A healthy lifestyle is a journey, one which focuses on incorporating the eight aspects of well-being into one’s life. These aspects include:
- Emotional
- Environmental
- Financial
- Intellectual
- Occupational
- Physical
- Social
- Spiritual
Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Not only is the absence of disease a sign of having a healthy lifestyle, but also the ability to function at an optimal level of productivity is indicative of it.
Not only is health important to a person at the individual level, but also it contributes to the advancement of society if more people are performing closer to their fullest potential. Here are some ways to achieve a healthy lifestyle:
- Healthy Eating
In the fast-food world we live in today, a lot of people don’t eat healthy but eat just to fill the empty stomach, regardless of what gets into their bodies. Foods like soft drinks, pastries, cookies, cakes, fried foods, fast food, processed foods and more, increase one’s risk of developing chronic diseases.
Eating red meat in excess increases the amount of saturated fat in the body which could cause a chronic disease later in life. It is advisable to eat fresh, local and organic food. Avoid consuming genetically modified foods as they are quite harmful to the body. They damage internal organs over time, increase sterility and lower the functioning of the immune system.
Some healthy foods that would make one feel full longer and provide lots of nutrients include; sweet potatoes, oatmeal, salmon, lots of fruits and vegetables, grains and legumes, healthy fat, fish and sea food, tea, herbs and spices. It is good to remember that too much of everything is bad, eat in moderation. Variety is the spice of life, have a variety of healthy food options in small portions on your plate. Drink water throughout the day to stay hydrated.
- Sleep
Here’s something many have not given enough attention to due to busy lifestyles and schedules. Sleep is a time for the body to heal, recharge its “batteries,” regenerate new cells, rest the mind and allow the immune system to function at its highest capacity. For this reason, sleep actually prevents one from getting (or helps heal one if already) sick. Usually, 7 hours is considered to be the optimum amount of sleep for adults and many of us consider this to be too much.
Resting well allows one to think more clearly, improve one’s mood and reduces depression. It is advisable to go to bed and wake up at a routine time, not to take long naps during the day, not to eat less than two hours before going to bed and avoid caffeine and stop worrying in order to get better sleep.
- Exercise
Due to work schedule, laziness or even the ability to consistently keep up, many people do not exercise. Getting exercise on a daily basis is a good idea because it releases endorphins, the “happy neurotransmitters,” and helps to reduce anxiety and stress. It is typically advisable to get exercise for a minimum of half an hour each day. However, exercising for 45 minutes, an hour or more is even better! Some of the benefits of exercise include; Mood improvement, body toning and a reduction in the risk of developing chronic diseases.
Studies have shown that people who observe these basic lifestyle habits, tend to live longer and healthier.