How to Live a Healthy Lifestyle in 2023?
Health is my expected heaven.-John Keats
If we imagine heaven then we imagine happiness, laughter, a sense of contentment, being around loved ones, flowing rainfalls, our favorite food, our favorite dress, beach, sun, and the list goes on and Keats just summed all this into one Word- Health.
Nowadays, when we are in Mid of a Pandemic which has no signs of leaving us anytime soon. According to Jeremy Farrar (who is the Director of Wellcome, a global charitable foundation that supports science to solve urgent health challenges for the betterment of overall global health.) The covid-19 pandemic is nowhere near its end. Throughout the world, new waves keep on hitting. The virus is changing its format at a crazy speed.
At such a time, only one question pops up in our minds.
How can we live a healthy lifestyle?
Do not worry!!
This is exactly why we are here and that is exactly what we are going to talk about.
There are a number of lifestyle changes that we have to imply and get out of this pandemic war, unharmed.
There is a Traditional saying that Just because you’re not sick doesn’t mean you’re healthy. Maybe, you do not have any kind of apparent sickness but you do not fall up to the criterion of being completely healthy but you feel that something is amiss in your body and soul.
Does it happen to you?
If YOU are nodding then keep scrolling down to check out how we can get ourselves on the bar of being completely healthy and living a healthy lifestyle.
1. Get rid of negativity around you
My personal goals are to be happy, healthy and to be surrounded by loved ones. – Kiana Tom
There are many times that we keep on living around people who are always mocking us, who keep on passing nasty and mean comments, stooping our morale and self-esteem so low that we start doubting ourselves and a time comes that we are always confused.
We lose our decision power but we continue living with them, tolerating the shit we go through on daily basis for the sake of love and friendship.
As time passes, this negativity around us drops by drop, brings us down, by bringing our health down. So, the best thing which is in our hands is that we have to clear out the negative energy around us and replace it with positive energy.
Sometimes, a person enters the room, brightening the day. Find such a person and make them your friend. You will surely see a surge of healthy hormones rising right away in you.
2. Take a Balanced Healthy Diet
Today, the world we live in is totally about quick fixes. We are in a hurry and we fix ourselves a quick P&J sandwich. All of us are constantly on a go. So, we do not take care of the food which goes into our mouth according to its nutritional values. As a result, we keep on feeding ourselves empty calories which keep on piling up.
If we have to live a healthy lifestyle then our top priority must be the food that we eat.
First of all, kick all the junk food (which includes burgers, Pizzas, Fried items, chocolates, soda, chips, etc.) out of your life.
Some of you would be thinking then what would be lifelike without these fabulous entities? There is always a cheat day when you can have it occasionally.
A balanced diet is one that has a wide variety of goodness of adequate nutrients.
Incorporate a healthy diet in your life which includes: Proteins, Carbohydrates, Good Fats, Fibers, Minerals, and Water.
Have all the seasonal fruits and vegetables, have almonds, have meat and eggs if you are a non-vegetarian, and have legumes, beans, and pulses. If you are vegetarian, fish has plenty of health benefits in the form of omega 3-fatty acids and vitamins such as B2 and D.
To ensure good health: Eat lightly, breathe deeply, live moderately, cultivate cheerfulness, and maintain an interest in life-William Londen
Nowadays, because of the lockdown, we are not getting enough Sun as a result of which around 50 percent-70 percent of the Adult European population is Vitamin D deficient.
Fish also has Calcium, Phosphorus, and Vitamins like Zinc, Magnesium, Iron, Iodine, and Potassium in abundance.
Have milk and curd. (if you are lactose intolerant have the proper substitute for it)
One who eats plain food is healthy. Japanese Saying
Do not lose your heart that if you are having a junk-free life then it will be boring. You can make it so colorful by following all the amazing healthy recipes on the internet. Once you get hooked on a healthy lifestyle then there will be no turning back. Rest assured.
3. Drink adequate water a day
An adult human body is about 60% water.
- The brain and heart make up about 73% water.
- The skin makes up about 60% water.
- Kidneys and muscles make up about 79% of water.
- Lungs make up about 83% of water.
- It will amaze you that even the bones make up about 31% water.
- As a large number of our vital organs comprise high percentages of water. So, it is really important to keep us hydrated throughout the day as throughout the day through excretion, sweating, and salivating we get rid of toxins accumulated in our body as well as we get rid of our water content.
This is the reason why as many as 7-8 glasses of water are highly recommended. It includes water as well as other fluid intakes.
Benefits of Drinking Water
There are a number of benefits of having water:
- Strengthens our immune system.
- Regulates our blood pressure.
- Helps in Digestion.
- Protects our vital organs.
- Helps remove toxins and bacteria from our body through the urinary bladder.
- Works as a carrier of oxygen and vital nutrients to all the cells of the body.
- Aids healthy weight loss giving the sense of being satiated.
- Brightens your skin and makes you look beautiful.
- Cools you down.
