6 Ideas to Reap The Benefits of Health & Well-being

Living healthy affects how you feel in the present and how you will feel in the future. How you treat your body now will greatly influence how you will feel as you grow older. An old saying “humans spend the first half of their lives making the last half miserable” has a lot of truth to it. So, living healthy is an investment in how we will feel and how well our body will function as we grow older.

1. Develop a Healthy Eating Lifestyle

Eating healthy not only assist in weight control but also helps to improve mood and boost energy. Healthy eating helps your body fight off disease and reduces the risks of developing cancers and heart disease. It builds good bone and muscle structure, aids in the functioning of your organs, and affects how your brain works.

Poor eating habits have been tied to high blood pressure, diabetes, poor bone development, and of course, bad teeth. It can amplify feelings of depression, stress, and anxiety. Fast foods can leave you feeling bloated, irritable, and tired.

Healthy eating does not have to be restrictive. It basically means to replace as many processed foods with real foods. Keep caffeine, sugary drinks, and refined carbohydrates to a minimum. Keep fruits and vegetables and whole-grain foods readily available. Don’t overeat red meat or dairy products.

Eating healthy is not about focusing on one or two known beneficial foods, or cutting out all of your favourite foods, but maintaining an overall healthy diet pattern. Make a few small changes at a time. Eat a variety of proteins, good fats, complex carbs, and high-fibre foods. Cooking at home will allow you to control what is being put in your food.

2. Break Free of Unhealthy Addictions

Much has been said and written about the effects of tobacco, alcohol abuse, and drug abuse on the human body. They cause cancers, restrict blood flow, affect the function of the brain, the heart, the lungs, and other organs. They can make us become anti-social, depressed, unable to hold down a job and perform normal daily tasks.

Breaking free, as hard as it may be, is essential to being healthy and in a good mental state. Both prescription and over the counter products are available to help individuals stop smoking. However, drug rehab programs help people to break free of drug and alcohol abuse in a supportive and safe environment. Putting forth the effort to break free of these addictions will instantly start adding quality to your life.

3. Get Enough Sleep to Keep Your Body and Mind Functioning Well

A good night’s sleep is just about as important as eating healthy and exercising. Sleep is important for brain performance; concentration, comprehension, productivity, and memory. Getting enough sleep allows your heart, blood vessels, and muscles to make repairs. Your immune system functions better. You look better and you feel better.

Improper amounts of sleep have been linked to weight gain, getting sick, and putting people at a greater risk of heart disease and stroke. Sleep-deprived individuals tend to eat more calories and are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Insufficient sleep has been linked to depression and poor social interactions.

So, getting enough sleep enhances your health and quality of life. Most adults need to be getting about eight hours of sleep a day to function at an optimum level. Of course, that is easier said than done, but figuring out how you can do so will help you to live a healthy life.

4. Physical Exercise Helps Body and Mind

Physical exercise causes the body to produce and release chemicals that make a person feel good. It helps the body to build good bone structure, strengthen muscles, and keep organs healthy. Proper exercise helps us to maintain flexibility and mobility. It can help lessen the feelings of depression, as well as improve the quality of our sleep.

Our exercise program should fit our physical condition. Over-exercising can be detrimental to our health if our body is not capable of functioning under increased physical activity. Concentrating on just one type of exercise can wear out joints and cause bone fractures.

Exercising is not just about having a workout routine. It’s not about buying gear, joining a gym, or include changing our clothes. Exercising to improve your health and well-being mainly has to do with being physically active. Look for ways you can add more activity to your daily routine.

Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

Add ten extra minutes to your dog walk.

Get off of public transportation one stop early and walk to work.

Do a few pushups, sit-ups, and stretching exercises at the beginning of your day.

As you walk, carry something heavy in each hand.

Push mow the grass instead of using a riding lawnmower.

Instead of looking for the easiest way to perform a task, look for a way that will give you some physical exertion.

5. Learn How to Manage Your Stress

No one’s life is stress-free. We all have stress. We have to learn how to manage our stress. Interestingly, three ways to manage stress is to eat healthy, exercise regularly, and get plenty of sleep.

Other ways of managing stress:

Stop and take deep breaths. It will have a calming effect.

Be sociable. Spend time with family and friends who you enjoy being around.

View entertainment or be involved in activities that make you laugh out loud.

Get involved with a relaxing hobby that you enjoy.

Take breaks, go for a walk, stretch, listen to some calming music, or just focus on non-stressful things.

If a problem or task is stressing you out, try to break it up into manageable smaller parts.

Accept the fact that some things are out of your control.

DO NOT

DO NOT begin to rely on alcohol or drugs.

Find things to do that you enjoy, is calming, or is stress-releasing for you, and make it a habit.

6. Be Positive and Be Thankful

Research has proven that having a positive attitude helps to build a healthier immune system and enhances overall health. Being thankful is a major part of being positive.

Instead of focusing on what is wrong in your life or what you don’t have, appreciate what is good in your life and be thankful for what you do have. Try not to be a complainer. Don’t expect things to make you happy, choose to be happy. Be able to laugh at yourself; none of us are perfect. Smile! Smiling releases “feel good” hormones. Feeling good will have a positive effect on your health and well-being.