Techniques to Fight Aging and Improve Your Overall Health

There’s no getting around aging. Everyone goes through it. It’s just nature letting our bodies know who’s boss. As travel nurses we’re all too aware that our bodies undergo tremendous changes on a daily basis. Some of them are good. As we get older, we get wiser, gain better perspective on life and we come to understand the world around us a little better. Among the undesirable changes, however, include failing organs and external indications of age like wrinkles and grey hair.

That said, there are little things travel nurses can do to slow down the aging process and there’s no reason why we shouldn’t rage, rage against aging’s unwanted effects.

Nurses, especially those in the travel nursing profession, work harder than most people. All that moving around means that they’re more susceptible to health problems than the average worker. This is why travel nurses need to better take care of themselves.

Here are some tips you can do to stay healthier. These are not intended to stop aging. Nothing can. Rather, these tips are here to help ward off stress, which accelerates the aging process.

Water is your friend

Many nurses live on coffee and soda, which shouldn’t really be the case. There are plenty of health reasons why these beverages shouldn’t substitute water as our bodies’ main source of hydration. They’re fine as little rewards for a job well done here and there or to give travel nurses that extra jolt they need on particularly trying times. That said, water should comprise the majority of your liquid intake for the day. Make sure that you drink at least six to eight glasses daily.

Take some time during the day to relax

Remember that stress affects our mood and emotions show up on our faces. You know what that means, right? That’s right. Wrinkles. So, just relax. Easier said than done, especially if you’re working the night shift or weekends or needing to move from one assignment to the next. Try closing your eyes and counting to ten to melt away the tension from your body. Do this regularly, not just when you need it. You will find that as you do this every day you will be able to keep stress levels down and feel fresher than if you didn’t.

Sweating clears the pores

Make sure that you sweat at least for ten minutes every day. Sweating helps dispel toxins from your body. That’s a good thing. You might be too busy or too tired to go to the gym but it wouldn’t kill you to jog or brisk walk a little after work. You don’t have to spend hours at it. Another way to sweat without effort is by visiting a sauna.

Eat plenty of fruits and greens

No. Deep-fried fries—though it’s made from potatoes, which is a vegetable—don’t count. When the need for a snack beckons, instead of chips try munching on an apple or an orange. These will actually make you feel more satisfied and are a healthier option. Likewise, vegetables of varying colors help boost your immune system to fight stress. These types of food also keep the digestive tract flowing and bring one’s energy levels up all day.

There are many other little things you can do to fight off aging and make you feel more alive such as quitting smoking and getting adequate sleep.

Keeping healthy will give you more energy, give you clearer skin and make you look younger. Remember that your job isn’t just to take care of your patients. You have to take care of yourself too.