- Increases brain activity improving concentration, cognition, and memory.
- Helps form saliva, tears, and mucus.
- Helps in lubricating the joints.
4. Incorporate Exercise into Your Daily Routine
Exercise is an activity that is scheduled, designed, and repeated to condition any particular part or the whole body which helps in improving health and maintaining fitness.
When was exercise invented?
Exercise dates back to as early as 600 B.C. when it was imposed on the Greek war soldiers to increase their war tactics, agility, flexibility, and strength.
Oldest recorded form of exercise
Yoga is said to be the oldest recorded form of exercise dating back to as early as 3300 B.C.
When did exercise become a way to live a Healthy Lifestyle
It was during the 1970s that exercise gained popularity and it became the foundation to live a healthy lifestyle.
Type of Exercises
There is 3 main type of exercises or workouts which help in improving our physical, emotional, and mental health.
Cardiovascular
Cardiovascular or Aerobic (which literally means anything involving free oxygen) is the type of exercise in which the big group of muscles is worked upon in rhythm and repetition as a result of which the heart pumps rapidly, the breathing process intensifies, increasing the blood and the oxygen flow throughout the body.
This form of workout can be of low, medium, or high intensity and varies from person to person.
Strength training
It is the kind of exercise in which we need a resistance force against which our muscles work and it is done in repetitive sets to gain its benefits.
The resistance is used in the form of free weights like dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, external weights hanging on foot or arms, and different types of resistance bands. As a result of which the muscle and bone strength increases as the name also implies. A variety of training techniques are also incorporated into it including isometrics, plyometrics, and calisthenics.
Stretching
You are trying to reach for your new china from the top kitchen shelf for the dinner party you have thrown for your colleagues but you end up cramping your toes. This scenario is exactly where stretching comes in handy.
Stretching is the kind of exercise in which we target a specific muscle group deliberately stretching it increasing flexibility, range of motion, muscle tone, and elasticity. If you do not use your muscles, they tend to shrink and tighten that was the reason you ended up cramping while reaching for stuff on the top shelf.
Importance of Warm-up and Cool-Down
Incorporating a warm-up and cool-down in your workout routine is really mandatory if you do not want to end up having muscle injury and soreness.
Warm-up
Pre-workout, a good warm-up helps blood vessel dilation as a result of which muscles get a supple oxygen supply. It is very important to be prior to a cardiovascular or aerobic workout. As we warm up, our heart rate gradually revs up, putting less pressure on heart muscles.
Cool Down
Post-workout, a good cool down and stretch help to gradually bring the heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature down. Stretching muscles after a workout help flushes out the toxins in lactic acid breaking it apart. As a result of which your muscles do not get sore, cramped, and stiff.
If you do not cool down and stop a vigorous exercise all of a sudden, you may end up feeling dizzy, light-headed, with stars in front of your eyes kind of feeling and may even faint.
You can warm up and cool down for 5 minutes each before and after a workout routine.
How many times a week shall one exercise or workout
It has been recommended by Fitness experts to exercise for 5 days a week for 30 minutes which makes 150 minutes a week of workout.
It is better to take a break of a day or two from a workout to regain and rejuvenate your energy levels but if you feel like working out every day of the week then you can do it according to your energy capacity but do not push yourself off the limits then you will end up having a lack of motivation to exercise and will take exercise as some kind of burden on yourself.
5. Sleep for 7-8 hours a day
The beginning of health is sleep. – Irish Proverb
Sleep helps us to rejuvenate our energy. Not sleeping for an ample amount of time makes us feel groggy. The term ‘Waking up on the wrong side of the bed’ did not come up for no reason. Without a proper sleep pattern, our whole day goes wasted. We end up snapping- at home, and at work which affects drastically our life.
Benefits Of Sleep
It improves our
- immunity
- brain health
- heart health
- accuracy and speed
A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book. – Irish Proverb
- It acts as an antidepressant
Bottom Line: Sleep for a good 7 to 8 hours.
6. Go out and Enjoy Nature
Fresh air impoverishes the doctor. – Danish Proverb
According to research, it has been proved that to live a healthy lifestyle going out in nature does wonders.
Whenever, I feel a bit down I go into the woods or a park and have a bit of a walk or a jog, or I just sit there on a bench sipping on my coffee, taking in whatever is happening around me, and have all my worries evaporate. I get an instant mood uplift. I feel completely refreshed.
Benefits Of Going outdoors
There are a number of benefits of going outdoors and enjoying it:
It helps regulate:
- stress hormone production
- blood pressure
- the heart rate
7. Try to be happy and positive
Joyfulness is half your health. -Czech Proverb
Being happy is your ticket to living a healthy lifestyle.
Benefits Of Being Happy
If you remain happy then it will cash in a number of good impacts on our health:
- Help reduce Stress.
- Help reduce Depression.
If you have health, you probably will be happy, and if you have health and happiness, you have all the wealth you need, even if it is not all you want. ~ Elbert Hubbard
- Helps in losing weight.
