An active, healthy lifestyle can lower your risk of serious illness, increase lifespan and save money. It involves eating a balanced diet, engaging in regular physical activity such as exercises and getting adequate rest; not smoking and managing stress effectively are also key parts of living a healthier lifestyle.
Forming healthy habits may appear daunting at first, but don’t let that stop you! Start small by setting achievable goals for yourself.
Eating right
Eating right can help you maintain a healthy weight and lower the risk for certain diseases, as well as boost energy, mood, and mental wellbeing.
Dieting healthy means selecting foods from each of the five major food groups and keeping your intake of calories, sodium (salt) and added sugars low. Incorporating processed, packaged and fast foods as part of this lifestyle is also key.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to eating healthily; many find it useful to speak with a dietitian or doctor about their diet for advice and assistance. The key is making small, consistent changes over time. Start by increasing vegetables and fruits intake as well as whole grains, lean proteins, lower-fat dairy and healthy fats into your diet – adding more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins and lower-fat dairy as well as healthy fats should help. Remember “healthy” doesn’t have to mean “deprivation”, though; indulgence can still be enjoyed if balanced with healthier choices such as swapping soft drinks for water or an apple with peanut butter instead of candy bars will do the trick!
Exercise
A healthy lifestyle contributes to both physical and mental wellbeing, thereby decreasing the risk of major illness. Achieve this through regular physical exercise, eating healthily, sleeping soundly and relaxing; giving up smoking or drugs and moderating alcohol consumption.
Regular exercise has also been shown to positively impact mood and self-image, by releasing chemicals into the brain that help relieve depression, anxiety and stress. Individuals suffering from such conditions may benefit from exercise programs focusing on relaxing stretching exercises like Tai Chi or Pilates as well as more stimulating aerobics or dance classes.
A healthy lifestyle encompasses regular physical exercise and eating a diet low in salt, sugar and fat; and taking part in activities to support good health such as meditation, yoga, massage and social interactions. Achieving health can mean different things to different people: for one it could mean walking a mile every day while enjoying fast food only occasionally; whereas another’s view might include training two marathons a year without drinking alcohol at all.
Sleep
Sleep is essential to both our physical and mental wellbeing. It reduces stress, improves our mood and boosts immunity; furthermore it keeps the heart healthy while also supporting normal metabolism and decreasing motor vehicle accidents risk.
Maintaining adequate restful sleep on a consistent basis can be challenging during times of high stress. Health conditions, such as fibromyalgia, gastrointestinal issues, asthma and obstructive sleep apnea may impede our restful slumber and ultimately affect its quality.
Achieving sufficient sleep requires setting a regular sleep schedule, including avoiding large meals and beverages close to bedtime and cutting back on alcohol, caffeine and tobacco products (including smokeless tobacco products). Water can improve quality of sleep as it helps regulate body temperature, aid digestion and lubricate joints – and making sure your bedroom is dark, cool and quiet can also aid in this regard. Our sleeping patterns vary throughout our lifespans with children needing more rest than adults or older people.
Stress management
Stress management is an integral component of living healthy. It can help you cope with day-to-day challenges and build resilience against future difficulties. Everyone handles stress differently; find the methods that work for you best. These may include physical exercise, meditation, mindfulness techniques, deep breathing exercises or spending time with friends.
Some stressors are unavoidable, such as dealing with the death of a loved one or experiencing serious illness; but if chronic stress becomes an issue for you, speak to your physician about strategies to manage it.
Some causes of stress can be avoided, like taking on too much or eating unhealthy food. Others can be managed, like learning to say no and set limits or finding healthier coping mechanisms like talking with friends and family or taking medications that won’t harm your body. Engaging in such practices every day will significantly lower stress and enhance overall health – ultimately slowing biological aging by increasing antioxidant production and decreasing inflammation.
