Table of Contents Show
The health situations that occur due to daily lifestyle and struggles have shifted the focus of most people towards better health. Your health counts because you can have a lot of money or talent, but if your body is not keeping up with you, it all will be futile.
The static lifestyle and the day spent behind a screen are the main reason for poor health in people. A lack of an active schedule combined with unhealthy habits acquired over the years has made our bodies sluggish and lethargic.
1. Tips For Better Health
Many of our abysmal health habits are related to what we consume and what is our lifestyle. In this article, we will give some proven health tips for better health that, if followed, will make you comparatively healthier.
1.1. Healthy Diet
The most important for getting better health is to eat competently and wholesomely. A balanced diet is a must for our overall growth and development.
Your meal should contain all types of sources of nutrients, be it Carbohydrates, Protein, Fiber, Vitamins, Minerals, Water, or even Fat.
Prepare your meal by combining fruits, vegetables, pulses, grain, nuts, etc. Our daily diet fulfills the intake of carbohydrates and proteins. What we lack is eating vegetables and fruits, which an adult should intake at least 400gm.
You can fulfill this intake by adding vegetables to your meal. You can snack on fruits in between the day instead of junk food as they are far more healthy and brings you a step forward towards better health.
1.2. Exercise Regularly
We cannot focus on this enough, for better health should take out at least 30 minutes of your day to exercise.
It will enormously increase not only your physical health but also your mental health. You will burn fat, and your metabolism will improve, find yourself active and be stress-free.
Your intensity of exercise can waver as you prefer; it can be a walk around the block, aerobics with your favorite music, or following a particular regime related to different training like strength, endurance, flexibility, etc.
If you find it troublesome to stick to your exercise routine, find a partner to exercise with. They can be your friend, family, or a stranger, both of you will motivate each other. You can also join a gym to form a routine.
1.3. Get Enough Quality Sleep
Another thing that is very important for better health is to get adequate sleep. Sleep is the time required by our body to rest and rejuvenate. Your body can not function 24-7 and needs at least 6 to 7-hour breaks in between to heal.
Not getting enough sleep can make you physically sluggish and mentally disturbed. It also leads to fluctuation in hormones and can increase insulin resistance1, and poor sleep patterns also lead to weight gain.
To avoid these unnecessary problems, you require sleep for 6 hours, away from all the tension and pressure to have a fresh start.
1.4. Take Plenty Of Fluids
About 70 percent of our body constitutes liquid, and it is important to maintain this level. The best way to preserve fluids is not to let yourself get thirsty.
Drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water throughout the day to keep yourself hydrated. In addition to all the fluids you consume throughout the day through your meals and other beverages, this amount of water will keep you hydrated.
Some healthy options for these beverages are coconut water, lemonade, fresh fruit juice, smoothies, and low-fat milk2; you can also consume tea and coffee moderately with less sugar.
This intake of fluids should also change according to the weather; during summer and hot climates, try to drink as many liquids as possible.
While drinking fluids is important, it is also important to know what you should avoid drinking for your health. Try not to consume many sweetened and fizzy drinks because they are harmful to your teeth and high in calories.
1.5. Reduce Sugar And Salt Intake
Salt is the major source of sodium we intake and access to sodium leads to high blood pressure that further leads to heart disease and stroke.
You can start by minimizing sodium intake by reducing salt, fish sauce, and soy sauce, which majorly contain sodium. It would help if you also avoided snacks that have a lot of salt on them.
As for sugar, it is also highly dangerous for our health. Slowly and gradually, we become so used to sugar that without it, nothing tastes good, so it is important to stop sugar from becoming an addiction.
Intake of sugar cause problems like unhealthy weight gain3 and tooth decay. Think how many times you drink these sugared drinks throughout the day, the candies, sweets, and cookies you eat, all of which are harming you slowly day by day.
Excess to sugar and salt is very bad for your health, so to achieve better health it is adamant you reduce your intake.
1.6. Practice An Active Lifestyle
It has become common to find people with rather static schedules nowadays, so it is in our hands to make our day as active as possible. Earlier jobs entitled people to move from one place to another but now we find ourselves stick to a desk for the entire day.
We cannot change this lifestyle as it is the necessity of today, but we can add on certain practices that can make our day rather active.
The first piece of advice would be to wake up a little early and go for a walk, and it can be a short walk around the block or to the nearest park.
If you can do this, it is great, but if you don’t find it possible, you should try to do as much walking throughout the day, go to your workplace by bicycle or walk if they are nearby.
Choose to take your breaks outside rather than in your office, which will give you a recess from the familiar environment you encounter every day, and you can have your meal in the nearest park or go to the nearest café on foot.
These are some of the practices you can add to your habits to get a somewhat active lifestyle, and these small steps can lead to big changes, so don’t underestimate them.
1.7. Don’t Skip Breakfast
Skipping Breakfast is an extremely common practice followed by many people due to various reasons. Some think that it will assist them in losing weight, while some are in such a hurry in the morning that they disregard it.
Others seem to be uneasy while eating a heavy meal in the morning. Whatever the reason, it is important to consume something solid to break the fast in the morning to keep going through the day.
