Choose health

Cory leashes her dog and goes out for a good run with him every morning. Larry's older brother gave up smoking, and it wasn't easy. Karen is trying to avoid salty, fatty "junk" foods, and notices that her clothes fit better.

These people are practicing what's called wellness, and both their bodies and minds are winners. No one wants to feel sluggish or unhealthy; we all want to feel good now. The best way to do this is to get into some habits now to stay well in the future. Small changes you try to make in your everyday behavior will, over time, create a healthy you.

In their book, Healthy Pleasures, Robert Ornstein, Ph.D., and David Sobel, M.D., say that healthy choices pay off twice--you feel better every day that you make a healthy choice, and you're building better lifetime health.

Some Things You Can't Control . . . 

There are certain parts of your life you can't control:
* your genes--your inherited physical characteristics
* where you live
* your sex
* your age . . . and Others You Can

But you can start yourself on the road to health instead of down the path to disease in your adult life if you choose health. Here are some positive habits that will keep you going in the right direction:

* Get energized! Jog, swim, bike, work out, or run, and don't be a TV zombie. A little TV can be a reward at the end of a long day.

 * Relax. It's OK to watch fish in a tank or to gaze at flames in a fire-place or to take a nap. Maybe you need more sleep than other people. Rest the body, the eyes, the mind--leave room in your life for this "recreation." (Did you know that stroking a purring cat can both lower your blood pressure and slow your heartbeat?)

* Get out from under. A little healthy stress is OK; it can keep you on your toes. But too much stress can have you acting like a rat in a maze. Try to sort out where your stress is coming from. Do you need to do some repair work? Can you start improving communication with your parents or classmates, or replace some bad attitude with good? Do you know how to plan so you have time to relax? Should you start studying differently so school isn't like living on Elm Street? Do you go to your teachers or the school counselor when you need help?

Food-Foolish?

 Many of today's foods are convenient to prepare and eat, and come in colorful packages. But these foods may contain too much salt and fat. What you eat should give you a choice every day from those ever-popular standbys, the four food groups. This famous combo--dairy, fruits and vegetables, meats, grains--has stood the test of time. Deep down, you know the truth: Cereal and orange juice for breakfast is better than a doughnut and a can of soda pop; no one needs potato chips every day; and a "juicy" (fatty) burger isn't necessarily the best fuel for energy and fitness. No one says you'll never have another hot fudge sundae as long as you live, but moderation is the key to healthy eating.

Chuckles and Guffaws 

 Laughter may be the most enjoyable way to improve your health. Dr. Donald Black of the University of Iowa calls it laughter fitness. Big hearty laughs, grins, and smiles increase the oxygen in your blood, improve blood circulation, and change other persons' behavior around you for the better. Laughter can relieve tension, distract you from what bothers you, and increase relaxation. Having a sense of humor means that you know how to make fun of the silliness of life, not of other people.

Last, Not Least

Clearly some choices teens face can have unhealthy consequences. Alcohol, drugs, firearms, and traffic accidents claim the lives of more young people than all the diseases you can name put together. Decide now to keep them out of your life. And don't smoke. Smoking will almost certainly contribute to a less healthy life and quite possibly to serious health problems sooner than you think.

Habits, of course, can be changed. To be the victim of a bad habit is to forget there is a choice. Your body is undergoing tremendous change all the time. Give yourself a chance.

Abstract: Tips to achieve better health from the book 'Healthy Pleasures' are presented. Recommended activities include exercise, relaxing, and eating good foods. Teenagers who practice good health habits usually end up in better health later in life.