Eating healthy, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep and managing stress are essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The key is to find what works best for you and make it a habit.
Cook with vegetable, canola, olive or peanut oil instead of solid fats (butter, margarine, shortening). Choose grilled, baked, broiled or roasted meats and poultry, and salad dressings made with oils.
Eat a Balanced Diet
A healthy diet provides your body with the nutrients and energy it needs to function properly. This includes foods from all major food groups such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, low-fat dairy products and healthy fats (including fatty fish, nuts, seeds and beans).
A balanced diet can also help you maintain or achieve a healthy weight. It also helps protect against disease, boosts your immune system and helps you grow and develop normally.
Eating a healthy diet can be hard at times, but it’s important to try and stick with it. Avoid foods that are high in sugar and unhealthy fats (such as soda, cookies, cakes, fries and pizza) and choose whole-grain versions instead. It’s also a good idea to cut down on salt.
Get Enough Sleep
Getting enough sleep is one of the most important things you can do to stay healthy. Not only can it improve your mental health and mood, but it also helps prevent heart disease, obesity, and infection.
There is no one-size-fits-all amount of sleep that everyone needs, but most experts recommend between 7 and 9 hours per night. To make sure you’re getting enough sleep, try to maintain a regular sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, including on weekends. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and large meals in the hours leading up to bedtime.
If you’re having trouble sleeping, talk to your doctor or a sleep specialist for help. They can help you find solutions that work for you.
Exercise Regularly
Working exercise into your daily routine is one of the most important things you can do to stay healthy. However, it can be difficult to know where to start. You don’t need to spend hours in the gym or train for a marathon to reap the benefits of exercise; you can do it anywhere and any way.
Try to work physical activity into your day in small increments or find activities that you enjoy. For example, take the stairs instead of the elevator at work or go for a walk during your lunch break. You can also turn sit time into fit time by doing bodyweight squats while watching TV or dancing to your favorite songs. If you’re struggling with a mental health issue, exercise can also help by providing a positive outlet for stress.
Stay Hydrated
A cold glass of water on a hot summer day is refreshing, but hydration is more than just thirst quenching. It’s essential for a healthy body, and helps with everything from temperature control to brain function and joint mobility.
Drinking enough water is a good way to help the body fight off dehydration, which can lead to headaches, dry skin and dizziness. The recommended amount of fluid to consume each day is six to eight glasses of water, though individual hydration needs vary.
Try adding in other sources of water like fruits and vegetables with high water content, such as strawberries, tomatoes and lettuce, or sip low-calorie smoothies made with fresh fruit and water. Also, keep in mind that caffeine and alcohol are dehydrating, so limit them.
Wash Your Hands
Hand washing is one of the most important things you can do to stay healthy. Frequent, thorough handwashing with soap reduces germs on hands and helps prevent the spread of viruses like COVID-19 and stomach infections that cause diarrhea. When soap and water are not available, a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol is effective.
Wash your hands frequently throughout the day, especially after touching doorknobs, gas pumps, ATMs, touchscreens and other objects that can carry germs. Be sure to wash your wrists and under your fingernails as well. If you need to cough or sneeze, try to do so into your elbow (known as the vampire sneeze) rather than your hands, which can transfer the germs.