An active, balanced lifestyle is integral to leading a happy and satisfying life. This includes eating well-balanced meals, exercising regularly, sleeping enough hours each night and managing stress effectively.
Some of these habits may appear obvious, but scientific research supports their implementation. Make small healthy decisions each day to create lasting habits.
Eat a Balanced Diet
Your body relies on food to function optimally, including fruits, vegetables, protein, dairy products, grains and fats (including unsaturated fatty acids ). Incorporating plenty of water into your daily regimen is also key to its well-being.
An effective diet involves including food from all food groups – vegetables and fruit; protein-rich foods like meat, fish, eggs, beans or soy; dairy; grains such as rice, pasta, bread and potatoes; as well as including some healthy fats (like olive oil) into your daily calorie consumption. Aim for approximately one third of daily calories coming from carbohydrates while two-thirds come from proteins and healthy fats such as olive oil.
Maintain a healthy weight by following a nutritious diet with varied food items that will provide ample calories, salt, sugars and saturated fats in your daily diet. Your doctor can assist in helping to establish what constitutes an appropriate bodyweight, along with suggesting nutritious options.
Exercise Regularly
Fitness and physical activity are integral parts of leading a healthy lifestyle, helping promote weight management, decrease anxiety and stress levels and enhance mood while increasing energy and providing better sleep quality.
Recent research demonstrates that contracting muscles function as endocrine organs, producing multiple hormones that impact both body and mind. These include myokines that help control blood sugar, prevent muscle degradation and promote growth as well as anti-inflammatory functions which provide protection from chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.
Experts advise engaging in 150 to 300 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous intensity physical activity each week, such as walking, swimming, cycling or playing sports. Muscle strengthening activities should also be done two or three times each week along with balance exercises to increase core strength and prevent falls. By setting realistic goals and selecting enjoyable exercise regimens it can help people stick with their workout plans more easily.
Get Enough Sleep
An effective sleep and wake time schedule is integral to our health and well-being. A sound night’s rest helps us feel refreshed while giving our bodies time to rejuvenate and recover. Sleep plays an integral part in mental and physical wellness, decreasing disease risks and elevating mood.
While occasional sleeplessness or broken rest is normal, chronic lack of rest can lead to serious consequences such as obesity and cardiovascular disease as well as negatively impacting mood and productivity.
Reaching 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep every night may prove challenging, depending on factors like work or school schedules, family obligations and medical conditions that interfere with sleep. Stressful or anxious feelings may further interfere with restful slumber. Talk with your physician if any difficulties arise with sleeping; they’re there to help find a plan tailored specifically for you!
Manage Stress
Each one of us experiences stress from time to time, but long-term exposure can lead to health problems like anxiety, heart disease and high blood pressure. By regularly practicing healthy stress management techniques can prevent such issues from emerging.
Laughing, exercising, spending time with family and friends, taking a bubble bath, meditation, massage, music or gardening are all healthy ways to manage stress. Avoiding harmful behaviors like smoking and excessive drinking as a means of relieving tension are also key steps toward combatting it.
Eating a balanced diet is an integral component of good health and managing stress. Choose foods low in saturated fat, trans fat and sodium while including whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy. Consult the Nutrition Facts label when making healthier selections, while multivitamin and nutritional supplement usage is another effective tool – dosage requirements depend on age and gender so check the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA). For more information on healthy dietary practices please see How to Achieve and Sustain a Healthy Lifestyle
