Serving one’s country is the dream of every patriot. Army veterans serve their motherland for many years, but it does not come with ease and repercussions. Despite fulfilling the fantasy of being a part of the armed forces, there are many disadvantages.
Although you, as a veteran, fantasize about a prosperous, healthy, and well-balanced life after your retirement, if you suffer from certain health conditions, you may lose the desire to pursue your idolized lifestyle. It includes high exposure to gunpowder, extreme weather conditions, asbestos, and other factors, consequently harming one’s state of mind and body. You may endure depression, anxiety, mental issues, and other chronic illnesses.
So, if you’re looking for tips for veterans to live a healthy life, you are at the right place. Here’s what you need to know.
Analyze possible injuries and seek a specialist as soon as possible
It is no surprise that veterans are more prone to injuries before and after their service tenure. Such bumps and bruises must be treated immediately and with the highest priority. Consider that you worked in an industry where the involvement and exposure to asbestos were unavoidable; you, at no cost, should skip medical advice.
Back then, you might not have cared, but asbestos is a natural mineral and carcinogen that causes mesothelioma, a deadly form of cancer. It means veterans and mesothelioma are highly interrelated. The disease most commonly forms in the linings around the abdomen or lungs.
Although treatment plans with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation can improve the situation, there is no assurance of a potential cure. The symptoms usually do not appear until 20-50 years after exposure, meaning those veterans who served during the 1980s might be at risk today. So, it’s important that you get an immediate diagnosis and seek professional help.
Say goodbye to unhealthy foods
Just because you are no longer part of the military does not mean you will quit your healthy eating habits by switching to unhealthy food. According to research, eating right can prevent many age-related diseases by physically altering parts of your chromosomes. Not only this, but it can also help you maintain a healthy weight.
You should consume fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and healthy fats while avoiding sugary items, white salt, and other processed foods. Eating a balanced and healthy diet can help you live longer, protecting you from Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and several heart diseases.
Stay revamped about vaccines
Living in close quarters with the troops can increase the risk of meningitis. Hence, it is crucial for a person who has lived in the domain to get the meningitis vaccine. Not only this but having vaccines can prevent dozens of other infectious diseases you, as a military veteran, can catch.
People living in military barracks can contract tetanus, whooping cough, measles, mumps, HPV, rubella, and even hepatitis. Hence, it is essential to stay up to date or seek expert guidance about which vaccine you might need to get rid of a specific condition.
Monthly wellness visits
Nothing can be a greater idea than visiting medical proficient for monthly check-ups for a military veteran. Since you spend a considerable portion of your life serving your homeland, you may encounter several health hardships in the coming days.
Your provider may ask for several tests based on age, gender, family history, and lifestyle when you visit for a check-up. Getting the screening done right away is necessary, as the doctor prescribes, to determine whether you are physically and mentally healthy.
Health visits may also incorporate analyzing any sexual-related or sexually-transmitted conditions, cancers, diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol, and other diseases which do not usually provoke symptoms until they advance.
Engage in a self-care routine
Life might have kept you the busiest with several obligations but prioritizing time to focus on yourself is equally essential. The experts say investing in yourself is the best investment anyone can make.
Self-care does not only include eating a well-balanced life but spending time in nature. It also means interacting with loved ones, nurturing your spiritual well-being, getting enough sleep, staying active, and maintaining healthy habits. Anything that can contribute to your mental, physical, and emotional health is essential.
Develop new healthy habits
After enough of living in similar conditions as a military veteran, it is the perfect time to develop new habits and relish them to the climax.
Getting out of the war, you should keep your mind engaged in several enjoyable activities and brain games. It would be fun to do so, but new hobbies can also assess preventing cognitive diseases while stimulating the mind. These activities might include enjoying the books you love, gardening, or writing different forms of content.
Tai chi, yoga, and meditation with shouxing balls can be excellent additions to daily activities. While yoga improves your body posture and relaxes the mind, it also helps with various breathing practices. Similarly, tai chi is deemed an essential physical activity for retired war veterans. Both of these practices have minimal stress on bones and joints, which ensures safety from developing injuries.
Connect with your network
Humans desire to have friends and build connections to eradicate isolated feelings. Loneliness is proven to hurt your mental health, especially if it persists for an extended period of time. Some studies even show that a lonely person can be socially isolated, stressed, anxious and depressed with poor self-esteem compared to one with a social circle. Hence, being at such an age, you are advised to develop communities, meet old friends, and spend quality time with loved ones as it directly improves your mood, hence, maintaining good health.
Get yourself out of financial trauma
Post-retirement, you may not wholly rely on the pension, and the savings might not be enough to feed the family. Most veterans find it extremely challenging to cope with financial stress. Consequently, they are more likely to develop health issues such as anxiety, depression, and other relevant mental health issues.
Managing finances later in life is as crucial as focusing on self, diet, and physique. You must examine your financial conditions and make relevant strategies to cope with them. Or else, you may look for a financial manager to become economically stable and build a secure future for your family.
Conclusion
Although many patriots dream of serving in the military, the job is not easy. Staying healthy after your retirement is even more challenging. Luckily, you can endure a well-balanced and healthy lifestyle and walk the extra mile toward wellness. You can do so by eating healthy, focusing on yourself, exercising daily, meditating, medically evaluating yourself, developing new habits, and managing finances.
