We have productivity habits but are we looking into our health habits as much as we do with work? When it comes to our health, there should be no compromise. But we fail to realize that staying healthy is a key to everything that we want to do in our lifetime. A change in perspective is in order. Here are ten habits that you should be adopting now.
1 Exercise
When we exercise, there are physiological things that happen to our body. It affects each of our organs to function well.
- Heart – Our heart rate increases to circulate more oxygen through our blood in a faster pace. The more that we exercise, the heart becomes more efficient at this process. Becoming more efficient means we can do things longer and harder.
- Brain – When we exercise regularly, the brain gets used to the surge of blood flow that boosts brain cell function and protects from certain diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, stroke, and even slows down the aging process in some ways.
- Lungs – When we increase our capacity to use oxygen, this is called VO2 max. When this is higher, it is a sign that we are healthier.
One exercise becomes a habit, it becomes an activity that we look forward to rather than a chore that we avoid.
2 Healthy Snacking
We are a snacking generation. But snacking can be bad or good depending on the food you eat. Of course, those cakes, ice creams, and chocolate bars might lead to diabetes, and French fries, pizza, and donuts to heart conditions. But good healthy snacks can just be the answer to health sustainability.
Snacking becomes a healthy habit when we choose the right food. For one, snacking helps in keeping hunger at bay until you can eat a full healthy meal. Healthy snacking can also help in weight loss by incorporating fruits and vegetables because of they have fewer calories, high in fiber, full of water, lots of nutrients, little to no fat.If you’re tempted to treat yourself to a snack, a serving of healthy post workout snacks helps in stifling the sugar craving.
3 Adopt the outdoors
Studies show that spending time with nature helps improve our mood and decrease anxiety. In addition, “green exercise” has helped in improving self-esteem problems in mentally ill patients.In a Michigan State University Extension article, outdoor learning programs for kids showed a decline in Cortisol, the hormone responsible for fight or flight response in our body. The lower the Cortisol, the calmer we are.
4 Limit digital time
There are plenty of opportunities for us to leave the phone, computer or TV. For example, taking time to play with our kids outdoors, exercising under the sun during the weekend, camping out and what not.
5 Schedule preventive health check
A scheduled check with our health practitioner is an opportunity for us to learn more about symptoms, preventive measures, and emergency cases. Going to the doctor means understanding your body more.
6 Water vs sweetened beverages
Instead of beverages, opt to drink 8-12 glasses of water every day. No other drink can keep your body hydrated like water. Beverages have sugar that is one of the main causes of diabetes.
7 Get adequate sleep
For appetite and weight management, sleep is key to achieving your health goals. Those who don’t get enough sleep have a higher risk of cancer and other chronic diseases.
8 Quiet your mind
Rest your mind. Allot a time each day where you can just think quietly or space out to recharge. With this, you practice better focus.
9 Learn more about the food you eat
We have health problems because we don’t know what is in the food we eat. Sadly, we trust food companies to tell us that certain foods are low in fat, no sugar or high in protein instead of doing our own research.
10 Cook more
Healthy homemade snacks are your best chance at a balanced diet. When we cook, we can choose which ingredients go into our kitchen. Moreover, we can look at local farmers’ produce compared to just getting everything from the groceries in cans.
