10 Tips For A Healthy Lifestyle

Good health is not something we can buy. However, it can be an extremely valuable savings account.– Anne Wilson Schaef

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is indeed a meaningful duty we owe ourselves. A healthy lifestyle means upholding a balanced and nutritious diet as well as involving in fitness activities. Our body is our temple and we need to take care of it. It is rightly quoted by Buddha, “To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise, we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.”

We should not take our health for granted. We should think of our bodies as a shell that we need to carry throughout our lives. If we do not take care of it or repeatedly abuse it, it may wear out quickly. It is possible that today our vital organs are working well, but it may not be so in the future. Hence, our health should be our first priority. This is because a healthy body resides a healthy mind.

Good health isn’t just about eating healthy; it’s also about having positive attitude, a positive self-image and a healthy lifestyle.So, here is a list of 10 tips to live a healthier life.

1.Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables should be an important part of our daily diet. They are naturally good and contain vitamins, fibres and minerals that can help to keep us healthy. They can also help protect against some diseases like hypertension, stroke, cancer, diabetes, etc. Some of the benefits of fruits and vegetables include: they reduce obesity and maintain ahealthy weight, it lowers cholesterol level, it lowers blood pressure, etc. Apples, for example, does a good job at making the stomach feel full for up to 3 to 4 hours. Green vegetables such as green beans and broccoli keep the digestive system clean and running. One should eat at least five serves of vegetables and two serves of fruit each day.

2.Eat at regular intervals to maintain body weight

Eating a variety of foods, regularly, and in the right amounts is the best formula for a healthy diet. Skipping meals, especially breakfast, can lead to out-of-control hunger, often resulting in helpless overeating. Snacking between meals can help control hunger, but snacking should not replace proper meals. The right weight for each of us depends on factors like our gender, height, age, and genes. Being overweight increases the risks of a wide range of diseases, including diabetes, heart diseases, and cancer. So, one must maintain body weight. Eating at regular intervals can help us manage body weight.

3.Drink plenty of water

Adults need to drink at least 1.5 litres of fluid a day!But it is seen that most of us don’t drink enough water. Water is needed to carry out body functions, remove waste, and carry nutrients and oxygen around our body. When it’s very hot or one is physically active, then a lot of water from the body is lost. Hence, it is important to drink plenty of water to replenish our water intake. Furthermore, drinking water helps in losing weight. Researches prove that drinking more water helps fill your stomach, making you less hungry and less likely to overeat. Also, drinking water makes our skin hydrated and healthy.

4.Exercise

Most people have no idea how good their body is designed to feel. As quoted by Joseph Addison, “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” Research has shown that exercising daily brings tremendous benefits to our health, including an increase in lifespan, lowering the risk of diseases, higher bone density, and weight loss. One should exercise daily for at least an hour. We can do so by simple activities like going on a walk at a brisk pace for an hour, jogging, climbing stairs instead of lift, joining an aerobic class or dance class.

5.Get enough sleep

Even in the hectic schedule of 8-10 hours of jobs during day or night, it is important for us to sleep to recharge our body’s batteries. Six to eight hours of sleep will keep the body going throughout the day, but if you happen to feel tired at any point after coming home from work, by all means, take a small nap before exercising.When you don’t rest well, you compensate by eating more. Usually, it’s junk food. Get enough rest and you don’t need to snack to stay awake. Also, lack of sleep causes premature aging and you don’t want that!

6.Meditate

Meditation has proved to help achieve a healthy mind and body. There are several benefits of meditation. According to scientific researches, meditation helps in reducing stress, controls anxiety, promotes emotional health, enhances self-awareness, lengthens attention span, improves sleep, etc.

7.Purge negative people and negativity from your life

Positive mental health is part of a healthy life. You don’t need toxic people in your life. If you feel that a person is over critical or negative, stay away from them. Additionally, one must not let negative thoughts be in ourselves. Listen to the thoughts that come up and get rid of your negative thoughts. One great way to remove your negativity is to brain dump when you feel frustrated. It is also suggested not to keep these thoughts pent up inside you — it’s not healthy.

8.Reduce salt and sugar intake

High salt intake can result in high blood pressure, and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Sugar provides sweetness and an attractive taste, but sugary foods and drinks are rich in energy and are best enjoyed in moderation, as an occasional treat.Sugary food consists of your candy bars, pastries, chocolate, cookies, cakes, cold drinks, sweet drinks, and jelly donuts. Not only do they not fill you, but they trigger you to eat more due to the sugar rush. Go for fruits, plain water, green tea, or vegetable juices instead!

9.Stop smoking and intake of alcohol

It is needless to mention the harmful effects of alcohol and cigarette. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it drains water from your body. Not only that, but alcohol is repeatedly proven to have negative effects on our bodyhealth— impacting the proper functioning of our brain, liver, lungs, and other major organs.On the other hand, smokingcan cause lung disease by damagingyour airways and the small air sacs (alveoli) found in your lungs. Lung diseases caused by smoking include COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Cigarette smoking causes most cases of lung cancer.

10.Love yourself and stay motivated

Self-love is a crucial part of living a healthy life. When you have a negative self-image, it naturally weighs down on your mental outlook and health.An important key to being in shape is to set goals and keep a positive mindset. If you stay positive, you will be able to push yourself to get that fit body you've always wanted. Not only that, it keeps our mind focused and healthy.

These are a few tips that will surely help you achieve a healthy lifestyle. We have been taught from the beginning, “Health is wealth.” This is indeed true. What is it that stays with us until our last breath? Is it our parents, siblings, wife/husband, or anyone else? It is only our body that stays until it is separated from our soul. So we must keep our bodies fit and healthy.

“Our bodies are our gardens- our wills are our gardeners.”- William Shakespeare