The Importance of Regularly Scheduled Body Maintenance
If you own a car, you know how important routine tune-ups are. Without oil changes, tire rotations, timing belt replacements, and other maintenance tasks, your car’s lifespan would be greatly reduced.
If the need for regularly scheduled car maintenance is so obvious, why don’t more people talk about body maintenance? Whether you’re an avid athlete or you live a mostly sedentary lifestyle, body maintenance can improve your health and help you live a longer, healthier life.
What is Body Maintenance?
Body maintenance is the practice of giving your body everything it needs to function properly. You already know that a well-maintained car gets better gas mileage, breaks down less frequently, and lasts longer. Likewise, you’ll feel more energized, boost your immune system, and get injured less often if you take the time to maintain your body, both at home and with help from medical professionals.
DIY Body Maintenance
When it comes to maintaining your car, you can do many tasks yourself, such as checking the tire pressure, topping off the coolant, and changing burned-out light bulbs. Similarly, here are some body maintenance tasks you can do at home:
- Eat clean: Don’t expect your body to perform at its peak unless you give it the right fuel. Replace junk food with fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy.
- Drink plenty of water: Good hydration is necessary for every bodily function, so make sure you drink at least eight cups of water a day.
- Get enough sleep: Aim for seven to nine hours of shuteye every night.
- Stretch: Include stretches in your morning routine, at regular intervals throughout the day, and right before bed.
Professional Body Maintenance
Like taking your car to a mechanic for a thorough tune-up, you should count on a medical professional for routine body maintenance. Here’s what this entails:
- Chiropractic care: Of course, chiropractors treat existing ailments, but they can also help prevent injuries and pain by improving your range of motion, reducing inflammation, maximizing lung function, increasing blood circulation, and boosting your immune system.
- Massage therapy: Massage is an excellent form of body maintenance. Different forms of massage are available to reduce stress, promote relaxation, decrease muscle tension, help you sleep better, and much more.
- Physical therapy: If you’re hoping to build strength, relieve pain, and increase your flexibility, physical therapy could be right for you, especially if you have pain from a chronic condition or acute injury.
- Acupuncture: When combined with other wellness treatments, acupuncture can improve your health by resolving recurring pain, improving digestion, and preventing respiratory illnesses.
At Effective Integrative Healthcare, our ultimate goal is to help you improve your quality of life. Our fully customized treatments boost your at-home body maintenance efforts to help you become an active participant in your own care. If you’re interested in trying this approach to health and wellness, please request a free consultation at our Crofton or Millersville, MD office today!