Do you have a healthy lifestyle? Do you get enough sleep? Do you exercise? Do you drink enough water? Simple questions but the answers to these questions would determine how healthy and happy you are with your life. Eating, sleeping, drinking, and walking are just a few of the things we do every day. These are things we often take for granted and we don’t realize how these can affect our overall well-being. Here are 20 Tips to Live a Healthier and Happier Life:
Drink lots of water
Water is vital in making our body function properly. 60% of the human body is composed of water and since we lose water every day when we perspire, urinate, defecate, and even when we breathe, we need to replenish it. We need to take at least 2-3 liters or 8-10 glasses of water a day. You might have to add more depending on the humidity or if you’re doing strenuous activities.
Drinking water can also help in weight loss. A study showed that drinking the optimum amount of water 30 minutes before a meal can help reduce weight by up to 44%.
Stop drinking beverages with high sugar contents
Our brain doesn’t measure the calories from liquified sugar the same way it measures solid carbohydrates making drinks with a high sugar content more fattening than other fattening stuff you eat.
Snack on nuts
Nuts are incredibly nutritious. They are packed with vitamin E, magnesium, fiber, and other nutrients. So instead of eating chips and other unhealthy snacks, grab some nuts and munch on it.
Say no to highly processed food
Highly processed foods are unhealthy. They taste good but usually contain too much sugar, sodium, and trans fats. Like in processed pasta meals, these foods have been chemically modified and whatever fiber it used to contain has been stripped. One of the benefits of fiber is that it slows down the absorption of carbs and helps you feel satisfied with just a few calories. Without any fiber, you tend to eat more until you are contented
Make sure to sleep adequately
Getting enough sleep is just as important as exercising and eating healthy. Having a good sleep is linked to eating fewer calories and people who don’t sleep enough tend to eat more and gain more weight. Aside from that, insufficient sleep can cause you to age prematurely.
Keep yourself calm through meditation
Just as exercise trains the body, meditation trains the mind. It develops your focus and attention. It also helps in reducing stress, increases the clarity of the mind, and promotes peacefulness and happiness. You just need to find the meditation technique that’s right for you.
Drink coffee
Coffee is a healthy drink. It’s filled with helpful nutrients and antioxidants. A study has shown that drinking coffee can lower the risk of death in individuals with type 2 diabetes.
Exercise daily
We can get huge benefits from exercising daily. It lowers the risk of having diseases, aids in weight loss, and increase our lifespan. Daily exercise enhances physical and mental health.
Eat fish, fruits, and vegetables
Eating healthy foods will help us maintain a healthy body. People need to have a well-rounded healthy diet where we can have all the vitamins, nutrients, and minerals our body needs. Consuming different kinds of healthy foods and having vegetables and fruits from every color of the rainbow will not only make the meal look more appetizing, but it also ensures that we are getting as many health-boosting nutrients as possible.
Eat whole grains
Whole grains are filled with health benefits. With all of its parts intact, whole grains contain all the goodness the bran, endosperm, and germ have to offer such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. Refined grains are mostly made up of carbohydrates and can cause obesity and inflammation.
Add herbs to your diet
There are many herbs and spices that can help in boosting our health like turmeric and ginger that are both packed with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. There are also herbs like echinacea and elderberry that can help boost the immune system.
Prepare your own meals
When you prepare your own meals, you cook what you like and can use healthy ingredients Most of the time, take-out foods have high amounts of saturated fats. sodium, sugar, calories and you have no knowledge of how it was cooked and what ingredients were used. A study showed that people who cook their own food are healthier.
Take vitamins and other supplements
Another way to improve your body’s health is by taking nutritional supplements like vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial substances.
Don’t smoke
Smoking is bad for your health.No amount of exercise, eating healthy food, and adequate sleep can stop you from getting sick if you smoke. Smoking can cause cancer of the lungs, kidney, esophagus, and heart problem. It can also harm those around you as second-hand smoking can cause the same debilitating disease that smoking directly can do.
Drink in moderation
Drinking alcohol in moderation may have some health benefits but excessive drinking has been proven to have a negative effect on the brain’s function. It also affects the liver, heart, and other major organs.
Pamper your feet
Our feet carry all our weight. Most of the things we do daily require us to be on our feet. After a long day of doing house chores or work, the best way to reward our feet for a job well done is by having a nice and warm foot soak.
Walking or standing for long can cause foot fatigue and this can lead to swelling, cramping, aching, and pain. It can also lead to other foot problems like sore toes, stinky feet, swollen feet, and calluses.
Have a good posture
Having a good posture is just as important as having a healthy diet, exercising, and getting good sleep. It ensures that muscle tension is just enough and that your whole body is aligned symmetrically. It conditions your body to take on daily activities with more energy and vigor. It also keeps your body from being exhausted, that’s why good posture is vital to your overall wellness.
Remove negative people from your life
Having a positive outlook in life plays a big role in having a healthy and happy life. If there are people who always criticize you, bring you down, or just don't have anything good to say every time you meet then it’s time to let them go. You don’t need all those negativity in your life.
Love yourself
If you don’t love yourself, then who would? If you love yourself and care for yourself more, you will find ways and ensure that you live a healthy and happy life.
Visit your doctor regularly
Don’t miss your schedule to visit the doctor. Get regular checkups and tests, as some illnesses or diseases don’t manifest until it’s too late. It’s better to catch it early and have it treated immediately.
Health affects happiness and happiness affects health. Which tip do you think applies to you? Just try following 2-3 tips at a time if you think 20 is too much for you. Follow these tips and start feeling great now!