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Americans are getting better at being healthy, at least we hope they are. Several years ago we had unfortunate reports of children who would live less years than their parents, mostly because of obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
Now with fitness trackers being one of the most solid fitness trends of our lifetime, and the constant access to helpful wellness information, maybe the US is turning a wellness corner. All that data helps to convict us of our need for regular physical activity and hopefully remind us of healthful food and eating choices.
Recently, FitBit published their list of 2017 Healthiest Cities in the US. It's a really interesting list! The upper-Mid West wins hands down, if you can believe it. California doesn't even get an honorable mention, and Colorado only got a couple (for overall fitness and 'active' minutes... in Boulder.)
Check out the article here.
How is your fitness tracking? Are you getting out on a rail trail, or training for a competitive run? Or maybe you're just getting to the gym regularly to hit a spin class or the rowing machine. Whatever you choose to do, get physically active and stay active! Consider wearing a fitness tracker and see if it might make you better at being healthy.
By the Way
The FitBit data tracking (which is anonymous review of over 10 million FitBit user's data) looked at these top five wellness lifestyle attributes for naming the Fittest city:
- Duration of sleep per night
- Daily Reminders to Move goals met
- Daily steps
- Daily active minutes
- Resting heart rate
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This past week I had a wellness check up. Not only is this a great yearly practice, it also saves us money on our insurance premiums. And it gives me a chance to mentally check in on how my health is really doing. My blood test numbers are still good, and I'm at a great weight, etc, but one thing I had overlooked was getting enough vitamin D. While I had taken a supplement years ago, it had slipped off my radar, because I thought I was getting plenty in my multi-vitamin. Turns out, that wasn't even close.
Health benefits of Vitamin D have been known for decades, but it's only in the last 15-20 years that it has been highlighted as a significant factor in preventing disease and relieving common maladies. The great thing about vitamin D is that our skin naturally makes and metabolizes it through sun exposure. But a common problem is that we don't get enough sun to make a difference...
Vitamin D is fundamental to calcium absorption for healthy bones and teeth, and that's why milk and other beverages have been fortified with vitamin D for a long time. More recent research is showing that appropriate blood levels of vitamin D help with the prevention of certain cancers, correction of some autoimmune diseases like arthritis, diabetes and MS, and offer stronger immune response to the flu. Other benefits are promoting a healthy heart, increasing muscle strength, fighting depression and relieving common aches and pains (all of which can show up in adults who are vitamin D deficient). All this from getting out in the sun! That's health made easy.
Because most adults don't get as much sun as they need for adequate vitamin D, it makes sense to take a vitamin D supplement. Current recommendation for dosages are higher than they used to be. My doctor said that vitamin D levels are so chronically low in Americans that they are just recommending adults take 1,000 to 2,000 IU per day. Check with your own doctor to get a suggested dosage for you.
Sometimes all it takes in a simple reminder of a healthy fundamental. Check in with your doctor about the right level of vitamin D for you, and benefit from this vitamin that makes wellness a bit easier.
By the Way
Check out these articles on vitamin D, it's benefits and some suggestions on dosages:
WebMD review of new vitamin D guidelines
Dr. Joseph Mecola and Dr. Michael Holick review the new approach to vitamin D
