You can’t control everything that affects your health. Many illnesses, diseases, and chronic health conditions are unavoidable. For example, being a woman significantly increases your risk of breast cancer (women account for more than 99% of breast cancer cases). But you have no control over your gender.
This means that it’s critical to concentrate on the factors over which you have control.
Making healthy lifestyle choices can help you maintain a healthy weight, lower your risk of heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers, and improve your overall quality of life.
The sooner you make healthy changes, the sooner you will notice health benefits and the easier it will be to form long-term, healthy habits.
Here are five healthy lifestyle suggestions to get you started.
1. Increase Your Water Consumption
Most people get enough water from the foods they eat each day. While there is no set amount of water that a person should drink each day, sufficient water is essential for good health. Getting enough water each day helps prevent dehydration and ensures that our bodies have enough water to function properly.
2. Increase Your Movement
Physical activity is necessary for good health. It strengthens your muscles and bones, lowers your risk of certain chronic health issues, and aids in weight management. Adults should engage in 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity daily. The more you move, the better your health will be.
3. Get More Rest
Most people do not get enough sleep at night, and sleep is often one of the first things you are willing to sacrifice in order to gain more time in the day. When you need to put in extra work to meet a deadline or want to fit exercise into your daily routine, many people sacrifice sleep time. Adults require seven to nine hours of sleep per night, but you can’t go to bed at midnight and wake up at 7 a.m. Sleep quality is also important. Maintain healthy sleeping habits.
4. Consume Lesser Processed Foods
In general, a longer shelf life for food means a lesser lifespan for you. Almost all of the food you buy at the grocery store has been processed in some way. Processed foods aren’t always bad for you, but highly processed foods are. Reduce your intake of highly processed or ultra-processed foods and instead opt for fresh foods made with real ingredients.
5. Visit Your Doctor More Frequently
Don’t wait until you have a health problem to seek help. A wellness exam with your primary care provider should be scheduled at least once a year. Share your health objectives and any health-related questions or concerns.
Regular doctor visits improve the quality of care you receive. It also provides your doctor with a more complete picture of your overall health, improves communication, and allows your doctor to guide your health decisions to help you reach your health goals.