The gym culture is observing exponential growth. Owing to the alarming rise in obesity, many international health agencies have taken the responsibility to educate people about the pitfalls of overweight. As a result, many of us have started to take fitness more seriously. But there is more to a healthy lifestyle than regularly hitting the gym.
Nobody can deny the wide range of benefits that come with lifting weights or sweating on the treadmill. However, this is just one aspect of keeping yourself healthy. If you want to be healthy in the long run, you must work to develop the following habits:
1. Minimize Screen Time
The collaboration between the internet and mobile phones has made our life a lot easier. One does not have to stand in a long queue to pay their bills anymore. Just clicking a few buttons from the comfort of home pretty much gets the job done. The same goes for a broad spectrum of everyday responsibilities. But do you know that our health is getting vulnerable due to an ever-increasing spell of screen time? Anxiety, obesity, and poor quality sleep are the standout consequences that spring from too much mobile usage.
While it is hard to imagine modern-day life without smartphones, we surely can’t continue business as usual. Try to catch up with friends and spend time with them instead of scrolling aimlessly on social media. Another way to cut screen time is to set a timer. You can download applications that will limit the time you spend on a website or any online platform.
2. Dental Care
For bacteria, our mouth serves as a gateway to enter the body. These bacteria could stimulate numerous diseases down the road. So it is imperative to nib in the bud of germs right from the get-go. Almost everyone knows that brushing twice a day is one of the key tactics to deal with this problem. That said, incorporating other hygienic measures in the daily routine will take your oral health to the next level. Some of the most tried and trusted dental care approaches are as follows:
- Pay a visit to a dental care expert: The number of people visiting a dentist has gone up lately. Still, a vast proportion of the public only drops by a dental click once a year. Experts recommend that everyone should seek professional guidance about their teeth every six months.
- Limit sugar intake: Enamels accompany our teeth. The primary function of enamels is to safeguard our teeth from injuries. Sugar tends to destroy this protective shell over time, which paves the way for cavities.
3. Balanced Diet
The biggest dilemma of the current generation is it is living a very hectic life. So eating pizza or munching burgers on the go is more convenient for them than conventionally having breakfast. But what is the point of saving a few minutes at the expense of keeping your health at stake?
The balanced diet is a broad term. It connotes eating fresh vegetables, fruits, milk, seafood, and other foods encompassing rich ingredients for our body and mind. The market is oozing with all types of processed products that claim complete nutrition. But experts suggest staying away from manufactured products and instead opt for natural foods.
It bears worth mentioning that you should pay equal attention to eating habits as well. For example, if you are eating the right food at the wrong time, it will not do any good. Worse yet, it could prove to be counterproductive.
4. Wash Your Hands
Our hands are frequently involved in one or the other activity. That is precisely why they are more likely to catch germs. If you fail to clean your hands properly, you may put your health at stake. Moreover, having contaminated hands means you are also actively spreading germs in the atmosphere. Studies have suggested that handwashing alone can account for a 20 percent decrease in an individual’s respiratory diseases.
There is nothing complicated about this practice. It is best to use water and soap to wipe off the viruses frequently. You may opt for a hand sanitizer – preferably with 60 percent alcohol – in the absence of water and soap. Depending on the everyday activities, the ideal number of times one should wash his/her hands varies from person to person. But here are some of the critical times when handwashing becomes inevitable:
- Before and after eating something
- Before and after applying ointment on the wound
- Before and after visiting a sick person
- After coughing and sneezing
- After dumping the trash or finishing household cleaning errands
5. Stay Hydrated
Staying on top of the hydration could lead to several physical upshots, including improved cardiovascular health, sparkling skin, weight loss, healthy joints, and so forth. Drinking water is the easiest way to maintain an optimal level of hydration in the body.
In case you do not love plain water, green tea, coconut water, and orange juice could be the best alternative for you. Do not consume soda and other sugary drinks as they might trigger type 2 diabetes.
The ideal regular intake of water is not the same for everyone. The reason being, we also get a sufficient amount of hydration from foods. In other words, if someone is eating water-rich foods, they may not have to sip too many liquids. As a rule of thumb, you must drink just about enough water that you could have the urge of urinating every 2 to 4 hours.
6. Go for a Walk
Experts can’t stress enough the importance of taking a brisk walk. Do not assume you have to walk in the open an hour or so. Following a credible report, you can burn as many as about 50 calories by walking for ten minutes. The icing on the cake is that walk works as the antidote for stress.
The Concluding Remarks
No one can adopt healthy habits overnight. They take time to develop. Therefore, staying resilient holds the key. If you lag a bit down the road, try again because building healthy habits is worth all the time and effort.