Being healthy and fit isn’t a trend; it’s a lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle gives you a happy, stable, and successful life. Unfortunately, we always think about the future and take shortcuts to achieve success in a shorter period of time. Achieving our goals with shortcuts can be stressful and it may lead to an invitation for various illnesses and disabilities.
Nowadays, maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be tricky and difficult due to changing lifestyles, increased expectations, and expenses. Being physically fit does not mean you’re healthy, in a true sense, having good health means being both mentally and emotionally healthy. Though various factors affect the quality of life, we can purposefully change our lifestyle & habits to live a more productive life. Small changes in your lifestyle can impact your life positively.
Good habits for a healthy lifestyle
1: Move your body
‘The body thrives on movement’. Keeping your body in movement can keep your bones and muscles strong. Regular exercise is one of the best and easiest way to keep your lifestyle healthy. Regular exercise can help to maintain weight, strengthen your bone and muscles, reduce the risk of getting diabetes, heart problems, and stroke.
Many doctors suggest that daily 30 minutes exercise for 5-6 days a week can be helpful for your body. Something simple like brisk walking for 30 minutes or just stretching can add some more healthy years to your life.
2: Eat healthy food
There is a simple rule that what and how you eat is directly proportional to your health. The habit of eating healthy food will help you to maintain good and disease-free health. Your regular diet should include different fruits, green leafy vegetables, sprouts, pulses, meat, poultry food, and seafood. Your diet should be high in protein, fibers, vitamins, minerals, and low in carbohydrates and calories.
Also, how you eat or chew your food is also an important part. You have to chew your food 20-30 times to make it digestible.
3: Always eat breakfast
Research suggests that having breakfast daily can help to boost your metabolism and keep your system healthy. You should include more dietary fibers, vitamins, minerals, and less fat and carbs in your breakfast. Eating the right food can keep you energize and fresh.
4:Drink plenty of water
Water is the soul of our body and drinking the required amount of water is essential for every cell, tissue, and organ of our body. Drinking water is always a good option than drinking other beverages. It is advisable to keep a small water bottle with you and drink water at frequent intervals to stay hydrated.
5:Sound sleep
Sleep is a crucial function of your body which helps to keep your body and mind stable. It helps to restore the normal function of the body and recovers the nervous system. Lack of sleep can show symptoms such as drowsiness, fatigue, loss of concentration, which directly affect your lifestyle. Total deprivation of sleep can lose control over the brain.
To avoid future consequences, you should take 7-8 hours’ sleep daily. If you are having trouble getting sleep then read a book, listen to silent music, try meditation, or seek medical attention.
6: Avoid stress
Stress can be a major cause of physical and mental illnesses. Live stress-free for a better life ahead. Stress can be a major causative factor for heart diseases, stroke, and high blood pressure. Try simple exercises, mediation, and yoga to relieve stress.
7: Maintain hygiene
Small habits like brushing your teeth or taking bath regularly can not only maintain your good health but also improve your social life.
8:Limit alcohol intake
To be specific, women can drink alcohol between 5-15 grams per day and men can drink alcohol between 5-30 grams per day. However, alcohol is dangerous for health so it is better to avoid it.
9: Stop smoking
It is crucial to stop smoking as it affects your health adversely. Some people may find it difficult to quit smoking but it is not impossible.
10: Laugh as much as possible
This is the easiest method to fill yourself with positive vibes.
Life without laughter is nothing. Laughter triggers the release of endorphins. It is proved to elevate mood and reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Live, laugh & stay healthy!
11: Cultivate mental health
Apart from managing your stress levels, taking care of your mental health is equally as important as being physically fit. Mental health can affect your body and vice versa, making this one of the most vital healthy lifestyle tips. This doesn’t just mean seeking professional help only when you have an issue, but it is a proactive lifestyle choice to keep yourself resilient mentally. A few things you can try:
Spend time offline, away from the internet and screens. Set time limits and don’t use your phone after that.
Challenge yourself with games, puzzles, new adventures or trying something new (like learning to dance or picking up an instrument). Not only will this keep you thoroughly engaged, but it can also keep your mind sharp.
Meditate as often as you can, the physical and mental benefits of meditation could fill a whole book, so don’t miss out on this easy task.