No one loves being sick or bedridden. No matter how friendly doctors and nurses might be at a hospital, nobody likes being a regular visitor there. Everyone wants to be fit and healthy. However, the reality of life is that occasionally we become ill. Ill health occurs from a combination of factors, ranging from genetic composition to environmental factors. However, it is also important to note that your sound health or otherwise depends to a large extent on your habits. Bear in mind that health isn’t merely physical but also includes mental and emotional wellbeing.
Being unhealthy has several adverse effects on you as an individual and on your caregivers when you fall sick. Not only does it stop you from doing things you enjoy doing, but you will also have to call in sick at work and your productivity is affected. Your business may also suffer some loss if you are out for too long. Thus, staying healthy is of the utmost importance to everyone. It requires deliberate effort to avoid circumstances that may be bad for your health. Below is a simple but highly effective guide to staying healthy.
Good health begins with what you eat:
It is important to eat healthily. The saying “you are what you eat” sums it all up. Sometimes the reasons for sickness is due to what we eat when we eat and even how we eat it. It is possible to eat the right food at the wrong time or simply live on the wrong diet. Various nutrients are required for people of different age groups. Here are some of the things to keep in mind as far as a good diet and health is concerned:
- Too much high fat or high-calorie food isn’t good for you
- Vegetables are important
- Drink lots of water
- Watch when you eat: don’t have heavy breakfasts as it may leave you sluggish and sleepy at work. Also, since metabolism slows down at night, you should eat light and in small quantities in the evening
- Avoid potentially harmful substances like caffeinated beverages, alcohol, drugs and so on
- Ensure that your food is prepared under the most hygienic conditions possible.
These are a few of the things to keep in mind as far as diet is concerned. Each person should determine their diet based on their age, current state of health and recommendations by their doctor.
Stress management is vital:
We live in a world where everything has become fast-paced. In a bid to keep up and make ends meet, it isn’t uncommon for people to subject themselves to physical, emotional and mental stress. People work long hours with little rest and inadequate sleep, and this can put their mind and body through a lot of tension. One of the leading causes of ill health is stress. Thus, stress management is an important component of living a healthy lifestyle.
When not properly managed, stress can lead to anxiety disorders, depression, increased risks of heart diseases and mental disorders. While working for more hours despite a gradually failing health may seem like a productive thing to do, it could affect you later on and this can be counter-productive in the long run. There are several stress management tips you can follow.
Here are a few of them:
- Plan your time effectively. Avoid procrastinating and setting unrealistic deadlines
- Get adequate sleep
- Take time off work regularly
- Try to maintain a consistent sleep pattern
- Delegate assignments to avoid overworking yourself
Exercise:
These days, many people live a sedentary lifestyle, and this does more harm than good to their health. Technology has made things a lot more accessible than they use to be. This means you don’t have to go outside your home to get necessities if you don’t want to. Living like this is potentially harmful. However, you don’t have to attend a gym every day to maintain sound health. Just a simple daily jog or walk in the park is enough to keep you fit and healthy. If you do feel up to it, you can sign-up at a gym for a weekly session to burn off some steam. You can also do simple exercises right in the comfort of your home. It’s not about getting big muscles but more about staying fit and healthy.
Make healthy lifestyle choices:
In addition to all of these, there are some habits and choices that can be considered directly harmful to health. The list of things included in this category is quite long. However, you should look out for things that can be potentially harmful to your general health and try to avoid them. Some examples include:
- Drugs and any potentially addictive substance: addiction is one of the fastest routes to bad mental and even physical health. Avoid any habit or substances that you can get hooked on as they can jeopardise your health.
- Bad hygiene: always keep yourself and your environment clean
- Get checked, regularly: illnesses are better managed when caught early. Schedule regular check-ups to determine your state of health.
Conclusion
Staying healthy requires you to consciously practise a healthy lifestyle. This may seem boring and even difficult initially. But with consistency, you are bound to get used to healthy living. Staying healthy might also be slightly costly as well. You will find an organic diet a lot more expensive compared to fast food. However, in the long run, you get to avoid spending money on medication, and you will be fit enough to do the things you enjoy. Have a healthy life!