- Lowers cardiovascular disease.
- Improves sleep.
- Improves diet.
He Who Has No Health Has Nothing. -French Proverb
If I had my way, I’d make health catching instead of disease. ~ Robert Ingersoll
8. Beautify Yourself
According to recent research, if a person takes care of himself, beautifies himself, takes bath, gets a proper haircut, cuts his nails, and takes care of his skin then he gets physical and mental wellness. There are a number of things that we can do to beautify ourselves. Skin is our biggest organ that faces the outside world.
Health is the thing that makes you feel that now is the best time of the year. -Franklin Pierce Adams
Taking care of it is very important and your skin will thank you for the compliments of your friends and family.
A Proper Skincare Regimen
A proper skincare regimen shall be followed which shall include:
Cleansing your skin
Cleanse your skin regularly at least twice a day.
It helps:
- to maintain proper pore size.
- make your skin look supple and shiny.
- the anti-aging process to slow down.
- prevention of excess oil production.
Good Health is the sister of beauty- Maltese Proverb
Toning your skin
If your skin is oily then tone it twice a day after cleansing but if your skin cannot tolerate a toner, then better skip this process.
- Toning helps to regulate the Skin’s Ph.
- It helps to add active ingredients like antioxidants, exfoliants, and retinoids to your daily skincare regime.
Moisturizing your skin
Moisturize your skin and body at least twice a day. Once in the morning and once at the night. So, the moisture can be kept intact throughout the day. During winter, as our skin tends to get drier moisturize it more frequently.
It helps:
- evade breakouts.
- slow down the signs of aging.
- to lighten the blemishes.
- prevent harmful environmental impacts.
He, who has health has hope, and he who has hope has everything. – Arabic Proverb
Applying Sunscreen
It is a common misconception that we have to apply sunscreen just while going outside, getting exposed to Sun.
We have to apply it indoors as much as outdoors. Due to the rapidly depleting ozone layer, we are more prone to getting exposure to harmful Ultraviolet rays.
Sunscreens help prevent skin cancer, premature aging, and sunburn.
Standard window glasses do not stop UV rays from penetrating the skin which leads to dark spots, patches, blemishes, premature skin aging, and wrinkles.
There is more to skincare and health. You shall follow according to your skin type: Whether it is Oily, Dry, or Combination. Set up a daily morning and night skincare ritual.
9. Indulge in some Hobby
If you are here to look for ways to live a healthy lifestyle then indulge in a hobby or pastime. A hobby is something that we love to do in our leisure time making us happy, satisfied, and contented, resulting in putting a positive impact on our overall health and well-being.
Research has proven that those people who get indulged in a hobby on a daily or weekly basis are really good at fighting depression, sadness, stress, and mood swings. A hobby can be anything that makes you elated.
It can be reading books, binge-watching your favorite tv shows, gardening, throwing parties, or get-to-gathers, hiking, skipping a rope, running, jogging, or camping. Many people release their stress by cooking or painting.
10. Declutter your life
To live a healthy lifestyle, throw off all the unnecessary stuff around. Decluttering has proven as a stressbuster leading to mental well-being and health. If you are surrounded by clutter all around then you can end up being less productive.
Many people deal with anger management and stress relief by starting to clear their nightstands, clean their wardrobes, bathroom medicine cabinet, or kitchen tops and cabinets and end up feeling light and happy. Decluttering is for sure a therapy!
Decluttering is a multi-dimensional word. It is not the case just with inanimate objects but also let go of negative emotions and negative people around you.
By decluttering your home, office, and life in general you will come home to a squeaky, clean home that will give you a sense of achievement.
11. 40 Rules Of Personal Development
There are a few things that you can follow and add to your everyday life to live a healthy lifestyle
- Always be true to your words
- Bake Bread
- Bake Cake
- Try out new recipes
- Bake Cookies
- Be Compassionate
- Be Observant
- Be thankful
- Chant to yourself that everything is gonna be okay
- Create your own opportunities
- Dance in the rain
- Donate and give to charity
- Do good with your neighbors
- Do good with strangers
- Give your seat to the elder
- Go window shopping
- Go to the beach to see the full moon
- Have costume parties
- Do good with anyone around whom you think you can help out
- If anything is bugging you, say it out loud
- Learn from your experiences
- Learn to forget
- Let bygones be bygones
- Do not play fake
- Let go of the past
- Learn to forgive
- Live in the present
- Make a snowman and do not forget to tie a muffler around its neck
- Rearrange Your Furniture
- Play indoor and outdoor games
- Set up a date night with your partner
- Smile at everyone
- Show your love and emotions to people you care about
- Stop brooding on the past
- Stare at the stars, lying in the park
- Stop complaining
- Stop getting Jealous of other people’s accomplishments
- Talk gibberish with tiny cute little babies
- Stop sulking
- Try out traditional dresses from different countries
And Above All…
Love…
YOURSELF…!🙂Â