A healthy breakfast constitutes high fiber4 to keep you full and low in fat, sugar, and salt. It can include whole-grain cereals, oats, fruit salad, smoothies, etc. Take this with a glass of low-fat milk, and you are good to go for the day.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and our digestive system is most active after Breakfast. Many say that you should take the Breakfast of a king, the lunch of a minister, and the dinner of a commoner. It will make your metabolism and digestive tract healthy.
1.8. Be Hygienic
We do some things every day and can do them without a second thought, like brushing and bathing, but it has dwelled so much in our lifestyle that we sometimes don’t even notice if we are doing it wrong.
Many people are not familiar with the correct way of even brushing, this may not harm them right now, but it can prove dangerous over time, causing things like cavities.
Some common mistakes people make while brushing they don’t floss or don’t brush long enough, click here to know the common mistakes while brushing and how to correct them.
Like brushing, some people don’t take care of their body properly, and they forget to clean some parts of their body and focus on the ones that are visible throughout the day, like the face, arms, and legs.
They disregard their feet, back, underarms, pubic region, etc., which with time can harm you by causing infections, so try to have a regular, thorough cleaning of your body.
1.9. Keep Your Surroundings Clean
It is vital to keep your body cleansed, and it is equally true for better health to have clean surroundings; this affects you physically and mentally.
If your surroundings are clean, then you are much more likely to avoid germs and infection-causing parasites5; there will be fewer flies, mosquitos, and other carriers of diseases.
Clean surroundings also help you mentally in a way that you may not know. Clean surroundings would automatically give you peace, and when everything is in its designated place, you won’t waste time finding time, saving you a lot of stress.
Cheerful colors and motivating things in your room can help you with your attitude toward life and people keeping you happy and in better health.
1.10. Don’t Smoke, do Drugs, And Drink.
There is nothing in this matter we can say that you already don’t know. It is always preferred to avoid these harmful materials to get better health, better safe than sorry.
If you are using drugs, drinking, or smoking, it is necessary to stop those before following any diet or exercise plan.
It is easy to become an addict but very difficult to let go. We don’t feel like anything is changing in an early stage, but gradually one can notice changes in their behaviors and diminished health.
There is nothing safe when you drink alcohol, smoke, or use drugs. They affect you mentally and physically, day by day shaping your mood and behaviors towards your surroundings and loved ones. You would be at a greater risk of throat and esophageal cancer.
Some very common after-effects of using these products are vomiting, nausea, drowsiness, loss of coordination, headaches, or fainting. It can also risk internal bleeding, breathing difficulty, heart problems, liver problems, kidney problems, and much more.
Alcohol can be enjoyed on certain occasions but always in moderation, and try as much as possible to avoid smoking and drugs.
1.11. Take Care Of Your Mental Health
Mental health can take a toll on a person, especially with prevalent conditions related to work and surroundings. That is why it becomes crucial to treat mental health the same as physical health for overall better health.
Like whenever you suffer from pain or injury, you consult your doctor similarly to consult a professional whenever you feel stressed, going through depression, or any mental condition.
It is always essential to rely on your friends and family in times of need or to vent out because speaking your problems out loud is like solving half the problem.
When you hear yourself talk about an issue, you find a different approach, or maybe the person to whom you are talking can shed some light on a completely different perspective.
If you are uncomfortable sharing your problems with someone else writing them down can be helpful. Maintain a journal and write in it whatever you are feeling. You will eventually find a solution.
Many do not consider mental health crucial, so try supporting the person going through some issues.
2. Conclusion
Better health is a necessity that everyone should have, and if your health is not so good, then it is important to make it better as soon as possible because it is never too late.
When you follow these tips, you won’t see changes instantly, and it would be difficult at first to change your habits, but you should be consistent with the greater goal of better health in your mind.
FAQ
1. What are some simple steps I can take to improve my overall health?
A: There are several simple steps you can take to improve your overall health. These include maintaining a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, engaging in regular physical activity, getting enough sleep, managing stress levels, and staying hydrated.
2. How much physical activity should I be getting each week?
A: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week. Additionally, muscle-strengthening activities should be done at least twice a week.
3. How much sleep do I need for optimal health?
A: The amount of sleep needed for optimal health varies depending on age and individual factors. However, most adults require around 7-9 hours of sleep per night. It’s important to establish a consistent sleep schedule and create a sleep-friendly environment to support quality sleep.
Read more
- Wilcox, Gisela. “Insulin and insulin resistance.” Clinical biochemist reviews 26.2 (2005): 19. ↩︎
- Bauman, D. E., and J. MIKKO Griinari. “Regulation and nutritional manipulation of milk fat: low-fat milk syndrome.” Livestock Production Science 70.1-2 (2001): 15-29. ↩︎
- León‐Muñoz, Luz M., et al. “Unhealthy eating behaviors and weight gain: a prospective study in young and middle‐age adults.” Obesity 24.5 (2016): 1178-1184. ↩︎
- Anderson, James W., Belinda M. Smith, and Nancy J. Gustafson. “Health benefits and practical aspects of high-fiber diets.” The American journal of clinical nutrition 59.5 (1994): 1242S-1247S. ↩︎
- Bower, Deborah S., et al. “A review of the role of parasites in the ecology of reptiles and amphibians.” Austral Ecology 44.3 (2019): 433-448. ↩︎
Last Updated on by laibaarif
Author
Nobody talks about mental health when it comes to make your health better but in this post you talked about various aspects other than taking healthy diets, which is so thoughtful and I appreciate the quality of your content.