Taking care of your own health might seem pretty simple: eat well, exercise, lower stress, and don’t work too hard. But looking after others is significantly more challenging. You don’t have any control over what they do. 

The purpose of this post is to run through some of the strategies you can use to take care of others. We run through your options and how you can make a positive impact on your family and community. 

So, what should you be doing?

Offering Gentle Encouragement

Going out there and bullying people into being healthy probably isn’t the best approach. While it might work for a while, it isn’t sustainable long-term. Eventually, people will rebel or just avoid you in the first place. 

That’s where gentle encouragement can come in handy. It tends to work better over the long term because it helps people adjust gradually to their new lifestyle. There isn’t any force involved. 

When offering encouragement, be tactful. Suggesting healthy options when you go out or going for walks with people you know are subtle ways to encourage better living. Recommending endless piles of salads or shaming people who are eating donuts isn’t. 

Lead By Example

Another approach to taking care of other people’s health is to lead by example. Showing them the way can inspire them and encourage them to do the same. 

The media likes to make people believe lifestyle change is impossible and can’t be done. After all, why don’t diets work? But that’s not the reality. While the average dieter is less likely to succeed than reach their goals, around 10 to 30 percent of people keep weight off for ten years or more (depending on the samples you look at). 

Leading by example when it comes to healthy living shows other people it is possible and that they can do it. Eating delicious and nutritious meals or enjoying exercise is inspirational for many people. 

Assist With Errands

If your family or community has physical health needs, you could help them by assisting with errands. Taking people to the store or doctor’s office eliminates the need to get public transport or walk. 

People with limited mobility benefit tremendously from leaving the house. Getting out and going somewhere adds some much-needed spark to life and prevents them from staring at their four walls forever. 

Focus On What You Can Control

Unfortunately, the entire social environment is detrimental to health. Junk food and other temptations are everywhere. 

Therefore, focus more on what you can control. You can’t change the civilization as a whole, but you can do a small part to support other people on their journey. 

Don’t underestimate the impact you can have on individual lives. People are far more likely to trust and respect you if you keep going and prove you want them to aspire to better health. 

Remember It’s Their Journey

Related to this point, it’s always best to remember that other people’s health journeys aren’t yours to travel. All you can do is offer encouragement from the sidelines. 

Respect their autonomy. If they want to do things differently from you, let them. Don’t attempt to dominate them or comment if they fall off the bandwagon. 

Keep providing them with guidance and support even if some of the things they do don’t match your standards. Be an ever-present feature of their lives, constantly looking for ways to help them along the path while respecting their decisions. 

Ultimately, you want people in your family and community to internalize to care for their health. Once they have that, it usually means they have a compelling reason for doing so, and their entire psychology changes. Instead of being a chore, it becomes something they love because of the health benefits it brings. 

Recommend Training

Another thing you can do is recommend training, just in case there’s an emergency. Accidents, heart attacks, strokes, and injuries mean people have to jump into action quickly to save a life. 

Aside from CPR, many people now go on Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) training. The ACLS near me is always full. These courses run through everything people need to know to save a life, knowing the signs and what happens when someone’s heart stops beating. 

Regular first aid is also a good idea. It’s something you can apply on the scene at the local shopping mall or train station. 

Help People Relax

You can also use your skills and talents to help people relax. Giving them a way to reduce their stress and improve their emotions can be a powerful tool for reducing the risk of long-term health issues. 

Unfortunately, we live in a society that experiences chronic stress. The average person finds it challenging to deal with the turbulence present in everyday life. 

But that’s where you could help if you have a knack for staying calm and centered. 

You could set up mindfulness classes or build a yoga studio. Even getting involved in politics and changing the basic conditions that seem to lead to so much suffering could help. 

Assist With Meal Prep

If you know someone who struggles to look after themselves or remain independent, assisting with meal prep is another thing you could do. Putting together meals and popping them in the freezer improves nutrition. 

These days there are all sorts of instructions online for meal preparation. You can make delicious meals that freeze and defrost well, allowing you to serve someone else and ensure they get the nutrition they require to be strong and healthy. 

Share Reliable Health Information

Another thing you can do is share reliable health information. Telling people the truth about their well-being helps to cut through a lot of the nonsense online. Being an example of what works can enable people to avoid faddish behaviors and diets that empty their purses but don’t provide benefits. 

For example, you might tell them about: 

• Healthy diets and food routines
• Proper exercise routines, including how to avoid injury
• Advanced stress management techniques

Throughout it all, you’ll want to weigh the science and decide what’s likely to work. Being a researcher can help you avoid things that aren’t going to benefit you (and may even cause harm). 

Recognize Mental Health Needs

At the same time, it’s also essential to recognize people’s mental health needs. While many people would like to make their bodies healthy, they can’t because of issues like depression. 

Whenever you talk to someone, you’ll want to get a sense of whether their physical issues stem from mental health problems. If they do, then recommending they get professional help is probably a good idea. 

Solving health-related problems when the mind isn’t in the right place is notoriously challenging, so you’ll want to keep a close eye on this issue. While it is possible in some instances and can even improve mental health, it isn’t always the right approach. 

Conclusion

If you want to help other people take care of their health, that’s great. But also ensure you look after your own. If you’re not feeling 100%, you won’t be able to commit to others. 

Take time out if you need it. And make sure you put your own health first. Remember, you want to be a role model for others. You don’t want to get caught in the same traps. 

When looking after others, don’t be too pushy. Try to fade into the background and provide support where it’s needed. When conditions are right, most people will move in a healthier direction with their lifestyle.