Health 101

DocBrain sees red when people blame others for them not taking care of themselves. Except in extreme circumstances where you have no control (ie, in a POW camp), every person has some control and some freedom.

The big things that prevent health problems are well known and there is no logical excuse for not doing them. The excuses are mainly emotional "Its toooo haaaard!" "I can't control myself!" "I know its wrong, but I just can't stop." Pseudorational justifications are just that...pseudorational. "If cigarettes cause lung cancer, how come everyone who smokes doesn't get lung cancer and how come some nonsmokers get lung cancer?" "My aunt Esther smoked 3 packs a day from the age of 12 and lived to be 110."

You don't need to be a rocket scientist, nor even have listened to anything over the past 30 years to know what the serious risks are. They are all just common sense. Just in case you don't know, here are the tried and true things you can do to live longer and healthier.

1. Don't smoke. The surgeon general put that on the packs of tobacco in the 1960's.
2. Keep your weight under control. Being larger than a SUV went out of style when Haystacks Calhoun died!
3. Drink in moderation (10 drinks/week or less). When your mama checked your temperature, she stuck the thermometer in alcohol to kill the germs. Do you really think that alcohol only kills germs? What about liver and brain cells?
4. Get enough sleep, at least 7 hours.
5. Exercise your muscles and your heart with aerobic and resistive exercises
6. Avoid fatty foods
7. Keep your mind active. Read, think, talk, learn.
8. Laugh more than you get angry or cry
9. Wear your seatbelt; drive carefully
10. Don't drink and drive.
11. Don't get too burned by the sun too often
12. For extra credit, get your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol checked.
13. New: cancer screening for colon, prostate, breast, among others.

Actually, thats all. Do that and live long and prosper! All else is just bad luck!