Healthy lifestyle

What is a healthy lifestyle?

A healthy lifestyle benefits your physical and mental health. Here are a few tips:

• stop smoking ;
• eat healthy, following the recommendations of the food pyramid;
• maintain a healthy weight (Body Mass Index (BMI) <25) and a normal waist circumference;
• limit the time spent sitting;
• get enough exercise;
• consume alcohol in moderation;
• stimulate and maintain good mental resistance.

Why is a healthy lifestyle important?

Studies show that people who are overweight (BMI 25-30) are twice as likely to develop cardiovascular disease as those at normal weight. Obese (BMI 30-35) and severely obese (BMI> 35) people even have 4.5 and 14.5 times the risk, respectively. The risk of developing Type 2 diabetes is twice as high in case of excess weight and more than 17 times higher in case ofobesity severe.

More than half of smokers die prematurely from a disease caused by smoking. Globally, smoking is the leading preventable cause of (chronic) disease and death. Known diseases are chronic bronchitis (COPD) and lung cancer, but also other cancers, including cancer of the throat, mouth, bladder and liver.

A healthy lifestyle has a lot of benefits. For example, getting enough exercise (running, walking, swimming, cycling, etc.) benefits both body and mind.

How to change your lifestyle?

Good cooperation between doctor and patient

You have decided tostop smoking ? Finding it time to tackle your excess weight? Want to move more? Do you just want to have a healthier life?

Changing certain habits is not always easy, and you may doubt your own ability or resolve. Fortunately, you are not alone in this adventure: your doctor can accompany you and offer you support. The time when the doctor was considered a know-it-all doctor is well and truly past. The authoritarian approach of doctors has given way to open communication between doctor and patient. Thus is born a true cooperation with shared responsibilities.

A realistic and achievable approach

First you go analyze your current lifestyle with your doctor:

• What would you like to change?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of your current habits?
• Why do you want to change?
• How difficult is it?
• Do your current habits have a major influence on your life?
• How motivated are you to change?

Then your doctor will inform in a precise and detailed manner before proposing to you different possibilities. With the help of your doctor, you will try to find the option that is best for you: it is not the same for everyone. Thus, it is possible that they refer you to a tobacco specialist, a dietitian, a nutritionist, a therapist specializing in behavior change (cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) )), etc.

If you have decided to change something, it is up to you to act. It is therefore equally important to make a realistic plan with your doctor. You know your current habits best, you know the goals you want to achieve and you know the means within your reach to implement them. So choose achievable, measurable goals and celebrate every little victory. After reaching a goal, you can challenge yourself again and set the bar ever higher. You will be proud to achieve each of your goals. Your doctor or other therapist will identify your strengths and build on them.

It is important to know that changing your lifestyle is not easy and relapse can happen. Don’t be discouraged: falling back into old ways is part of the learning process. Your therapist will work with you to analyze what went wrong and think about ways you can avoid relapses in the future.

Want to know more?

• IMC – Health Passport
• VScalculate your Body Mass Index (BMI)
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) – AEMTC – Association for the Study, Modification and Therapy of Behavior

• Stop smoking. It’s possible – Tabacstop – Foundation against cancer

• Eating and gaining years of life is possible! (video) – CSS – Superior Health Council
• The food pyramid – Eat Move – Health Question
• Nutri-Score – SPF Public health, food chain safety and the environment
• Fruits, vegetables and whole grains – mongeneraliste.be – SSMG – Scientific Society of General Medicine
• Fruits, vegetables and cancer – mongeneraliste.be – SSMG – Scientific Society of General Medicine
• Fibers: multiple benefits – mongeneraliste.be – SSMG – Scientific Society of General Medicine

• The food pyramid for children from 18 months to 12 years old – Manger Bouger – Question Santé

• Physical activity – Eat Move – Health question
• I can participate in physical and sports activities during my pregnancy and after childbirth
  – Ministry in charge of sports

• Alcohol, the point on your consumption – Stop or else?

Are you looking for more specialized help?

• Smoking Assistance Center (CAF®) – FARES – Respiratory Affections Fund
• Tobacco specialists – FARES – Respiratory Affections Fund
• Find a registered dietitian – Professional Union of French-speaking dieticians
• Find a nutritionist doctor – Belgian Society of Nutritionist Doctors
• Alcohol aid – Le Pélican & Le center ALFA
• Find a therapist – AEMTC – Association for the Study, Modification and Therapy of Behavior

Sources

• Foreign clinical practice guide ‘Role of motivational interviewing in lifestyle change and treatment’ (2017), updated on 06/27/2017 and adapted to the Belgian context on 01/26/2019 – ebpracticenet
• Kivimäki M, Kuosma E, Ferrie JE et al. Overweight, obesity, and risk of cardiometabolic multimorbidity: pooled analysis of individual-level data for 120,813 adults from 16 cohort studies from the USA and Europe. Lancet Public Health. 2017 May 19; 2 (6): e277-e285