Today we have access to an abundance of knowledge about health, illnesses, and how to maintain a good lifestyle. Food and healthy options have become available for the average person’s income, and gyms and exercise possibilities are accessible on every corner. Yet, many struggles to maintain a healthy lifestyle and face obesity and health issues. Obesity is one of the top most health concerns in most of today’s society.
In this article, I will discuss 7 tips about what you can do to maintain your health.
Have a Diverse Diet
Vegetables, seeds, fruits, superfoods, and nuts are precious foods. They should be consumed daily because they are all rich in vegetable proteins, healthy fats, essential amino acids, vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and antioxidants. The daily intake of the above-mentioned foods has been proven to reduce the risk of various diseases. In addition to the listed foods, avoid complicated recipes. They require you to stay in the kitchen unnecessarily. Instead, turn to simple, unprocessed and healthy recipes, where you will reduce the thermal processing of food to a minimum. Then you will have much more time for other physical activities.
Raw Foods
One of the main benefits of eating raw foods is the maximum utilization of enzymes from them. Enzymes help digest food. Although our body produces its own enzymes, their quantity is not sufficient, and the body spends a lot of energy producing them. That is why fatigue and sleepiness can often occur after consuming large amounts of processed food. What is it really about? The body directs all its energy toward dealing with the ingested food and neglects normal functioning. What remains in the stomach rots and represents a great potential for the occurrence of various diseases.
I recommend introducing one raw meal during the day, and maybe more, in order to save more energy for other daily activities.
Regular Doctor Check-ups
Doctor appointments should be conducted every 6 months or at least once a year. Unfortunately, the majority of the population rarely goes to the doctor unless they feel a certain type of discomfort or are already ill. Most diseases, and even deadly cancer, can be fought off and cured with a treatment applied in the early stages of the disease. If the illness has already progressed, the chances of recovery are lower with each passing day. Therefore, having yourself checked every once in a while is a must! Sometimes people might find it difficult because of their health insurance, as often plans don’t include regular appointments and only cover some expenses and hospital stays, even if there is a need. If you are in the process of getting insurance, make sure to go for a dental and health package provided by some agencies. Dental care is equally important and can sometimes amount to quite an expense. Dental care of your cavities and decaying teeth is high on the list of priorities, as some underlying illnesses are often connected with your oral hygiene and teeth.
Health insurance should cover basic expenses like appointments, hospital stays, and even medication. Furthermore, we would advise you to think about travel and life insurance as well, just in case. Make sure to never delay an appointment and always have great insurance for the worst scenario.
Avoid “Bad“ Calories
The group of empty calories includes foods that provide "energy" because they are rich in fat and carbohydrates. However, they do not contain any nutritional value, such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids, or fiber. The following is a list of foods that contain the most empty calories:
- Fried foods like french fries, chips and other fast foods are full of fat and have no other nutritional value.
- White bread has high caloric and low useful nutritional value, so it should be avoided or eaten in small quantities.
- Alcoholic beverages contain empty calories in the truest sense of the word, which is why they are called antinutrients.
- Various coffee-based drinks, as well as other drinks, contain a large amount of sugar. You might not know this, but the caffeine in them doesn't contribute to our alertness as much as sugar does.
- Junk sweets, juices, and sodas are full of sugar. Their consumption has a lot of similarities with taking drugs, because the longer we consume them, the more the body wants them.
- Avoid all industrial products that contain artificial colors, sweeteners, flavors, emulsifiers, thickeners, preservatives, and other additives. Numerous studies show that many of them are harmful and even carcinogenic.
Drink Enough Water and Other Liquids
The human body consists of 70% water. Adequate water intake is necessary for its normal functioning, especially in the summer when temperatures are high. A person can survive several weeks without food and only a few days without water. The ideal daily intake of water for an adult is about 2 liters, and for children, about 1 liter. It is necessary for all metabolic processes in the body. It is important for the work of the kidneys because it participates in the processes of digestion, transport, and elimination of harmful substances, the absorption of the substances themselves, and the maintenance of a constant body temperature and thermoregulation of the body.
If the body is not used to taking in water, fat is retained in the area of the ankles, around the thighs, and at the waist. The moment you start consuming the recommended amount of water, those deposits will disappear, and you will lose weight.
Get Enough Sleep
Each of us has different sleep needs. It is not possible to establish the optimal amount of sleep that is necessary for each person. Six hours of sleep is enough for some people, while other people need up to ten hours of sleep. This also depends on our age, the season, and our physical activity. The only important thing is to get a good night's sleep for recovery and because it strengthens your body. In fact, good sleep is closely related to the secretion of hormones that are necessary for the functioning of our body. Due to the secretion of melatonin, you should go to bed earlier because it is secreted only at night, with maximum secretion between 2 and 3 hours after midnight, while its highest concentrations are between midnight and 8 a.m., when they are 5-10 times higher than during the day.
You should turn off all possible light sources when you go to sleep because artificial lighting can disrupt the synthesis of melatonin and therefore the quality of your sleep. Scientists believe that the presence of melatonin can prevent the growth of cancerous cells, which is another important reason to go to bed on time.
Stay Active
Fresh air has a good effect on our mood and immunity, while moderate exercise is very good for our bodies. Choose the ones that suit you the most. You should exercise at least 3 times a week, because when you exercise, your base metabolic rate (BMR) increases, and it should stay that way for 48 hours. If you take a longer break, the metabolism drops again. It must remain at this level so that you always have energy and are strong. Therefore, it is recommended that you exercise at least every other day.
If the weather is bad outside, you can also exercise inside. The benefits of physical activity are numerous. People who exercise regularly have more energy, a better mood, a balanced body weight, improved blood sugar levels, improved levels of protective HDL cholesterol, reduced blood pressure, reduced risk of blood clot formation in blood vessels, reduced stress levels, and even find it easier to quit smoking.
Take a Deep Breath
Breathing exercises have long been implemented by various physicians to reduce blood sugar and cholesterol levels in our bloodstream. Breathing exercises make it possible to achieve a higher level of concentration, and they also trigger the release of hormones that affect the body positively. Implement various breathing exercises, and you’ll notice fewer mood swings, more energy, and a better sleep pattern as well. I am a big fan of the Wim Hof breathing method.
Your body is the only place you will live in forever. You better take care of it and your health. In this article I presented 7 tips about what you can do to maintain your health. These included a diverse diet, regular medical check-ups, no bad calories, enough water, enough sleep, being active and breathing.
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