Secrets to a Healthy, Long Life

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines good health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being — and not just the absence of disease or infirmity. From this definition, have you ever wondered why even though you are not lying in a sick bed somewhere, it seems like you are not quite healthy? Have you ever wondered if the people around you have some secrets to their strength and vigour every day? Well if you have, I’ve got bad and good news for you: The healthy actually do have “secrets,” but I will share them with you today!

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Sit back, relax, and learn how you can be as healthful as ever following just a few simple tips.

What are the benefits of striving to be healthy?

Before attempting to live a healthful lifestyle, it is important to know why you are doing what you are doing, that way your motivation is unwavering. Without much ado, here are some wonderful benefits to being an all-round healthy person.

You get to enjoy:

• weight loss
• being energetic
• not falling ill
• waking up alert and refreshed
• having a sharp and quick mind
• good looking skin
• an upbeat mood

Wouldn’t you want to experience these all year round?

Therefore, here are the top secrets to living healthy:

1. Sleep!

Before you try out any other healthful lifestyle strategies, you must aim for good and improved sleep habits. If you don’t get enough sleep, everything else about you will suffer – your mood, metabolism, appetite, weight, productivity, immune system — everything. Sleep deprivation can also put you in a pre-diabetic state.

2. Drink more.

Sorry to burst your bubbles, but I don’t mean alcohol. Drink water. It is important to keep yourself well-hydrated at all times, because water is the most-important nutrient your body needs to function optimally. If you get headaches often, dry skin, or inability to concentrate – you are probably not taking in enough water.

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3. Eat healthy.

This is the key to gaining energy and losing unnecessary weight. Learn how to balance your meals with adequate proteins and carbohydrates. Avoid excessively sugary foods and junk. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables as they contain antioxidants that will literally add years to your life. Consume oily fish, nuts, and seeds in moderate amounts as they contain essential fats that your body needs as well as antioxidants.

Discover which types of foods disrupt your digestion and avoid them. If, for instance, you are lactose or pepper/spice intolerant but you love eating foods containing them and subsequently keep running to the bathroom, you just might be sabotaging your path to great health with the repeated resultant fluid and electrolyte losses.

4. Keep fit.

I’ve mentioned this over and over again on this site. Getting active is a very vital aspect of living a healthful life. As I always tell my patients, you don’t need to lift all the weights in a gym and sweat your life out. All you need is consistency and at least 15 to 20 minutes of exercise every day. This can be anything from walking, jogging, or even yoga. Just be consistent at it.

5. Manage your stress levels.

Stress is one of the culprits in the cause of a number of health problems and it definitely worsens any medical conditions. With constant stress, you age faster; you get anxious and irritable all the time; your hormones are imbalanced; and you’re just generally burnt out. Identify your stress triggers and put counter measures in place – it could be simple things like prayer, positive affirmations, singing, or even meditation. Prioritise your work and keep an organized schedule.

After the day’s work, unwind by doing something that you love – this helps to create positive energy in your body.

Learn to stop reliving the past too…by all means, learn from past mistakes and situations but let things go and focus on your present and future.

If you can manage your stress, you are well on your way to fixing a lot of problems.

Finally, after all is said and done, learn to listen to your body. When your body says you should stop, just stop. This is a major tip for lasting success with your health. Drink water when you’re thirsty. Eat good food when you’re hungry, and stop when your body says so. Sleep when your body wants to. Stop pushing when you feel tired. Take a vacation when you need to.

Don’t abuse these tips. Simply take really good care of your body and listen to it, it’ll return the favour and keep you healthy and youthful for longer.

Stay healthy, folks!

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