I would be willing to bet that most of reading this have some area of your diet that you want to change. Maybe you binge on junk food or have a huge sweet tooth. For information of fixing common dental conditions visit http://www.northmiamibeachdentist.com/dental-services/oral-surgery-wisdom-teeth/. I’m sure you’ve heard all of the benefits of eating healthier, but it may seem like an impossible feat.
So what do you do? You have to try something, but have no idea what. It is okay, change can be a good thing. These tips are designed to help you make the changes you want (and need) without losing your sanity.
Start small- If you try to go from a soda drinking carnivore to a super-vegan overnight, your body will have withdrawals and there is likely to be some pain as a result. You are also less likely to succeed if you try to do too much at once. Make a list of the behaviors you want to change. Label the ones you think will be easiest and which are likely to be the hardest. Knock a few of the smaller ones off first and work your way up to the harder ones.
Along these lines, you should tackle a mini-goal every week. If your goal is to eat more fruits and veggies than a mini-goal would be to eat a full serving every evening with dinner. If you want to cut out sweets than your mini-goal for one week would be to stock your cupboards with nutritious substitutes. Though they seem small, they really add up. As an added bonus, you will feel like you are accomplishing a lot because you are.
Look at the cause of your habit- If you get bored and snack, then boredom, not hunger, is the issue. Keep your hands and mind busy with something you enjoy. If stress is your trigger look for ways to relax. Stress is dangerous and can lead to heart disease, TMJ (http://www.northmiamibeachdentist.com/tmj-disorders/orthognatic-repositioning/), stomach problems, ulcers, and more. The point is, you can’t overcome the symptom if you don’t know what the cause is.
Have realistic goals- You would not expect to take one karate class and be a master. It takes 21 days for you to build a pattern and 66 days for that pattern to become automatic. Your goals should be challenging, but possible. Do not chide yourself if you mess up, just learn from it and keep going.
Make a specific plan and write it down- You may forget in 30 days what your goal was. By then you have been doing it for long enough that it feels as though it’s always been that way. Writing your plan down helps you keep track of the progress you’ve made and helps you stay on track.
Become consciously aware of what you are eating- Yes, eating less sugar is a great goal. But you can’t just stop putting it in your coffee and assume you got it all. Sugar is in everything from BBQ sauce to beer to most canned goods. Start reading your labels. A good rule of thumb is that if you can pronounce what’s in it, you’re probably okay.
Before treating gum, tooth, or other oral problems consult with Dr. JJ Edderai. A dental check-up every three to four months will allow Dr. Edderai to keep a watchful eye on your oral health and prevent cavities before they start. For answers to some of the most commonly asked questions, visit my FAQ page at http://www.northmiamibeachdentist.com/faqs/.
Copyright Dr. Jean-Jacques Edderai -2015