been a year or longer, it’s time to schedule your next appointment. Doing so will help you determine the current state of your oral health. Whether conducted by your childhood dentist in Van Nuys or one in West Hollywood, dental examinations will reveal any undiagnosed conditions such as cavities or periodontal disease. Once your oral health is assessed by a dentist, you can begin the process of correcting any problems that are uncovered.
Get your annual physical
Routine annual physicals are a great way to stay on top of your health and wellness. They help uncover any undiagnosed conditions while also providing a satisfactory assessment of the current state of your health. With this in mind, we suggest taking advantage of the free annual physical every American is entitled to every year. They will check your blood pressure, weight, and a variety of other factors to detect and diagnose any underlying conditions.
Start counting calories
Do you know how many calories you consume each day? Probably not. If you stick to a strict diet with balanced nutrition, chances are you don’t need to count calories. But those who struggle with weight should start counting calories as a way to assess their current diet situation. You may discover you’re going over your daily allotment. That would explain your difficulty in losing weight. It all starts with assessing your daily caloric intake.
Monitor your sleep patterns
Do you wear an Apple Watch or a similar wearable device? If so, consider using it to monitor your sleep patterns. Doing so can reveal an undiagnosed sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea. Or it could indicate you’re a sound sleeper, in which case any issues with energy and focus are caused by something else. You’ll never know unless you monitor your sleep.
Track your activity levels
Smartwatches can also be used to track activity throughout the day. From the number of steps you take to the number of minutes you spend doing cardio, the data collected will allow you and your doctor to accurately assess your fitness levels and determine any potential areas of improvement. It also makes it easier to push yourself, as you have metrics to compare over the course of weeks and months.
Talk to a therapist
Mental health is a critical component of overall health and wellness. If you’re suffering from an undiagnosed disorder or dealing with unresolved childhood trauma, it will have an impact on your effort to be healthier. With this in mind, we suggest scheduling an appointment with a licensed therapist as a way to assess your current mental state.
Log your progress
The arc from couch potato to amateur athlete doesn’t happen overnight. It takes many months of hard work. What’s more, the path is rarely straightforward. There will be setbacks and sudden surges. The best way to stay on top of progress is to keep track of it over time. That way, you’re always up-to-date regarding the state of your health and wellness.
A new year means a new you – at least, that’s the idea. Millions of people will try. Not all of them will succeed. Which will you become? For the most part, an effort to achieve better health and wellness starts with an accurate assessment of where you are; that way, you have a better sense of where you’re going.
Julie Steinbeck is a freelance writer from Florida. She enjoys writing about business, finance, health, and travel.
