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What is a healthy lifestyle

It is clear to everyone that a healthy lifestyle is better than an unhealthy one, but what exactly is a healthy lifestyle?

A healthy lifestyle is not just about products, diet or exercise. A healthy lifestyle is a series of measures aimed at improving health and preventing pathological processes in the body. Adherence to the rules of a healthy lifestyle can significantly increase our life expectancy and improve its quality.

 

What is a healthy lifestyle

If you ask 50 people to define what a "healthy lifestyle" is, you will most likely get 50 different answers. For one it may mean taking 10,000 steps every day, for another limiting Fast Food to once a week, for another to spend time with their loved ones regularly or to train and run two marathons a year, to follow a diet, never drink alcohol, quit smoking…

1986 Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, Healthy Living (Health promotion) was defined as ‘the process by which people can increase control over and improve their health’.

Respectively, a healthy lifestyle is a lifestyle that aims to strengthen the body as a whole, including maintaining health and preventing disease, and thus improving the quality of life. Many experts believe that our health from 60% to 80% depends directly on our lifestyle, so we can make a real difference if we want to and if we know how to do it.

 

The benefits of a healthy lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle has a significant impact on the immune system, and people who have changed their habits towards a healthy lifestyle report a marked improvement in their well-being, mood and outlook on world events and their lives in general.

Benefits of a healthy lifestyle:

  • Reduces the risk of chronic diseases and / or their relapse;
  • When you wake up, you feel a surge of strength, there is no constant feeling of tiredness;
  • Increased ability to work and concentrate;
  • Increases endurance in sports training;
  • The incidence and severity of colds are decreasing;
  • The risk of developing a number of age-related diseases is declining;
  • The skin becomes firmer and healthier.
 

In addition, a healthy lifestyle can also reduce your expenses - the healthier we are, the less likely we are to have to go to the doctor and save on both health care costs and medication.

 

Basic principles of a healthy lifestyle

There are not many of them and they are all easy to implement. In addition, most of us all know.

 

Food

  1. Do not starve or overeat - both of these conditions have a negative effect on well-being. The daily caloric intake for healthy women should be between 1,500 and 1,900 kcal, for men between 1,900 and 2,300 kcal (for women and men with a sedentary lifestyle);
  2. It is advisable to drink 1.5 to 2 liters of water a day (exactly water, not coffee, juice, etc.). Read more about why you should drink water HERE;
  3. Reduce the amount of sweets in your diet. If you want something sweet, choose fresh vegetables and fresh or dried fruits. Also in small quantities dark chocolate or protein bars;
  4. Eat at least 4-5 small meals a day. Eat slowly and end the meal with a slight feeling of hunger.
  5. Eat a variety of foods. The daily menu must include meat or fish, vegetables, fruit, cereals (whole grain products) and dairy products;
  6. It is not advisable to eat just before going to bed (not because what you eat before going to bed will turn into fat, but because your digestive tract will be busy during the time you need to rest and will be reduced. sleep quality);
  7. Exclude processed foods from your diet because it absorbs too much sugar, salt and various synthetic substances (in the form of food additives). This is especially true of Fast Food and semi-finished products.
  8. Try to cook yourself using fresh and unprocessed products. Prefer cooking, stewing, steaming, grilling. Use as little fat as possible for frying.
 

If you have not paid attention to what you are eating before - it can be difficult for you to radically change your diet. Try to start small - exclude fatty sauces and foods containing them from your diet, avoid flavor enhancers and chemical additives, give up Fast Food, semi-finished products, confectionery, increase the proportion of fruits and vegetables in your menu.

 

Physical activity

Your physical activity is directly related to your metabolic rate. Lack of physical activity leads to a decrease in metabolic rate, the development of musculoskeletal disorders, increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and neurological pathologies.

If your work is not about movement, try to increase activity yourself. You don't have to start attending a sports club, but try to move more. It is believed that a person should perform at least 10,000 steps a day - the step tracking function is on every smartphone today, use it. Every minute of physical activity affects the long-term condition of our body - improves our health.

You can increase your daily activity in a variety of ways - exercise at home, if you go to work by public transport, get off 1-2 stops earlier and walk to the rest of the way or go to work by bike, do not use the elevator, but go up the stairs, go on holidays or visit the pool… No matter what and how you do - important, that you are moving, not sitting on the phone, computer or TV for a long time.

 

Hygiene

This point does not seem to require explanation, but many think that hygiene is just about washing your hands, brushing your teeth and taking care of your body. Of course, oral and dental health is important - teeth should be cleaned at least twice a day and attention should be paid to the entire oral cavity. In addition to the standard toothbrush and toothpaste, also use dental floss and mouthwash - this will reduce not only the development of caries, but also periodontitis and the risk of developing gastrointestinal diseases.

However, with regard to a healthy lifestyle, hygiene also means nutritional hygiene (we do not pollute our body with chemistry and all other things), clothing and footwear hygiene, home hygiene (prevent dust accumulation, perform regular wet cleaning and ventilate the premises every day).

 

Day mode

Sleep duration, regularity and quality are important for both our health and well-being. Everyone should sleep at least 7 hours a day, children 8 hours and it is desirable to fall asleep and wake up at about the same time.

 

Emotional factors

Nervous tension, constant anxiety, stress - all this has a negative effect on mood, well-being and health in general, so try to:

  • Don't worry about what you can't change / influence;
  • Think positive, look for and find the positive in every situation;
  • Do not be evil and try to forget the resentment, do not be ashamed.
 

Relationships and communication with your friends and loved ones are very important for mental health, as various mental disorders, including more than twice the risk of depression is higher for people with poor social contacts.

There are studies that show that the feeling of isolation is associated with an increased risk of self-esteem and depression. It is also associated with various health problems such as headaches, palpitations and pain in the lower back, neck or shoulders.

Chronic stress also makes you more susceptible to various health problems, as it strains your immune system - so try to avoid stressful situations, but if you can't deal with the anxiety yourself, seek the help of a psychologist.

 

Key takeaways

A healthy lifestyle does not mean that you have to give up everything "unhealthy". It is quite possible to balance a healthy lifestyle by eating cookies, relaxing or drinking wine in pleasant company. But it is important to understand the basics and want to change your life by following them.

In fact, by enjoying an "unhealthy" meal from time to time, you can better follow healthy eating habits. The "all or nothing" mindset, when you commit to eating only "good" food and never eating "bad", is often repulsive. Here are the keywords Flexibility and Ability to balance. Enjoying life, including food, is part of a healthy lifestyle.

Habits are thought to develop within 3 to 6 months. Start slowly, for example, with a healthy diet, because it will give tangible results the fastest. Read my feedback from participants in the weight loss challenge - when arranging the diet, after a few weeks there is an influx of energy, a feeling of lightness, sleep improves…

If you want to improve your health and quality of life, a healthy lifestyle is the best choice. If you like this lifestyle, try to do everything possible to pass on these healthy habits to your children - teach them to act properly from an early age - make children interested in sports, walk more, try not to accustom your child to fast food, sweet drinks and packaging juices, confectionery and products containing chemistry.

A healthy lifestyle should not cause discomfort, all activities should be fun. Change your habits gradually. First change your eating habits, then start exercising, and so on. Over time, you will begin to feel better and be able to achieve goals that previously seemed unattainable to you.

 

Sources:

Heart Disease Facts

bmj.com

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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