Your personal health outcome is directly dependent upon how you use your hand. Your hand is directed by your behavior. Indeed, what your hand puts into your mouth is the major determinant of whether your risk for the development of acute or chronic diseas
Your personal health outcome is directly dependent upon how you use your hand. Your hand is directed by your behavior. Indeed, what your hand puts into your mouth is the major determinant of whether your risk for the development of acute or chronic disease is higher or lower. If you smoke or chew tobacco, you increase the risk for several forms of cancer.
Smoking is the leading cause for many forms of cancer, including lung cancer and urinary bladder cancer. Note that secondhand smoke can also put your loved ones at risk for premature death. It puts your children at risk for the development of chronic breathing problems and asthma. Chewing tobacco can result in mouth and throat cancer. Using your hand to over-eat, and participating in poor nutritional practices, can lead to being overweight with a resultant increased risk for diabetes, heart disease, and muscle and joint problems to name a few. You may also use your hand to take illegal drugs, abuse legal prescription medications or drink alcohol excessively. Not only does this have the potential to result in internal organ damage, but it may also lead to an increased risk for accidents due to their effects on your nervous system.
Car accidents and falls are still leading causes of death nationwide. You may also use your hand or mouth to inflict physical or mental violence upon yourself or others. In all of these situations, it is essential that you stop the behavior and seek help. All of these factors make it less likely that you will live a longer life and a life relatively free from acute and chronic pain and suffering. However, it is not only what your hand does do, but also what it does not do. This includes things such as not putting a seat belt on while driving or not opening a clinic door in order to have your routine check-ups.
Early diagnosis and cure of disease is the goal of check-ups rather than waiting for the development of symptoms of late stage disease whose outcome is poor at best. Your hand is also able to participate in proper exercise that can have tremendous mental and physical benefits for you. You can also use your hand to open a book or search on a computer to better educate yourself about health-related issues. The hand is a powerful tool that can be held up to say ‘No’ to self-destructive behaviors. It can never be truer, that your destiny lies within your own hands. This also includes what you allow to pass through your mouth. This holiday season, try to control your hand and mouth through the development of good behavioral practices. Begin to take control of, and to change for the better, your future health outcome.
In future articles, I hope to explore with you and shed more light on health issues and what you can do to have a better health outcome. You are too valuable to your family and all of us in the community not to take care of your health.
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