Want to know 11 easy ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle? These are some of the best, tried and true methods you need to know about.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle may seems like an impossible task in today’s stressful reality, but it’s not as hard as you think. As someone who has had to turn her life around more than once, I am giving you some of the best ways to live a healthier, happier life that me and my family have discovered over the years.
You are going to learn all about different ways to improve your quality of life by taking a holistic approach and addressing you mind, body and spirit wellness.
After learning about these simple things you can do, you will be able to make adjustments to fit your and your family’s lifestyle and preferences in order to not only achieve optimum health, but also maintain it.
This post is all about 11 easy ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle you can start practicing today.
EASY WAYS TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE:
FOR THE BODY
1. Get Plenty of Sleep
Getting enough rest is not an indulgence – it’s a necessity. Having over-scheduled, stressful lives we try to fit as much as possible in the little time we have, often at the expense of our sleep. I, myself, am guilty of not taking my full 8 hour beauty rest every night (if ever). There has always been something to keep me up late at night. Early visit to the gym, extra hours at the office, babies waking up at night, school work, exam prep, cleaning the house, a storm, a good book or the dog barking to name a few.
Having been diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder recently, though, I have come to quickly realize that sleep deprivation not only causes major flair ups, but it is one of the leading factors for weight gain, insomnia, migraines, anxiety and depression. Making small and gradual shifts in your habits and schedule could allow you to add an extra 15, 20 or 30 minutes, even an hour to your rest time. That in turn will help you not just with overall health but also improve your energy, focus, productivity and mood.
If you won’t take my word for it, consider that of the Dalay Lama, who said: “Sleep is the best meditation.“
2. Focus on a Healthy Balanced Diet
It’s hardly a secret that nutrition is essential to wellbeing. Sadly, however, it is often one of the main causes for our health troubles. Heart disease, diabetes, gut health, autoimmune disorders, cancer, obesity among many other conditions can not only trace their roots to poor eating habits, but also benefit immensely by introducing wholesome ingredients to our diet. Including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, lean protein and healthy fats in our daily menu, while avoiding processed foods and trans fats is a good way to start building healthy eating habits.
Eating healthy doesn’t have to be expensive either. It may be true that having access to organically grown ingredients may be costly at times, but there are ways to remedy that. Cooking seasonal produce purchased at the local farmer’s market is one option. Purchasing items on sale from the supermarket and adjusting your weekly menu accordingly is another. The key is to vary your diet and pay attention to your body’s cues. Also keep in mind that what is good for some, may be harmful to others, so find out what works best for your individual needs and goals. Choosing home cooked meals when possible, using meal plans, limiting late night snacks and making sure you have a serving of veggies with every meal is a great start to gradually transition to a life of a healthier, happier you.
“Our food should be our medicine and our medicine should be our food.“ – Hippocrates
3. Hydrate Well
Ah, the healing powers of water. While our daily needs may vary, we all have one thing in common – none of us can survive without it. More than 50% of the human body consists of water, essential for its proper function. Since we loose fluids throughout the day, it’s important to remember to stay regularly hydrated. Loosing as little as 2% of your bodily fluid can lead to decreased energy levels and brain function, increased headaches, loss of muscle strength, endurance and can impact physical performance. Dehydration can also cause heart palpitations, low blood pressure, dizziness, fainting and in severe cases even seizures.
Staying hydrated helps with digestion, which in turn can help maintain a healthy weight. The benefits of fluid intake extend even further as water protects your tissues, spinal cord and joints. It also supports healthy gut and kidney function, prevents constipation and has a great impact on your skin, hair and nails condition. General guidelines suggest that men consume about 3.7 liters (15.5 cups) and women get 2.7 liters (11.5 cups) of fluids per day, which can come from water, beverages such as juice or tea, and food, mainly soups, veggies and fruits.
“A man of wisdom, delights in water.” – Confucius
4. Eliminate Toxins
Of all the items listed here this may be the hardest, but also one of the most important steps to a healthy and brighter tomorrow. Toxins damage our organs and cell membranes, poison enzymes, weaken the bones, and cause hormonal imbalance, which for people with chronic and autoimmune diseases can be the difference between constant flair ups or inflammation and remission. They even go as far as to damage DNA increasing the rate of aging and degeneration.Sadly toxins are all around us and while completely eliminating them in your household may need considerable planning and determination, one can significantly reduce them with a few small adjustments.
