Adopting a healthy lifestyle can provide you with innumerable benefits that you cannot imagine. The consequence of leading your life in a healthy way will be perceived gradually when it will improve your health and well-being considerably. You can introduce yourself to healthy living by incorporating health-giving habits through incremental changes, such as eating right, involving in physical activities, maintaining an ideal weight, and so on.
But a healthy lifestyle refers to something more than just eating healthy and exercising daily. It means the well-being of every aspect of your life must be taken care of. Your physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual welfare is also a part of your overall healthy life.
A detailed and lengthy research conducted by the researchers from the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health estimated the effect of healthy habits on the life expectancy of the residents of the United States. They went on to make a survey on this as Americans tend to have a short life expectancy in comparison to the inhabitants of most other rich countries.
Let us learn some useful tips in this article to commence a healthy way of living your life.
7 Worthwhile Tips to Start a Wholesome and Healthy Lifestyle
1. Consume a Variety of Foods Everyday
To remain healthy, we must include 40 different nutrients in our regular diet, which a single or even just a few food items cannot supply. In order to get the required nutrients, incorporate a balanced food choice into every meal. This single change in your diet chart will go a long way to help you lead a healthy lifestyle. For instance, if you have savored a high-fat lunch, then make sure you plan a dinner with low-fat content. Maintain this healthy food choice, and see the difference it makes in a few days and weeks.
2. Include an Abundance of Carbohydrate-Rich Foods
Nutritionists say that half of the calories in our diet should be based on foods rich in carbohydrates. This includes rice, pasta, cereals, bread, and potatoes. The trick is to eat at least one of these at each meal. Incorporate wholegrain bread, cereals, and pasta into your meals, to fill your diet with fiber-rich foods. Make sure that you consume these items every single day.
3. Eat Plenty of Vegetables and Fruits
Considered an essential part of a healthy diet, vegetables and fruits are a good source of minerals, vitamins, and fiber. These highly nutritive foods can protect you from some diseases, like cancer, diabetes, and heart ailments. At least five kinds of vegetables and two different types of fruits should be consumed everyday to maintain good health. For instance, drink a glass full of fresh fruit juice at breakfast, pack an apple and one piece of watermelon for your snacks, and include an adequate amount of different vegetables at every meal.
4. Ingest Unsaturated Fat Instead of Saturated Fat
Keeping a balanced amount of fat in your regular diet is important for maintaining good health and ideal body functioning. But you must be cautious of not overeating it as it may adversely impact your body weight and heart health. However, following some tips on fat consumption will help you maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Avoid total and saturated fats (animal fat), and also trans fats, that will be revealed from the labels of a food product.
At least two to three servings of fish per week should be consumed to make the right intake of unsaturated fats.
Avoid frying food items, rather steam, boil, or bake for a more healthy option. Also, remove the fatty portion of meat before cooking.
5. Cut Down on Sugar and Salt Intake
A high amount of salt intake can be very harmful to your health, resulting in hypertension, and increased risk of cardiovascular ailments. You can reduce salt content in your diet in the following ways.
Buy food products that have lower sodium content
Replace salt with spices while cooking, for a variety of flavors and tastes Don’t keep salt on the dining table, and avoid adding salt before tasting the food Although sugar enhances the taste of most types of food, sugar-rich food items provide a high amount of energy and should be consumed within limits. Instead of adding sugar, you can use fruits to enhance the sweetness in drinks and foods.
6. Drink Adequate Amount of Fluids
About 60 percent of a human adult body is composed of water. So, it is obvious that you have to drink plenty of fluids everyday in order to maintain good health. It is also essential to drink sufficient water to support the necessary functions of a body. If you are dehydrated, your body cannot work efficiently. An adult human being needs to drink 1.5 liters of water per day. Water intake should be increased on a sultry day or when you have been engaged in physical activities. Although plain water or mineral water is the best source of hydration, sparkling water, tea, milk, fruit juices, soft drinks, and others do matter when it comes to your water intake.
7. Maintain a Healthy Body Weight
The right body weight depends upon a number of factors, like age, gender, height, and genes. Being overweight can expose you to the perils of various diseases, such as heart diseases, diabetes, and cancer. Gaining excessive weight is the outcome of eating more than required. This can lead to extra calories in your body. Engaging in physical activities can help you spend this calorie, and keep your body weight balanced. So, make it your motto to eat in moderation and to exercise more.
Concluding Note
The sooner that you start with these healthy habits, the better will be the results. Integrate these wonderful health tips in your life without any delay for a long and healthy life. Also, keep in mind that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is not a short-term goal. It should be followed throughout your life to retain optimal health. Share these tips with your family and friends to help them stay healthy and enhance their wellbeing.