Follow These 7 Tips to Lead a Long and Healthy Lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle is all about the health choices you make in your everyday life. For instance, it is up to you to grab a glass of water or a can of soda when feeling thirsty. The former keeps you hydrated and nourishes your body. In contrast, the latter is a source of unnecessary calories. Similarly, you can enjoy late-night parties or have a night of sleep and get up fresh for the next day. In this article, we will discuss about seven tips for a long and healthy life.
Adopting a healthy lifestyle becomes much easier when you know what choices to adopt and what to forego. However, if you are short on ideas, we are here to help you with practical and impactful seven tips to live a long and healthy life.
1. Ensure a Safe and Toxins-Free Supply of Drinking Water
A must prerequisite for every household is to have free access to toxin-free drinking water. Unsafe water leads to many health problems. In comparison, access to clean drinking water means averting many diseases. According to WHO, about 829 000 lose their battle for life due to diarrhea yearly resulting from unsafe drinking water, substandard hand hygiene, and poor sanitation. More astonishing is that a fundamentally preventable disease causes these deaths.
Sometimes, due to sheer bad luck or the irresponsibility of others, you are exposed to unsafe drinking water. The military veterans’ exposure to contaminated drinking water in Camp Lejeune is one of the prime examples of this ruthlessness. From 1953 to 1987, contaminated water was poured into the water supply system. As a result, many people, especially pregnant women, children, and infants, were exposed to the contaminated water.
Military veterans exposed to the water for at least 30 days are eligible for compensation. They can contact the claims center at the provided numbers and are entitled to hefty compensation; however, losing health equals no recompense.
Maintaining higher standards for the water you use in the house and drink must be a priority. Before using water for drinking, get it tested to ensure it is toxins-free.
2. Maintain Oral Hygiene
Oral cleanliness is an impression of your general wellbeing. Neglecting your oral hygiene means giving a free pass to the germs, letting them move from the mouth to the rest of your body, and wreaking havoc.
Insufficient oral hygiene is linked to Sjogren’s syndrome (a disorder of the immune system causing dry mouth), rheumatoid arthritis, and an eating disorder. Therefore, just as you take the health and fitness of the rest of the body seriously, give due importance to your oral hygiene too.
Take the following steps to ensure proper oral health
- Use a soft bristle brush and clean your teeth twice daily. Make sure your toothpaste contains fluoride
- Frequently use floss to clean the teeth in areas where a brush cannot reach
- Use mouthwash to prevent bad breath and remove food particles left behind even after brushing
- Consult a dentist once a year at a minimum. Contact your doctor immediately in case of an oral health emergency
- Have a nutritious diet and avoid sugary treats.
- Don’t use your toothbrush for more than three months
- Avoid the use of tobacco
3. Reduce the Screen Time
You cannot avoid sedentary time even after exercising if you are habitual of long screen hours. You might still face issues like joint pain, diabetes, and so on because you spend countless hours sitting in front of computers or watching TV.
Practically speaking, even if you like watching movies and listening to the news, you can reduce your sedentary time by taking breaks and walking in between a couple of times around the room or office.
4. Nourish Your Body Through a Balanced Diet and Exercise
Nourishing your body through a balanced diet and exercise can have significant benefits. Research has established that integrated nutrition and physical activity are important lifestyle components that ensure healthier lifespans and increased longevity.
A balanced diet is composed of various healthy fats, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, among other things. These foods provide essential nutrients and energy needed for optimal bodily functions. This is an another excellent tip to follow from seven tips for a long and healthy life.
Similarly, exercise is also important for maintaining a healthy body. Regular exercise can help maintain optimal weight, reduce the risk of lingering diseases, and recover mental well-being. Doing at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week is recommended.
5. Practice Meditation and Emotion Regulation
Meditation and emotion regulation are powerful tools for promoting a healthy and long life. Meditation involves focusing your mind on the present moment, allowing for increased awareness and decreased stress levels. Emotion regulation, on the other hand, involves managing and expressing emotions in healthy ways rather than being overwhelmed by them.
A research study demonstrated that regular meditation and emotion regulation practices help reduce stress and anxiety while improving overall mental and physical health. This can lead to a longer and healthier life, as chronic stress has been linked to various health problems, including decreased immune function.
6. Invest in Positive Relationships
Investing in positive relationships is important for a blissful and healthy life. Having strong and supportive relationships with family, friends, and loved ones can provide a sense of belonging and self-worth. Positive relationships can also help reduce stress and improve physical health. The Harvard Study of Adult Development—the longest study on human happiness—establishes that having strong social connections and deep, intimate relationships increases happiness, resilience, and longevity in individuals.
On the other hand, social isolation and loneliness can have undesirable effects on both mental and physical health. Investing in positive relationships involves nurturing and maintaining our connections, being supportive and understanding, and practicing effective communication.
7. Have an Optimistic Outlook on Life
Optimism is the tendency to expect positive outcomes and to view setbacks as temporary and controllable. Optimism leads to increased well-being and better health outcomes. Optimistic individuals are more resilient and better equipped to handle stress and adversity. They are likelier to have fewer mental health problems such as anxiety and stress and better cardiovascular health and immune system function.
- Cultivating optimism involves:
- Focusing on positive experiences and outcomes.
- Practicing gratitude.
- Reframing negative situations more positively.
Adopting a more optimistic outlook on life can improve our well-being and health and help you experience greater resilience in adversity.
Read More: 6 Tips to Get Healthy Stay Healthy from Head to Toe
Conclusion
Your responsibility is to take care of your health to lead a healthy and long life. Similarly, deciding which steps can bring your goal to fruition is also your job.
Incorporating meditation and emotion regulation practices into your daily routine is one of the many ways to improve your overall well-being and increase your health profile and longevity. The above article provides more easy-to-follow seven tips for a happy, long and healthy life.
