young happy couple enjoying in a healthy lifestyle while jogging on a country road through the beautiful sunny forest, exercise and fitness concept. young happy couple enjoying in a healthy lifestyle while jogging on a country road through the beautiful sunny forest, exercise and fitness concept.

You Need More Than Exercise To Stay Healthy, Here’s Why

Physical activity1 is one of the foundations for maintaining good health. It helps you prevent heart disease, diabetes, dementia, obesity2, stress, and different types of cancer. Although the benefits of exercise are unquestionable, there are other things you can consider to promote optimal health. Read on to learn why you need more than exercise to stay healthy. 

Eat a Healthy Diet

It is essential to eat a balanced diet3 to maintain your overall health. A good diet consists of fruits, fresh farm produce, proteins, minerals, and plenty of water. You need to moderate your consumption of fats and carbohydrates to prevent health issues like obesity. If you reduce your carbohydrate intake, your body will burn fat to produce energy. A balanced diet combined with physical activity can go a long way in helping you maintain quality health.    

Maintain Appropriate Testosterone Levels

Testosterone4 is a male hormone that plays a crucial role in men’s sexuality, provides energy, and helps build muscles. However, the production of this hormone declines as we age, and this can affect functionality in different activities. The good news is that different types of supplements can enhance testosterone production among men. According to information obtained from testosterone.org supplements can boost testosterone levels in your body. If you are into bodybuilding, you need to choose the right additive.

Get Enough Sleep 

Sleep deprivation robs you of energy which affects productivity. If you stay awake at night instead of sleeping, your brain will not get time to rest, and this impacts your performance in different activities. Inadequate sleep also leads to inflammation, which is dangerous to heart health. Lack of sleep can also cause stress and other mental health conditions like anxiety. You should get at least seven hours of quality sleep. Sufficient rest is good for both your mental and physical health. 

Stop Smoking and Reduce Alcohol

Smoking is harmful to health, and it can cause different conditions like lung cancer, heart disease, insomnia, and others. It’s never too late to quit smoking, and the ideal time to quit is today. You will notice the difference in your health within a few weeks of quitting smoking. Excessive consumption of alcohol can also be detrimental to your health and can even lead to road accidents and fatalities if consumed before driving. 

While alcohol can be good for your health, it should be consumed in moderation. Many people have a mistaken belief that alcohol remedies stress and anxiety, but this is not true. It can adversely affect your health in many ways. Therefore, you must not abuse alcohol or other substances that can affect your health. When you feel the urge to drink alcohol, get engaged in another activity that can distract you from the thoughts of drinking a beer.  

Exercise plays a crucial role in helping you stay healthy by preventing different types of diseases. However, you also need to consider implementing a healthy diet to improve your well-being. You should get enough sleep and try to change your lifestyle by quitting bad habits such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. 

  1. Blair, Steven N., et al. “How much physical activity is good for health?.” Annual review of public health 13.1 (1992): 99-126. ↩︎
  2. Brewer, Christopher J., and Adam H. Balen. “Focus on obesity.” Reproduction 140.3 (2010): 347-64. ↩︎
  3. Lim, Soo. “Eating a balanced diet: a healthy life through a balanced diet in the age of longevity.” Journal of obesity & metabolic syndrome 27.1 (2018): 39. ↩︎
  4. Kelly, D. M., and T. H. Jones. “Testosterone and obesity.” Obesity Reviews 16.7 (2015): 581-606. ↩︎

Last Updated on by Sathi Chakraborty, MSc Biology

Author

Icy Health Editorial Team

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