Chronic diseases wreak havoc on millions of lives worldwide, yet most can be avoided through prevention measures.

Modifying your lifestyle through eating healthily, participating in regular physical activity and getting enough quality restful sleep can significantly lower the risk of chronic diseases.

1. Eat a Healthy Diet

Consuming a nutritious diet is essential in combatting chronic disease. Eating foods rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains while cutting back on sodium consumption and added sugars will help you remain healthier while decreasing your risk for chronic diseases.

As part of a healthy diet, it is recommended that you consume five servings of fruit and vegetables daily. This can be accomplished through eating fresh, frozen or canned produce as well as including small amounts of dried fruit in your daily intake.

While it can be challenging to eat healthily in today’s fast-paced world, there are steps you can take to boost your health and protect against chronic diseases. Building positive habits around food, movement, rest and stress management can have a tremendously positive effect on overall wellbeing.

2. Exercise Regularly

Six out of ten Americans are living with chronic diseases, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control. Chronic diseases are defined as conditions lasting more than a year and necessitating medical care or restricting daily activities; many can even be prevented.

Foods such as fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and low-fat dairy can help protect against chronic health conditions like Diabetes. Exercise regularly; aim for 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity most days of the week.

An internal medicine or family medicine provider at MedStar Health can assist in making these healthy changes part of your everyday routine. Find one near you now.

3. Get Enough Sleep

As terrifying as a chronic disease diagnosis may be, you have the power to take charge of your health and live an enjoyable and fulfilling life. Chronic conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes are caused by many different factors; many of which may be preventable through adopting healthy lifestyle habits and behaviors.

Sleep is essential to good health. Sleep helps manage stress, improve immunity and create an overall better daytime experience; too little rest has also been linked with heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

4. Wash Your Hands Regularly

Hand washing is one of the best ways to avoid disease and yet most people fail to do it correctly.

To properly wash your hands, wet them down and apply soap. Rub your hands together vigorously for at least 20 seconds to cover all surfaces – the backs, wrists and between fingers of both hands as well as between your fingers – before rinsing thoroughly and drying off using either paper towels or air drying them.

Handwashing reduces the number of germs on your hands, which reduces their potential threat to your immune system and can prevent their spread to vulnerable groups like infants, older adults or those with compromised immunity systems. Furthermore, hand washing helps protect against food-borne illness outbreaks.

5. Drink Plenty of Water

As part of your daily regimen to prevent chronic diseases, drinking plenty of water is an integral component. Adults are advised to drink at least eight cups a day. Depending on outside temperatures, activity levels and whether you’re dehydrated due to medications or illness, your daily water needs could differ accordingly.

Confronted by a packed schedule, making healthy lifestyle choices can be challenging. By building protective habits into your routine, however, you can boost immunity, heart health, manage weight and improve emotional balance. These seven protective daily habits include healthy diet and exercise as well as stress management, sleep hygiene and dental care to significantly lower chronic disease risks and create emotional equilibrium in daily life. While changing lifestyle is never an easy undertaking but its rewards are substantial.

6. Eat Fruits and Vegetables

Chronic diseases are among the primary causes of death in America; however, they can often be avoided with lifestyle modifications that promote good health – eating a nutritious diet, participating in physical activities regularly and forgoing tobacco and excessive alcohol use are among them.

Fruits and vegetables contain many essential vitamins that may help prevent chronic disease, including A, C, E, K as well as folate and phytochemicals (plant chemicals). Studies show that people who regularly eat a wide range of fruits and vegetables have lower risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer and diabetes compared with those who don’t consume so many vegetables and fruits.

If fruits and vegetables don’t interest you, try incorporating them into meals in different ways or trying something different – smoothies, minced dishes or curries could all work!

7. Avoid Junk Foods

Eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats is the cornerstone of chronic disease prevention. Eating such a diet also supports weight management by lowering cholesterol levels, decreasing heart disease risk and diabetes risk and providing sustained energy sources.

Fast food and processed snacks contain unhealthy choices that are high in saturated fats, sodium, and sugar; providing little essential nutrition. Eating such junk increases your risk for high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, obesity and respiratory conditions such as asthma.

Work, family and life obligations make it hard to make time for healthy habits; but small changes can bring big results. At MUSC Health internal medicine and family medicine providers can assist you with developing positive lifestyle behaviors to avoid or manage chronic diseases.