7 Lifestyle Changes You Should Make Now for Improving Your Health
This week’s guest post on Lifestyle Changes features Board Certified Acupuncturist and Herbalist located in Encino, CA, Dr Alexander Ezzati.
Making lifestyle changes is a big thing as your choices foretell whether you will lead a healthy life in your old age or you will witness common health ailments like heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Therefore, making some transformations to lead a great life ahead becomes vital.
Here is a rundown of some top healthy lifestyle changes you can count on for improved health.
Whats On This Page
1. Get moving
The first change you should bring to your life is to stand more and avoid sitting for long hours.
Without a doubt, we have to focus on our work, but being stationary for 2 to 3 hours can bring in many health issues.
One thing you can do is to stand up after every 30-40 minutes and take a few minutes to walk.
Moreover, you can do some arm, back and leg stretching or just do your work while standing for 10-15 minutes, if possible.
Being active is vital and if you cannot do so due to your hectic job, then make sure you do regular workouts and morning walks.
You may even try to go by stairs instead of lifts, or go to the office by walk. The point is to keep moving and stay active to lead a better life. So, choose whatever works for you.
2. Take a balanced diet
A good diet is essential for having a healthy body, and not eating nutritious food can drastically influence your overall health.
That is why you must consume a wholesome diet to keep your mind and body functioning properly.
Start with ditching packed or processed foods and count on fresh and green leafy vegetables.
Also, consuming seasonal fruits, including healthy fats and plant-based proteins, is a must.
Our body needs both micro and macronutrients to keep the mind and gut in perfect working condition. Therefore, add spinach, beans, legumes, and green leafy vegetables into your diet.
Other superfoods for the body and brain are fish (wild salmon), nuts, berries, whole grains, sage, avocados, eggs, kefir, seaweed, and mushrooms.
Your plate must contain colours (different foods), so choose accordingly and eat a diet full of nutrients.
3. Take care of yourself
Sometimes people are not able to take the right care of themselves.
Suppose one person experiences nausea after eating certain foods, which could be a sign of an allergic reaction, but still, that individual will ignore it and again consume the same dish in some weeks.
Another instance is if someone gets frequent colds and sneezing, then there are chances that this person has an allergy, which has not been taken seriously.
Similarly, if one faces body pain regularly, then that individual will count on medication, but an alternative option could be acupuncture.
It is always better to consider a holistic approach instead of consuming pills alone for health conditions. The crux is to take good care of yourself.
Therefore, focus on natural ways to treat issues and improve your life.
4. Sleep enough
Today’s busy life has made people focus more on work and less on life.
That is why health issues are increasing daily, and not sleeping enough is one of the main culprits.
By the way, did you know sleep experts suggest sleeping 7 to 9 hours a day for best health?
If you are a busy professional, try to sleep at least 7 hours at night.
You may be surprised to know that chronic sleep deprivation can cause serious health problems, including heart attack, diabetes, high blood pressure, psychiatric disorders, and obesity.
Moreover, your immune system will weaken if you sleep for fewer hours.
Along with quantity, quality sleep also matters a lot.
It is clear that you have to make sure you sleep enough to keep health issues away and lead a healthy life.
Also, Read – 15 PROVEN Ways To Get Better Sleep
5. Ditch your bad habits
Smoking is one of the worst habits that can cause fatal diseases such as lung cancer.
It does nothing good to your body, and once you start smoking casually, you will become a chain smoker in no time.
Another bad habit is a high intake of alcohol.
Just like smoking, alcohol also brings health conditions such as liver disease, high blood pressure, etc.
If you can’t quit it, then you should at least reduce its intake and consume it in moderation.
Consuming sugar in high quantities is also not at all a good habit.
It is bad for your teeth, makes you obese, and can even cause insulin resistance, which results in type 2 diabetes.
So, limit your sugar intake as well. These are some of the top bad habits you must ditch at all costs.
To live better, you can incorporate good habits such as:
- drinking more water,
- finding creative substitutions for unhealthy foods,
- and exercising regularly.
6. Manage your stress
No doubt that it is easy to say, but your goal is to have better health, and worrying too much can negatively impact your health.
It is clear that modern life becomes tough if not managed properly.
Troubles will be there, and issues will knock in without any prior notifications, but excessive overthinking is not the option.
You can take steps to resolve the problem and work on it vigorously.
If something has to happen, it will happen. So you must manage your stress levels.
Further, it is vital to slow down for a day.
Unplugging yourself from electronics is a great option and if you can’t switch off your phone or laptop, then at least try to minimize the use on weekends and take time off for yourself.
You can do meditation, prayer, or yoga to relieve your mind from worries.
7. Go out
Plan travel, spend some time in nature, or do a casual get-together.
These are some of the best ways you can consider while taking a break from your hectic life.
You can try going out for a short time; even research shows that such small breaks are associated with good health and wellbeing.
Also, connecting with people can naturally calm your mind, and your body will be able to release more dopamine (a happy hormone). The key is to chill, relax, and let your brain refresh.
Therefore, the best way you can is to move out of your home for some time, get fresh air, and feel good.
Final words
These were the top ways to consider making healthy lifestyle changes.
It takes time to drop bad habits and develop new ones. You must be patient and stay consistent. Remember that you must make a long-term commitment by following these ways.
In return, you will get a healthy mind, body, and a great life. Would you like to discuss making lifestyle changes with one of our doctors? Use our email information service.
From the author: “My approach is to re-balance the body and achieve relief without using harsh pharmaceutical drugs“. Read more about Dr Alexander Ezzati at Balance Within You.
More Reading
Editing by AskAwayHealth Team
Disclaimer
All AskAwayHealth articles are written by practising Medical Practitioners on a wide range of health care conditions to provide evidence-based guidance and to help promote quality health care. The advice in our material is not meant to replace the management of your specific condition by a qualified health care practitioner.
To discuss your condition, please contact a health practitioner or reach us directly through info@askawayhealth.org