Everyone wants to stay healthy and in good shape for as long as possible. With the help of having a healthy lifestyle, this goal can be highly achievable. The most important factors are proper eating, moving and sleeping, giving up the use of any harmful substances and maintaining a positive attitude. A healthy lifestyle will help you always stay in shape.
We’d like to offer you a few tips you can follow that will help you healthy for as long as possible.
- Eat healthy food
Very few things are more important to health than a good diet. Have at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day, of all kinds, preferably raw. Get carbohydrates from vegetables, consume dairy products low in fat – these will not only maintain a good functioning of your vital functions, but it will also strengthen your immune system.
- Proper hydration
The lack of water affects the human body more than we sometimes realize: water is an important element of the cells, and main component in blood. Insufficient hydration will negatively affect the blood flow. While dehydrated, our bodies will feel under-fed, and our brain capacity and concentration abilities will suffer. For proper hydration, use water, fruit juices or herbal tea. The German Nutrition Society advises adults to consume at least two liters of daily fluids.
- Regular movement
Regular practice of any kind of sports is beneficial for both our physical and mental state, being the best way of keeping the body in shape. Exercise helps strengthen the body and reduces stress symptoms, prevents heart and circulatory diseases, diabetes, overweight and osteoporosis.
Any form of physical movement can tremendously help our well being. In order to avoid affections, a minimum of 30-minute movement is recommended 5-7 times a week. It’s never too late to start practicing a sport. Even those who start at older ages will immediately benefit from the positive effects of exercising.
- Get lots of fresh air and natural light
Oxygen is known to awaken our vitality and train our body’s endurance levels. That’s why it’s important to go outdoors every day, including during the winter. Another great effect of outdoor walks is that we expose ourselves to natural light, which positively influences our mood. By exposure to light, we produce a neuronal transmitter, called serotonin, that improves our mood. In addition, light is important for the production of vitamin D – indispensable for having good bone health.
- Proper relaxation for having a balanced life
Stress, chaos and mental pressure affect our capabilities and general health. Destroying the balance between stress and relaxation can lead to severe mental and physical affections. So, whenever stress or agitation get out of control, it’s time to take a step back. Relaxation techniques such as autogenous training, progressive relaxation of muscles using the Jacobsen method or even Yoga will help you find balance and tranquility.
- Regular and balanced sleep
Sleep is a basic necessity, which we must regularly satisfy as well as with nutrition and hydration. Sleep is indispensable to life and is a basic condition for development, well-being and health. During sleep, our metabolism is reduced, leaving room for recovery mechanisms to kick in.
The immune system, digestion, circulatory and nervous system, along with the heart and brain need proper sleep in order to regenerate. Many studies indicate that people who don’t get regular sleep are more likely to suffer a heart attack.
- Mental jogging
“Work prolongs life, laziness shortens it” This proverb applies to both our bodies and minds. As well as the muscles need exercise, so does the brain, which must be kept active throughout life. If the gray matter isn’t kept in motion, it begins to get weaker and you’ll start having memory issues. To keep you mentally fit, you need to train your gray matter daily.
- Harmful substances, health risks
Nowadays, it’s not a secret anymore that smoking damages health. A big percentage of the population are smokers – and sometimes it might seem very hard to give this bad habit up. However, it is never too late to quit smoking. Your health will improve a lot, even if you quit smoking after years of nicotine addiction. Most people don’t know that 10 years after quitting smoking, the risk of lung cancer is equal to that of non-smokers. The same applies to circulatory system diseases and heart disease after 15 years.
Moderate alcohol consumption is not, technically, harmful. Consumed in small quantities it can even have positive effects. But make sure you don’t consume more than a small glass of alcohol every few days.
- Healthy relationships
Whether we like it or not, each of us is part of a network of relationships. Successful inter-human relationships are an important factor for quality of life, for mental and physical health. Real and living relationships begin with a healthy relationship with oneself and life.
- Have a positive attitude!
Those with a positive attitude in life have better psychological survival strategies. They accept less stress, protecting their minds from any external damage. Having a positive attitude is often associated with succeeding in life, and for a good reason. You’ll live a higher quality life, and your mental health state will be greatly improved. Also, the long-term risks of suffering from depression are much lower if you think positively.
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