Have you ever wondered why some people remain very healthy forever, but others do not?
In this article, we are going to discuss the simple secrets of “staying healthy always.”
Staying fit and healthy is very complicated.
For many of us, following a disciplined lifestyle with regular workouts and fixed diets is very difficult.
Several books and blogs dole out a lot of conflicting advice on being fit and healthy.
However, it is easy to stay healthy with minimal effort by following a few rules regularly.
A person’s good health does not depend on health products like multivitamins and food supplements. Simple lifestyles and eating habits have kept people healthy for centuries.
Below are 5 simple health maxims you need to actualize to stay fit and healthy forever.
1. Eat healthy, natural foods
Most of the health issues facing us today are the side effects of the highly processed junk foods we eat.
To be healthy and free of common diseases, you must eat only “real foods.”
The “real foods” are unprocessed natural foods.
Healthy foods comprise whole grains, meat, fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. You also need to include healthy oils and fats in your diet.
But even these healthy foods become harmful to the body when they are eaten in highly processed form or in excess amounts compared to what the body requires.
The foods should be consumed according to the energy and nutrient requirements of the body. Limit the consumption of carbohydrates and sugar to the right amount of calories your body requires daily.
Overweight and obese people should be very careful with consuming carbohydrate-rich foods.
Anyone looking to lose weight should limit their carbohydrate intake and, more importantly, avoid all sweetened foods.
Avoid junk foods and all types of processed foods as much as possible.
Home-cooked vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, and whole-grain foods are the best.
2. Adequate physical activity is required for good health
Most people turn obese due to a lack of sufficient physical exercise, which accumulates unused body fat.
Some people have misunderstood that exercises and workouts are meant for people who want to look beautiful, like those who want to have six-pack abs and bulging muscular buildup.
Exercise and weight training have more to do with good health than just looking attractive.
Exercise makes you stronger and improves the functioning of hormones and the brain.
Some of the recent research findings indicate the importance of physical exercise in improving the production and functions of testosterone and growth hormones.
High-intensity has shown that weight lifting helps lower triglycerides and blood pressure and improves the good cholesterol level in the blood. High-intensity exercises have an immediate effect on reducing blood sugar and insulin levels.
Many high-risk diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, stroke, and cardiovascular disease can be prevented or cured with the help of high-intensity exercises like weight lifting.
Lack of exercise is the number one reason for belly fat, eventually leading to several fatal diseases. The biggest danger to health is the combination of ‘bad diet habits and zero physical exercise.
The easiest and one of the best exercises everyone can do is brisk walking or jogging on the plains or paths for 20 to 40 minutes daily.
Avoid exercises like stretching, swinging, and pushups that can be done in the comfort of your home.
Most cases of obesity and overweight-related health issues can be easily overcome with regular workouts and healthy, balanced diets.
3. Avoid unhealthy habits and toxic foods
Intake of toxic contents in any form has a tremendous impact on making our health go bad.
Environmental pollutants (especially air and water) are already a big threat to our health.
Substance abuse habits are all the more dangerous to health than most pollutants in the environment.
Many people spoil their health even at a young age by becoming addicted to cigarette smoking, excess alcohol consumption, and drug abuse. These are dangerous habits that can quickly deplete your health.
Another very dangerous habit for your health is getting addicted to certain junk foods and drinks.
These foods include soda, all types of carbonated and sweetened beverages like cola, highly processed and packaged foods, fat-rich foods like pizza and burgers, and all artificially sweetened and flavored candies, cookies, ice creams, and juices.
Many of these processed foods and drinks are specially manufactured with additives that make you very easily addicted to them.
Many of these packaged and ready-to-eat processed foods contain excess trans-fats and refined cooking oils from seeds and vegetables.
Most sweetened foods and drinks are full of added sugars like sucrose, fructose corn syrup, and other high-calorie sugars, which are bad for health in the long run.
You need to avoid all these toxic foods and drinks as much as possible if you want to be healthy and fit until a ripe old age. Never get addicted to any drug abuse, tobacco, or alcoholic drinks for the sake of your health.
4. Proper sleep and rest
The busy life schedule with long hours of daily work and stressful life has deprived us of sufficient sleep.
These days, increasingly more people are sacrificing sleep for long hours of social media engagement and gaming.
Sleep deprivation is a big threat to health as it can give rise to fatal health issues like obesity, heart disease, and stroke.
During sleep hours, the body recuperates and gets actively involved in the body cells’ growth and regeneration.
Every adult person requires a minimum of 7 hours of continuous sleep, but 8 to 9 hours is best for the good health of the body and mind.
Sleep helps to improve memory and relieve stress and tension.
People with sleep apnea should seek medical help to cure this health disorder.
If you are finding it difficult to get good sleep, the following tips might help you:
- Have a fixed time for retiring to bed and waking up every day.
- Avoid consuming too much caffeine or smoking, especially within 2 hours before retiring to bed.
- Make your bedroom pitch-dark and soundproof (if noise issues exist).
- Do a minimum of 30 minutes of intense workouts every day.
5. Get rid of stress and tension
All your best diets and workouts will be futile under constant stress and anxiety.
Good mental health with a peaceful and relaxed mind is essential for the good health of the body and mind.
The cortisol levels would increase as you get more and more stressed out, producing serious adverse effects on metabolism. This also causes increased belly fat accumulation and continuous snacking on junk foods. The result of all these is the development of multiple diseases in you.
Some health studies show that severe depression brought on by too much stress is a serious health problem many people face.
If you are stressed, you need to identify the reasons that make you stressed and try to overcome them.
Make your life simple and focus on your strengths rather than your weaknesses. Stress is removable through good daily sleep, meditation, yoga exercises, and engaging in entertaining past-time activities with your family or friends.
If you are extremely stressed, you should better seek the help of a well-trained psychologist to sort out your problem.
Many days of continuous stress will make you physically sick and mentally tired. For good health, you should relax and enjoy yourself far more than you should be stressed.
Conclusion
There are better ways to achieve good health than dieting or using health supplements.
You can enjoy good health of body and mind only when you have balanced and nutritious natural diets, enough sleep and rest, are free of toxic foods and habits, are free of excess tension and stress, and when engaging in regular physical exercise.
Adopting a healthy and comfortable lifestyle throughout your life will help you stay healthy and fit for the rest of your life.