How to not be disabled
2002-03-27 8:59 a.m.

As you may know, I work in the insurance industry and specifically with disability insurance. We pay people a percentage of their monthly income if they are unable to work due to sickness or injury. Here is my take on how to not be disabled. This is my own take on what I read in claim files and what I study at medical sites. ~I am not a doctor~

1. Don't smoke. I know it's fun and a rush but in the long run it leads to: coronary obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema and lung cancer. If you smoke please try to quit. If you live with a smoker then please try to help them quit. Simon smokes and it's a struggle for him to cut down or stop. He's gearing up to give it another go in a couple of months.

2. Don't be an alcoholic. Yes, you may think you're living la vida loca and being artsy like Hemingway or Dorothy Parker but it's not good for you. Plus hang-overs are the number one reason for employee absense. How many times have you had the Jack Daniel's flu this year? Being an alcoholic leads to pancreatitis and cirrohis of the liver. Once you're on a liver transplant list things start looking grim. (but there's good news about alcohol at the end of this!)

3. Don't be overweight. Try to keep your bodyweight in a healthy range, use your BMI as a guide. Being obese is hard on the joints making arthritis and joint injuries even more painful. Being obese can also lead to adult onset diabetes (diabetes II). This can result in slow healing open wounds on the extremeties that get infected, turn to gangrene then need to be amputated. It usually starts with losing a toe, a foot, a leg�etc. Not pretty. On the upside, lots of people with type II diabetes that change their diet and lose some weight end up not needing insulin anymore. Lots of people with high blood pressure find their blood pressure returns to normal when they lose the extra weight.

4. Work somewhere where you are fairly happy. You should enjoy the work and enjoy the people. Making enough money to live on also helps. People who suffer from an excess of stress on the job or struggle with harassment are likely to end up with a mental disorder. Job satisfaction is very important to your mental health. If you hate your job and coworkers (I was on the verge of this!) then you need a new job. Being happy from 8-5 is a must. Being unhappy and constantly stressed can lead to: chest pains, panic attacks, depressive disorders & agoraphobia. Antidepressants can help in the short term but they can't make your job better. You are not stuck, find something you like doing.

5. Don't sleep around and use street drugs. AIDS is the big scary diagnosis but much more prevalent are the hepatitises (A, B & C) which fry your liver. Doctors also speculate that women can get cervical cancer from a STD. Condoms are a must. Don't do anything that requires a needle. And if you must get a tattoo or piercing go somewhere reputable where they show you the nice clean needles in sealed packets. Street drugs can screw you up because frankly you don't know what's in them. Lots of powerdery substances have stricnine (rat poison!) in them to increase the shelf live. The government doesn't do a lot of testing on marijuana for obvious reasons. I haven't seen many adverse effects myself, most pot heads I know are mellow individuals. Although, I wouldn't want them driving my bus.

Now here are some things you can do to help yourself live longer and stay healthier:

1. Exercise. Find something you like doing and do it. If you get bored then switch to something else. Going to a gym or joining a team will also have a social effect on you. Personally, I recommend joining a kung fu school.

2. Drink. Drinking in moderation is good for your heart and soul, try to stick to wine or beer. That's one drink a night for girls and two for boys. (I know, no fair!)

3. Get a life. If you have nothing in your life but work and a significant other, that's unhealthy. Have friends and hobbies. Get out of the house on a regular basis.

4. Get an annual physical exam. Lots of diseases show up in blood work or during an exam. If you're a girl you should be examining your breasts on a regualr basis. I've known lots of girls that are squeamish about this. Why? They're yours, touch them!

5. Eat healthy but don't be a food nazi. Eat healthy but also eat the things you crave every now and then and don't feel guilty about it. Remember there are no bad foods, just too much foods. (my waistline = tortilla chips)

That's it. Now go out there and be healthy.

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