Whoever said that health is wealth wasn’t joking. No amount of wealth can equate to good health, and I would never hesitate to choose good health over wealth. This is because you need to stay healthy both physically and mentally in order to be happy, and thus create a life worth living. While it may sound like hard-work, it really isn’t. All you need is to start now, and these 7 effortless ways will kick-start your journey to be healthier.
Read on!
- Take the Stairway to Health
Elevators and escalators have made people neglect stairways so much that they’d literally do anything for the convenience, even if they had to wait longer for their turn. If you are one of them, then it is high time you sympathize the stairway. Research shows that climbing stairs for just 10 minutes can burn up to 200 Kcal! It can also halve the risk of heart attacks and keep weight-gain at bay. This is because climbing is a vertical movement that extensively engages both your leg muscles and speed up your heart rate almost as twice as a walk would. Make taking the stairway a habit, and stay fit without even realizing it.
- Stay Hydrated
Every day, you need about 30 to 50 ounces of water to stay healthy. Any amount less than that is the reason for increased level of chronic headaches, depression, indigestion, fatigue, and anxiety. Water, in fact, is essential to maintain the smooth functioning of every system in our body. So don’t let coffee and soft drinks replace your healthy glass of water. Get into a habit of starting your day with a full glass, and always leave a bottle in places you frequent in. This way, you wouldn’t have to delay the intake of water by walking up to a water fountain whenever the thirst kicks in.
- Stuff Your Pockets With Nuts and Seeds
Enough stuffing your pockets with chocolates bars and candy canes. Instead, stuff them with nuts and seeds! All types of nuts from almonds to walnuts to pecans and cashews come loaded with health benefits. They even help to fight cancer, lower cholesterol, help your heart as well as your immune system with its functioning.
You can also include these nuts into your diet by serving smoothies, desserts and salads with nut toppings. This way, you can make sure that your nutty intake is more enjoyable.
- Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is one of the most effortless way to be healthier. It’s essential to both body and mind to function at its maximum capacity each day. Traditionally, 7 to 8 hours of sleep is considered important for adults. However, what matters the most is quality sleep, even if the number of hours is less than that. Make sure you go to bed at the same hour each day, and relax your mind to de-stress yourself. This way, you wouldn’t struggle to fall asleep, and wake up fresh to face each day with a clear head.
- Flush Out Negative People
Negative people can not only dampen your mood, but also affect your mental happiness in ways that you aren’t even aware of. Believe it or not, there are people who’ve made it a habit of bringing people down with narcissist comments and that should be your clue to flush them out of your life. Stop hanging out with people who threaten to destroy the peace of your mind, and surround yourself with people who would genuinely assist to bring out the best in you.
- Minimize the Intake of Processed Food
Processed food have become the norm in today’s world. Most teens and kids eat processed food because their favorite television characters eat them, without knowing the fact that they get paid to eat them in shows. It’s high time we break the norm, and set things straight for processed foods are unhealthy at best. Include vegetables, fruit, lean meats like chicken and ground turkey, and grains in at least one of your main meals to stay healthy and fit.
- Poop Without Your Phone
According to a recent study, 9 out of 10 people use their phones in the washroom. Chances are, you’re reading this article while sitting on a toilet seat! But little do people know how badly it influences health, especially because people don’t give it enough thought to consider it unhealthy. Phone surfaces, in fact, are covered with harmful pathogens, and taking it into the washroom will only serve to double it. Imagine then leaving it on your dining table, or making a call by placing it on your ear? No wonder people fall ill everyday.