To take proper care of yourself it is highly required that one should adopt a healthy lifestyle. Adhering to the path of a healthy lifestyle is not a hassle, and with just a few simple lifestyle management you will come across a healthy and balanced lifestyle without facing any health-related disorders. With the help of this article, we will try to figure out some of the top 10 tips for proper care and will also enlist some of the tips for a healthy lifestyle.
It is said that it is easy to learn and maintain bad habits but it is very difficult to switch them back. The issue of a healthy lifestyle is very serious but people take it very lightly. Often, it is seen that people take steps to improve their lifestyle but due to a lack of determination they quit midway. However, for a healthy lifestyle, you must take an active step, since adopting them will help you in your life in a lot of ways.
Tips for Healthy Lifestyle – Habits that Should Be Avoided
We knew that several bad habits affect our healthy lifestyle. These habits can cause much harm not only to ourselves but also to society. In addition, these habits are also the cause of many evils in society. The major healthy lifestyle destroying habits are smoking, drinking, junk food, addiction, meal skipping, and overuse of pills.
All these activities severely damage body parts and organs which cannot be replaced easily. Besides, they not only cause physical damage but mental damage too.
Benefits of a Healthy Lifestyle
- Improves Physical Health – Eating the right foods in combination with physical activity and adequate rest is a recipe for a healthy body. Find any form of movement that gives you joy. Perhaps this is hiking a fourteener, taking a yoga class online, lifting weights at the gym, or simply walking your kids home from school. All forms of movement count towards improving your health.
- Improves Mental Health – It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle of work, kids, and other responsibilities, but part of maintaining a healthy mind involves taking time to step back and relax. This includes getting adequate sleep but also taking time for yourself to do something you love. This might involve taking a walk away from your desk, reading a good book, taking a 5-minute guided meditation, or playing with your pet. Engaging in these types of activities can decrease your stress and improve your overall mental health.
- Prevent Diseases and Health Issues – Many aspects of a healthy lifestyle can aid in preventing certain diseases and health issues such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. In fact, multiple studies show that engaging in healthy lifestyle activities can give people a longer life free of chronic diseases. So, although many diseases and health issues are out of our control, we still have the ability to empower ourselves and live a longer, healthier life through the choices we make.
Top 10 Tips for Proper Care
1.) Incorporate a Balanced Diet Food – Incorporating a balanced diet food is one of the tips for a healthy lifestyle. Eat a variety of foods that includes fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Aim to eat at least 5 servings i.e. 400 grams of fruits and vegetables every day, especially fresh, seasonal ones. If you aren’t vegetarian, include fish in your diet, since fish contains omega-3 fatty acids which help to prevent inflammatory diseases such as heart diseases.
2.) Consume Less Sugar and Salt – On the other hand, consuming excessive amounts of sugar increases the risk of tooth decay and unhealthy weight gain. In both adults and children, the intake of free sugars should be reduced to less than 10% of total energy intake. This is equivalent to 50g or about 12 teaspoons for an adult. You can reduce your sugar intake by limiting the consumption of sugary snacks, candies and sugar-sweetened beverages. Whereas compare to sugar your daily salt consumption should also be limited. A reduction in salt consumption in your daily diet decreases the risk of high blood pressure.
3.) Stay Hydrated – Staying hydrated is one of the tips for a healthy lifestyle. Remember to drink 8 glasses of water a day. Your body is made up of 80% water, and water is necessary for regular bowel function, optimal muscle performance, and immune and skin health. Not drinking enough water can cause dehydration, fatigue, headache, dry skin, and weakened immunity.
4.) Regular Exercise – Exercising regularly is one of the tips for a healthy lifestyle. Try to get at least 150 minutes of exercise a week or 30 minutes of exercise at least 5 days a week. Whether it’s walking, jogging, swimming, or doing an at-home Pilates workout, the goal is to stay physically active. Exercise not only helps you maintain a healthy weight but also decreases your risk of developing diseases as a result of a sedentary lifestyle.
5.) Reduce Intake of Harmful Fats – Reduction of intake of harmful fats is one of the tips for a healthy lifestyle. According to WHO, fats consumed should be less than 30% of your total energy intake. This will help prevent unhealthy weight gain and NCDs. There are different types of fats, but unsaturated fats are preferable to saturated fats and trans fats. WHO recommends reducing saturated fats to less than 10% of total energy intake; reducing trans fats to less than 1% of total energy intake, and replacing both saturated fats and trans fats with unsaturated fats.
6.) Quitting Smoking – Quitting smoking is one of the tips for a healthy lifestyle. Smoking tobacco causes NCDs such as lung disease, heart disease and stroke. Tobacco kills not only the direct smokers but even non-smokers through second-hand exposure. If you are currently a smoker, it’s not too late to quit smoking. Once you do, you will experience immediate and long-term health benefits. If you are not a smoker, then it’s great. Do not start smoking and fight for your right to breathe tobacco-smoke-free air.
7.) Washing Hands Regularly – Washing hands is one of the tips for a healthy lifestyle. As the onset of the pandemic has taught us the need of washing hands, so, to keep that habit forward, we should always wash our hands whenever we come from outside. Washing hands properly before a meal is highly necessary, as it prevents the entrance of germs and bacteria into our bodies. Washing your hands frequently with soap and water or using an alcohol-based sanitiser is a simple but effective way to stop the spread of infection. Always remember to follow this practice before making or eating food, after handling waste products, after using the bathroom, and while caring for a sick person.
8.) Manage Stress – Preventing stress from your life is one of the tips for a healthy lifestyle. Stress is a known trigger for many illnesses from migraines to heart problems. Find ways to relieve stress, whether it’s watching a funny movie, painting, going for long walks, working in the garden, listening to music, or soaking in a bubble bath. Another effective way to get out of negative thoughts is to talk to your friends and family members. Sharing how you feel with people you trust can provide immediate stress relief and help you let go of tension.
9.) Maintain a Healthy Body Weight – Maintaining a healthy body weight is one of the tips for a healthy lifestyle. Having the right weight depends on factors like our gender, height, age, and genes. Being affected by obesity and overweight increases the risks of a wide range of diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
10.) Cover Your Mouth During Coughing and Sneezing – At the time of coughing or sneezing covering your mouth with a mask is one of the tips for a healthy lifestyle. Diseases such as influenza, pneumonia and tuberculosis are transmitted through the air. When an infected person coughs or sneezes, infectious agents may be passed on to others through airborne droplets. When you feel a cough or sneeze coming on, make sure you have covered your mouth with a face mask or use a tissue then dispose of it carefully. If you do not have a tissue close by when you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth as much as possible with the crook or the inside of your elbow.
Disclaimer:
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a health advice. We would ask you to consult a qualified professional or medical expert to gain additional knowledge before you choose to consume any product or perform any exercise.
