Do you feel tired even after waking up from a long nap? Are you unable to accomplish your tasks or do anything productive in your day? The reason for this could be your unhealthy lifestyle.
Leading an unhealthy lifestyle will make you feel tired and anxious. It negatively impacts your health and puts you at risk of developing several diseases. On the other hand, by adopting a healthy lifestyle, you can stay on top of your game. It will improve your mental and physical health while also helping you stay fit and energetic. But how do you lead a healthy lifestyle? Do you need a gym subscription or some vitamins and medicines? Fortunately, you do not need any of this. Leading a healthy life is a simple and natural process that requires no special equipment or pills. Simply adopt the practices mentioned below and watch yourself thrive mentally and physically.
Cut Out Alcohol and Drugs
Alcohol is a highly toxic psychoactive substance that negatively impacts our physical and mental health. It leads to liver cirrhosis, cardiovascular diseases, and several types of cancers.
When one is under the influence of alcohol, they may lose their senses and harm those around them. The drug also causes behavioural disorders and exacerbates anger, anxiety, depression, and psychosis. Unfortunately, it is effortless to get addicted to it, and once you become dependent on it, it can be challenging to stop! Alcohol withdrawal syndrome is highly concerning and causes nausea, restlessness, anxiety, and headaches. It may even be life-threatening! Thus, it is essential to join a rehabilitation facility to withdraw from alcohol addiction safely. Facilities such as Serenity at Summit Rehab offer professional detox and inpatient addiction treatment. With a team of specialists on board, they design a medically supervised detox for patients to safely get off drugs without experiencing life-threatening withdrawal symptoms. They also offer inpatient treatment with clinically proven therapies to ensure complete recovery and rehabilitation.
Alcohol is not the only drug you need to eliminate to live a healthy life. You must also withdraw completely from other substances like cocaine, meth, mushrooms, and hallucinogens. All of them cause severe health problems that may even lead to death. Thus, cutting out drugs is one of the essential steps toward leading a healthy lifestyle.
Eat a Balanced Diet
A healthy diet consists of different food such as fruits, legumes, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts. It is essential to incorporate them into your diet so your body can get all the nutrition needed to thrive. As per recommendations, you can eat five portions (i.e., 400 g) of fruits and vegetables daily for adults.
Make sure to include fresh veggies in all your meals! Munching on them throughout the day instead of unhealthy snacks is also a great way of improving your diet. Fortunately, hundreds of alternatives for unhealthy snacks taste just as delicious. You can replace oily potato chips with kale chips or banana chips with more nutritional content. Similarly, you can replace ice cream with yogurt fruit pops and candy with dark chocolate-dipped nuts!
Eating a balanced diet will keep your body healthy and strengthen it. It will also reduce the risk of developing nutritional deficiencies as well as non-communicable diseases like heart disease and diabetes,
Lowers Salt and Sugar Consumption
Salt contains sodium which increases your risk of developing hypertension and heart diseases. Ethnicities like Filipinos who consume more sodium than the recommended amount is at greater risk for cardiac failure.
Lowering your salt intake will keep your heart healthy. The recommended amount for adults is 5g a day, equivalent to one teaspoon. You can follow this guideline by limiting the number of high sodium condiments and salt in your food. You should also avoid salty snacks and replace them with healthier heart-friendly options.
Just like salt, sugar is also extremely unhealthy for you. Consuming a lot of it leads to tooth decay and obesity. Your sugar intake should be less than 10% of your total energy intake, which is approximately 50 grams (or 12 teaspoons) for adults. Moreover, the WHO recommends reducing the amount to 5% of your total energy intake if you want additional health benefits. It means you should lower your sugary snacks and drinks to almost zero if you’re going to keep your body healthy and fit.
Increase Physical Activity
Physical activity is any bodily movement that requires you to use energy. It improves your mood, keeps your weight in check, and reduces the risk of several diseases like hypertension and metabolic syndrome. Regular physical activity keeps your health in check. The recommended amount of physical activity varies for different age groups. Adults between 18-64 should indulge in at least 150 minutes of moderately intense physical activity per week. However, boosting it to 300 minutes a week has additional health benefits.
Get Vaccinated
Vaccinations provide immunity against hundreds of diseases. They work with your body’s natural system and protect you against dangerous diseases like cholera, hepatitis B, cervical cancer, mumps, pneumonia, and polio.
Keeping your vaccination schedule up-to-date will keep you safe from several life-threatening conditions and help you lead healthier lives. Be sure to visit your physician and ask them to check your immunization history to let you know if you’re missing out on a protective shot.
Follow Road Safety Rules
Road accidents are one of the leading causes of sudden death worldwide. They claim over a million lives each year! These accidents are easily preventable. Following road safety rules, keeping your speed within the recommended speed limit, and not driving under the influence of drugs will keep you and those around you safe. Additionally, you should wear a seat belt in a car, avoid eating or drinking while driving, and wear a helmet while riding a bike.
 Drink Purified Water
Several waterborne diseases, such as cholera, typhoid, and hepatitis, spread through contaminated water. Thus, you must always drink purified water. In some countries, drinking tap water is also deemed safe. However, it is recommended to get the water checked by a state-certified laboratory, even if it looks clean. The lab will test it for germs and pathogens and let you know if tap water is safe to drink. If it is dirty, you should shift to store-bought mineral water.
Moreover, it is essential to avoid drinking water from rivers and lakes. It often contains hundreds of harmful organisms which cause diseases like severe diarrhea. However, if you do not have clean water access, you can boil water that looks clean and use it for drinking after it cools down.
Final Remarks
Adopting a healthy lifestyle takes time. You can’t just wake up one day, stop eating junk food, and begin working out regularly. It is a gradual process that requires time and dedication. Just remember that the end goal will be worth it! Leading a healthy lifestyle will make you feel energized and happy. It will improve your quality of life and keep your mental and physical health in check.
