HOW TO LIVE A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE: The Wellness Guide
To live a long and healthy life, you need to follow the formula laid out here in the Wellness Guide.
Read all about it here:
Here is a list of things that you should be mindful of as you live your day-to-day life:
- Diet Control
- Exercise Habit
- Relaxation Techniques
- BMI Regulation – this is height and weight related
- Blood Pressure Management
- Cholesterol Monitoring
When you understand these concepts and practice them, a Healthy Lifestyle develops; and good health and a long life follows.
We all want to be well. We all yearn to be in control and feel better. We all want more energy.
But there is an enormous gap between wanting to be well and the daily reality of living with the mental and physical health penalties of overeating, under-exercising, and having too little relaxation time.
What is the best approach to a Healthy Lifestyle?
While most people may not be doing anything bad, but they’re not doing the good things, either.
Most people are:
- not eating well
- They’re not exercising
- They’re stressed
- They’re stuck
- They’re not making progress
To live a Healthy Lifestyle, here are the best advice for those who need to make adjustments to their current lifestyle
1. Don’t Drink Sugar Calories – Soft Drinks & Malt
Sugary drinks are the most fattening things you can put into your body.
This is because liquid sugar calories do not get registered by the brain in the same way as calories from solid foods. For this reason, when you drink soft drinks, you end up eating more total calories
Sugary drinks are strongly associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and all sorts of health problems
Keep in mind that fruit juices are just as bad as soda in this regard. They have just as much sugar.
2. Avoid Processed Junk Food (Eat Real Food Instead)
All the processed junk foods in the diet are the biggest reason the world is fatter and sicker than ever before.
These fast foods trick our brains into eating more than we need, even leading to addiction in some people.
They are also low in fibre, protein and micronutrients (empty calories), but high in unhealthy ingredients like added sugar and refined grains.
Drink more tea – Without sugar
3. Drink More Tea & Herbs (without added sugar)
Drinking tea has many health benefits. A daily cup (or two!) can be good for you.
No matter what the season, tea can be a tasty beverage since it can be served iced or hot.
But its benefits go far beyond refreshment. There is plenty of research showing that drinking tea can actually improve your health.
At the very least, it’s a flavourful way of getting enough fluid into your body each day. On top of that, studies have shown teas can help protect your teeth and your heart, as well as possibly even helping to stave off cancer.
Other benefits of drinking tea include:
- Tea contains antioxidants. …
- Tea has less caffeine than coffee. …
- Tea may reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. …
- Tea may help with weight loss. …
- Tea may help protect your bones. …
- Tea may keep your smile bright.
4. Eat Fatty Fish
Everyone agrees that fish is healthy.
This is particularly true of fatty fish, like catfish and pilchards, which has omega-3 fatty acids and various other nutrients.
Studies show that people who eat the most fish have a lower risk of all sorts of diseases, including heart disease, dementia and depression.
5. Get Enough Sleep
The importance of getting enough quality sleep cannot be overstated.
It may be just as important as diet and exercise, if not more.
Poor sleep can drive insulin resistance, disrupt your appetite hormones and reduce your physical and mental performance
What’s more, it is one of the strongest individual risk factors for future weight gain and obesity. One study showed that short sleep was linked to 89% increased risk of obesity in children, and 55% in adults.
It also contributes to spikes in Blood Pressure.
6. Drink Some Water, Especially Before Meals
Drinking enough water can have numerous benefits.
One important factor, is that it can help boost the quantity of calories you burn.
According to multiple studies, it can boost metabolism by 24-30% over a period of 1-1.5 hours. This can amount to 96 additional calories burned if you drink 2 litres (67 oz) of water per day.
The best time to drink water is half an hour before meals. One study showed that half a litre of water, 30 minutes before each meal, increased weight loss by 44%
7. Eat Vegetables and Fruits
Vegetables and fruits are the considered very healthy foods, and for good reason.
They contain prebiotic fibre, vitamins, minerals, and all sorts of antioxidants, some of which have potent biological effects.
Studies show that people who eat the most vegetables and fruits live longer, and have a lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and all sorts of diseases.
8. Do Some Cardio, or Just Walk More
Doing aerobic exercise (or cardio) is one of the best things you can do for your mental and physical health.
It is particularly effective at reducing belly fat, the harmful type of fat that builds up around your organs. Reduced belly fat should lead to major improvements in metabolic health.
It is important to increase the amount of walking done daily for fitness purposes. Sitting for long spells and driving are the major contributors to a sedentary lifestyle that increases the risks for very serious diseases like diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure.
9. Don’t Smoke or do Drugs, and Only Drink in Moderation
If you’re a tobacco smoker, or abuse drugs, then diet and exercise are the least of your worries. Tackle those problems first.
If you choose to include alcohol in your life, then do so in moderation only, and consider avoiding it completely if you have alcoholic tendencies.
10. Use Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil is the healthiest fat on the planet.
It is loaded with heart-healthy mono-unsaturated fats and powerful antioxidants that can fight inflammation
Extra virgin olive oil leads to many beneficial effects on heart health, and people who consume olive oil have a much lower risk of dying from heart attacks and strokes.
Use oils high in cholesterol, like Palm Oil, in moderation. Vegetable oils are a better option than Palm Oils.
11. Minimize Your Intake of Added Sugars
Added sugar is the single worst ingredient in the modern diet.
Small amounts are fine, but when people eat large amounts, it can wreak havoc on metabolic health
A high intake of added sugar is linked to numerous diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and many forms of cancer.
12. Don’t Eat a Lot of Refined Carbohydrates
Not all carbs are created equal.
Refined carbs have been highly processed and have had all the fibre removed from them. They are low in nutrients (empty calories) and can be extremely harmful.
Studies show that refined carbohydrates are linked to overeating and numerous metabolic diseases
13. Lift Heavy Things
Lifting weights is one of the best things you can do to strengthen your body and improve your body composition.
It also leads to massive improvements in metabolic health, including improved insulin sensitivity
The best approach is to go to a gym and lift weights, but doing body weight exercises like push-ups and sit-up, can be just as effective.
14. Use Plenty of Herbs and Spices
There are many incredibly healthy herbs and spices.
For example, ginger and turmeric both have potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, leading to various health benefits
You should make an effort to include as many different herbs and spices as you can. Many of them can have powerful beneficial effects on your health.
Bitter leaf, water leaf and other leaves add a lot of healthy nutrients to soups and stews.
15. Take Care of Your Relationships
Social relationships are incredibly important. Not only for your mental wellbeing, but your physical health as well.
Studies show that people who are close with friends and family are healthier and live much longer than those who are not.
16. Track Your Food Intake Every Now and Then
The only way to know exactly what you are eating, is to weigh your foods and use a notepad to record what you eat.
This is important to know how many calories you are eating. It is also essential to make sure that you eat enough protein, fibre, and micronutrients.
Studies show that people who track their food intake in one way or another tend to be more successful at losing weight and sticking to a healthy diet.
Anything that increases your awareness of what you are eating is likely to help you succeed.
17. If You Have Excess Belly Fat, Get Rid of it
Not all body fat is equal.
It is mostly the fat in your abdominal cavity, the belly fat, that causes problems. This fat builds up around the organs, and is strongly linked to metabolic disease
For this reason, your waist size may be a much stronger marker for your health than the number on the scale.
Cutting carbs, eating more protein, and eating plenty of fibre are all excellent ways to get rid of belly fat
