It is important to be healthy in today’s fast-paced and opportunity-laden world. Without good health, you cannot be the best that you can be in your relationships and career. Health truly is wealth, and it’s the kind of wealth you cannot purchase from a shop or instantly obtain overnight. To achieve great health, you need to start cultivating positive habits that will improve your mind and body. Here are four healthy habits that are simple and straightforward enough that you can start doing them today.
“To achieve great health,
you need to start cultivating positive
habits that will improve your
mind and body.”
Drink Enough Water
Dehydration is an alarming problem that affects millions of people. In fact, a CBS report in 2013 said that 75 percent of Americans are chronically dehydrated. The effects of dehydration can range from mild, like headaches and dry skin, to life-threatening, like vomiting and even death. Drinking enough water will also help you function at optimum levels as it is known to improve focus and memory.
Make it a daily habit to drink at least eight glasses, or about two liters, of water. To keep track of your water intake, use a water bottle that you can easily refill and carry around with you. If you hate the taste of bland water and have trouble hitting your daily target, put in a flavorful twist to the water by adding fresh fruits like lemon.
Cut Down on Sugar
Numerous studies have reported that sugar is one of the leading causes of today’s critical health issues like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Sugar is also highly addictive and is shown to have the same effects as illicit drugs like cocaine. These should convince you to start cutting down on your sugar intake. Start by reading the labels of products when grocery shopping. Look out for words like fructose, dextrose, galactose, glucose, and lactose, as these are actually just sugar in disguise. Second, practice drinking water instead of fruit juices, cola, and other sweetened bottled drinks as these are high in sugar.
If you think you are up to the challenge, you can do a complete sugar detox for a week or two to effectively eliminate your reliance on sweet food. When doing the sugar fast, you might experience withdrawal symptoms in the first couple of days, like headaches, sluggishness, and irritability; but as the week progresses, these symptoms will soon disappear, and you’ll find the results very worthwhile.
Find an Exercise that Works For You
Not all people enjoy working out, which is why it is important that you find a regimen that suits your lifestyle and personality. For example, if you consider yourself outgoing and love actively socializing with people, then sign up for team activities like basketball, paintball, and other programs that will require you to be part of a group. On the other hand, if you are introverted and are more comfortable doing solitary activities, you can try yoga or at-home workouts that can easily be inserted into your daily schedule.
Full-body exercises like burpees can be easily done at home without the need for any equipment. Exercising should be fun and engaging, but it shouldn’t be painful. Consider using KT tapes to avoid blisters on your next intense exercise sessions, and make it more fun by using different colors.
Quit Your Bad Habits
Being healthy is a mind-set and not just about doing a particular set of activities. It means you are committed to improving every aspect of your life and not just your physical health. To make this possible, you need to break free from habits that will not contribute to your positive growth. Take time to evaluate your current lifestyle and check if there are any behaviors that you think should be eliminated.
If you are a smoker, now is a good time to quit. You may want to take an at-home nicotine test kit to assess how much work you need to do to quit the habit. If you have been chain-smoking for years, going cold turkey may not be the most realistic option. You can gradually decrease the amount of cigarettes you smoke until you completely cut it out. There are support groups that can help motivate you throughout your journey.
What are your favorite tips for living a healthy lifestyle?
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