Since harsh chemicals can be found in foods, personal products, home cleaners and even home decor, it is important to take a bit of time and read the ingredients of the items you purchase. With increased awareness these days, there are new clean and natural products introduced to the market regularly, so it is not impossible to find affordable clean alternatives to your favorite shampoo, home cleaner or detergent. In fact many high-end brands are full of toxins.
Some common highly toxic ingredients to avoid are Propylene, Bythelene and Polyethylene Glycols (PEG), Phthalates, Parabens, Benzophenon, Synthenic ingredients of any kind, and of course Lead and Mercury. While many products list NO PARABENS, NO SULFATES, NO DIES etc.on the cover claiming to be healthy, a quick review of the ingredients shows propylene glycol and other toxins, so be aware of marketing strategies. I have found that more often than not products that don’t include glycols, don’t use much of anything else very harmful to your body.
“The simple truth is that we are living in a sea of toxins and it is destroying our bodies and brains.” – Dr. Hyman
5. Stay Active
Yes – you must find ways to stay active in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. No – you don’t have to be an athlete or spend hours at the gym. In fact for people with certain conditions high intensity prolonged exercise can be harmful. Staying active could be as simple as taking a daily walk, and as complex as having a daily work out schedule. Look for activities you enjoy and always listen to your body. Go at your own pace and don’t allow it to make you feel bad about yourself, just because you are not able to run as many miles, or do as many push up as someone else. We all have different abilities and needs.
Joining a gym where you could use the equipment or attend group exercise classes like yoga, pilates, zumba, aqua fit or kickboxing is one way to stay active. Other resources include city REC centers, free DVDs from the local libraries you can use to train at home at your own pace, youtube videos, available programs included with an Amazon Prime membership, books, low or no cost community events and of course just going out for a run, a swim, a walk or a dance night. While doing around 10000 steps a day is highly recommended, doing about 4000 is very doable and a great start on the way to a healthier you.
“The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will involve the patient in the proper use of food, fresh air, and exercise.” – Thomas Edison
FOR THE MIND
6. Read
When looking for tips on healthy lifestyle reading is rarely if ever on top of the list, but you will be surprise just how much it can improve your quality of life. If you are one of many who believe they don’t like reading, consider the possibility that you haven’t found the right book yet. We are not talking about Tolstoy or Dostoyevski here, although they are among my favorite authors. Whether you read 300 pages or half a page, it can make a difference. So how do you find something you like to read and reap the benefits? If you have interests in life, any interests, you can find something worthwhile reading.
Are you into history, science fiction, mystery, romance, memoirs, comics or adventure? Or maybe in stead of novels you prefer nonfiction including self help, inspirational, faith, history or travel and nature books. For those of you who love illustrations there are excellent table top books with stunning photography that can equally transport you even for a few minutes to another place, another world. Books are an escape, a place of solace, a window to another world where you can be anyone, do anything. They are a source of inspiration that can uplift, empower and encourage you with a few short words.
Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. – Richard Steele
7. Write
Writing is another often overlooked highly beneficial and easy way to a healthy lifestyle. Putting your thoughts and feelings down on paper can prove to be quite therapeutic since it allows you to understand or let go of thoughts and feeling you might otherwise keep in. Happy experiences and significant events recorded in a journal, become memories you won’t forget and will be able to share with future generations. The experience of writing them down, allows you to relive them for those brief moments while writing. You could write down your goals, make a bucket list, or create vision boards, all of which are ways to identify things that make you happy and work towards them.
Another great way you could use writing to improve your health is by keeping a food or activity journal, especially if you are trying to loose weight or are battling a chronic condition. Seeing progress over time, however small it may be, is extremely rewarding. Furthermore, noting down what you eat and drink could be very helpful when trying to identify food that help or aggravate your condition, as well as keep you accountable. Last but not least, writing can quite helpful with stress management. Consider making shopping, to do, or packing lists, weekly or party meal plans, vacation itineraries, attraction lists to name a few. If nothing else writing is about spending time with yourself and be able to reflect on things most important to you whether you write about your dreams and prayers, or how you feel about them.
