Being healthy should be part of everyday life, helping us towards the prevention of chronic diseases and long term illnesses. Feeling good about yourself and taking care of your health are two of the most important things in your life and for your self esteem.
If you are someone who struggles to maintain a healthy lifestyle because of your busy work schedule or family life, then don’t worry. The good news is, you don’t have to change everything and the trick to healthy living is making those small changes and taking little steps day by day.
Read our five tips on maintaining a healthy lifestyle and do what’s right for your body today.
Eat a variety of foods
For overall good health, you need more than 40 different nutrients in your body and there isn’t one single food that can supply them all. It’s all about a balanced food choice and variety over time that will make the difference.
If you have a big family, getting the children together and eating well can sometimes be a challenge. But we believe some of the best things you can do is lead by example, you can’t expect your children to eat well if you’re not. Get them into the kitchen and teach them about real food. Have them beside you preparing meals and then sit down together and eat a family.
Make sure you have that variety of healthy foods stocked up in the refrigerator and less sugar snacks – everyone will be less tempted to fill up on foods that are bad for you.
Try and make it fun for the kids, let them pick new fruit and vegetables to choose in the supermarket each week. This way they’re having more of an input on their food choices.
Reduce your salt and sugar intake
Having a high salt intake can result in high blood pressure and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Below are three ways you can reduce the salt in your diet:
- Buy products that have a low sodium content when shopping.
- Try not to have salt on the dinner table when eating, this will tempt you to add salt to your food when it has already been cooked using salt.
- When cooking, substitute your salt for other spices and increase the flavours.
Sugary foods and drink are best enjoyed in moderation as a treat now and again. Replace them with fruit instead.
Drink more water
Water makes up two-thirds of your body and is an essential part of your diet. It will give you much more energy, while also being good for your skin. Drink lots of water and avoid those empty calories you get from fizzy drinks.
Sleep enough
Lack of sleep will make you tired and distressed throughout the day. You won’t be able to focus your attention very well on your daily tasks and it can damage your physical health quite badly. Read our tips below to establish a healthy sleeping habit:
- Keep a consistent sleep schedule. Plan to go to bed and get up the same time everyday, even on weekends.
- Make sure you’re getting at least seven to nine hours sleep a night.
- Turn off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
- Don’t eat a large meal before going to sleep.
- Avoid consuming caffeine in the late afternoon or evening.
- Avoid alcohol before bed.
Keep active
Physical activity is very important to our bodies. It’s a contributing factor to overall general health and your level of fitness. You don’t have to spend all your time in the gym in order to keep active, just simply take a daily walk, use the stairs as often as possible or take your dog for a longer work – anything that gives you the possibility to be a little more physically active. Researchers say walking at least 10 minutes a day has lots of health benefits.
Interpret these in to your everyday life and watch the difference it makes to your lifestyle and the way you feel.