“I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.” – Anne Frank
8. Unwind
Being able to carve some time for yourself when you have a million things to do may seem like an impossible task, but it is a necessary one. Taking a few minutes to relax and clear your mind, would help you focus and increase your productivity and efficiency. I often felt guilty relaxing, knowing how much there was waiting on me at home. work, or school, but the reality is that not much gets done when one is burned out. The word relaxation is defined as the state of being free from tension and anxiety. There are many ways to achieve such a state. What works for some, may not work for others, but there is something for everyone.
Using aromatherapy oils or candles, having a nice cup of tea, spending some time in nature, taking a bath, reading a favorite book, listening to soft music, going for a run, siting in a rocking chair on your porch or simply star gazing can all give you some very needed me-time. Many find their hobbies relaxing, such as photography, riding, gardening, baking, and even cleaning. Whatever it is that makes you leave the stress and tension aside even for a few minutes, make sure to make time for it. If you need to pencil me-time in your busy schedule and set a reminder, so be it, but do it.
“Slow down and everything you are chasing will come around and catch you.” – John De Paola
FOR THE SPIRIT
9. Meditate
Meditation is an easy, free and convenient way to improve your mental and emotional health. It can be done anytime, anywhere by anyone. Among the many benefits of meditation are anxiety and stress relieve, improved concentration, attention, and memory, better emotional health. better emotional health and sleep. Meditation can also reduce inflammation and help fight depression, addictions and pain.
As with anything else there is not one way to practice meditation. Some turn to prayer, or have a quiet time to reflect first thing in the morning. Others like to spend some time meditating with candles or soft music at night. Whether on a mountain top at sunrise, or a beach at sunset, in a yoga studio or a living room meditation allows you to quiet your mind, focus on your breath and take the time to appreciate all the blessings this life offers. Meditation can be as simple as just being still and quite for awhile.
“Meditation is a vital way to purify and quiet the mind, thus rejuvenating the body.” – Deepak Chopra
10. Travel, Nature & Art
Being able to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle depends in large on us finding the time for things we love and lift up our spirit. Getting out to explore new places, whether near or far can create memories that bring you joy and motivate you to stick to your health goals. Whatever it is that brings you joy, even if you are like me and head to the library when stressed, do it. Nature, wildlife, and art are all great ways to bring some variety to your everyday life, and are beneficial for your mind, body and soul.
Studies have shown that taking a vacation once a year not only relieves stress, promotes physical activity and boosts creativity, but it also decreases the risk of heart disease complications. Music is a great way to calm and relax the mind, to inspire and uplift. Creative and performing arts including dance, painting, sculpture, and photography to name a few, have also been long known to reduce stress, boost self esteem, improve concentration, enhance your problem-solving skills and feed your imagination. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle means finding ways to bring joy and peace in your life. Travel, art and nature are a few things that can do just that.
“A mind that is stretched by a new experience, can never go back to its old dimensions.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes
11. Community
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to be a lonely venture. It’s common for people to shut down under stress and not share with others, but that often leads to anxiety, panic attacks, addictions and even depression. Being a part of a community, however, gives one a sense of belonging, giving back – a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Volunteering is a great way to get involved and be a part of causes that are meaningful to you. Giving back and being there for others, allows you to realize how needed you are, how much of a difference you can make and in turn make you see how valuable and cherished you are.
Whether you volunteer or just attend community events, being a part of a social circle is really important for our emotional well being. If you are a new mom most libraries have mommy and me story times and events. I met some of my best friends during such events and more than a decade later we are still very close. Places of worship also offer plenty of opportunities to get involved. Whatever your faith is there is a group or community that will be more than happy to welcome you. It may take a village to raise a child, but being an adult is no easy feast either, and we could all use a village to empower and guide us on your way wherever it may lead.
“Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.” – James Matthew Barrie
This post is all about 11 easy ways to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
These are just a few of many, but it is a start and a good one. Above all, the first step is wanting to make a change, which happens to be the hardest one and you have already taken it. I will leave you with a quote by Mother Teresa, illustrating how precious each of us is. It reminds us that we all have a purpose and can make a real tangible difference in this world.
“I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.” – Mother Teresa
