8 Benefits of a Healthy Lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle means something different to everyone. It may be walking 5 days a week, eating whole grains, or spending time with family and friends (both in-person and virtual).
Health-conscious choices help prevent many of the country’s leading causes of death by strengthening the immune system and increasing energy levels. They also support environmental sustainability, reduce stress, and boost mental health.
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Reduced Risk of Chronic Diseases
A healthy lifestyle isn’t just about eating nutritious foods, but also about exercising regularly, focusing on your mental health, spending quality time with family and friends, and reducing alcohol consumption. While it can be challenging to make these changes, the benefits will be life-changing!
There’s a strong link between unhealthy lifestyle choices and chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and obesity. Oftentimes, these diseases are caused by poor diet and lack of physical activity, tobacco use, stress, sleep deprivation, and excessive consumption of alcohol.
However, studies have shown that moderate amounts of alcohol, regular exercise, a low-fat diet, and no smoking significantly reduce the risk for many major diseases and premature mortality. These results highlight the importance of making healthy habits a priority in our everyday lives, and they demonstrate that even small changes can have big impacts at a population level. If you are struggling to make these changes, reach out to a registered dietitian nutritionist for help! They can offer virtual or in-person support to help you get on the right track.
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Reduced Risk of Mental Health Issues
A healthy lifestyle can look different for everyone because it’s your life, and you get to decide what that means. But there are some things that are generally recommended, like getting plenty of exercise, eating a well-balanced diet and prioritizing mental health.
Regular physical activity is associated with lower risk for mood disorders, stress and anxiety, substance use and chronic diseases. It’s also linked with higher self-esteem and improved sleep and energy. In fact, it’s one of the most important preventive interventions for mental health, and we can even see its effects on reducing the incidence of depression during adolescence.
When starting an exercise routine, it’s best to start small and work your way up. Choosing an activity you enjoy will increase the likelihood that you’ll stick with it. For example, instead of aiming to run a marathon next month, try walking for 10 minutes a day, 5 days a week. This will help you build up your strength and endurance over time. This is known as the SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound) approach to goals.
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Better Sleep
Getting enough sleep is a key factor in overall health. A good night’s rest promotes mental health, healthy weight, and a stronger immune system. Poor sleep is associated with a variety of negative health outcomes, including increased risk of heart disease and higher rates of obesity.
While individual sleep needs vary, most adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night. However, 35% of adults do not get enough sleep on a regular basis.
Sleep and nutrition have a direct relationship, with diet and food choices having a significant impact on the quality of sleep one gets. Ideally, a healthy eating pattern focuses on whole foods, including plenty of fiber-rich vegetables and fruits, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, and whole grains. This eating style is also low in processed sugar and saturated fat.
In addition, a regular exercise routine, especially in the morning, helps with falling asleep and staying asleep at night. Avoid large meals and caffeine before bed, and limit alcohol consumption, as it tends to interfere with sleep and inhibits REM (rapid eye movement) sleep.
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Increased Energy
If you’re constantly feeling sluggish and fatigued, there are likely a number of factors contributing to your low energy levels. Eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly can help improve your energy levels naturally.
When eating a healthy diet, be sure to include plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein sources. Try to limit added sugars and saturated fat, as well as sodium and processed foods. Carbohydrates are an important source of energy for your body, but be careful not to eat too many empty carbohydrates (such as refined bread and pasta) that may provide a quick jolt but leave you in a slump shortly thereafter.
It’s also recommended to drink plenty of water each day to stay hydrated. Exercise daily, or at least a few times per week, to increase your physical activity. It’s best to find a form of movement that you enjoy, such as hiking a fourteener, taking an online yoga class, or simply walking your kids home from school. If you struggle to keep up with a daily workout routine, begin by setting small, achievable goals like walking for 30 minutes each day.
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Increased Vitality
Having the energy to get through each day is one of the most beneficial aspects of living a healthy lifestyle. You can increase your energy levels by making some small improvements to your lifestyle and keeping them up over time. Start by introducing one new health improvement every two months, and you’ll be surprised at how much of an impact it can have.
A healthy lifestyle focuses on eating nutritious foods, being physically active, getting enough sleep and prioritizing mental health. While these may seem like common-sense health recommendations, there is increasing evidence that they can significantly improve your overall well-being.
A healthy diet is low in saturated fat, high in fibre and contains a variety of nutrients. Try to eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and avoid processed or sugary foods. A healthy lifestyle also includes moderate to vigorous physical activity, such as walking or sports, on most days of the week. Start with a goal of 30 minutes of exercise each day, and work your way up to 150 minutes per week.
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Reduced Stress
A healthy lifestyle is centered around diet and exercise, which can help you feel your best physically and mentally. It can look a lot of different ways for each unique person.
Eating nutrient-dense foods, getting adequate sleep, limiting sugar and alcohol, being physically active, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking and managing stress are all things that make up a healthy lifestyle. These habits may seem like common sense, but they’re backed by medical research and can improve your quality of life in many ways.
If you’re struggling with stress, try to take a step back from the situation. You can also try to group your worries into those that have a practical solution, those that will get better anyway given time, and those you can’t do anything about. Putting things into perspective can decrease your overall stress levels and may even help you to sleep better. Getting sufficient sleep can help your body repair itself and reduce stress and memory issues.
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Increased Life Expectancy
A healthy lifestyle can mean many things to different people. For one person, it may mean consuming whole foods and limiting processed foods, getting plenty of exercise, and spending quality time with loved ones in-person or virtually. It could also include a daily meditation session and cutting back on caffeine and alcohol.
Researchers have found that a healthy lifestyle can significantly add to your life expectancy, especially if you start early in adulthood. In a recent study, they found that women who maintained all five of the healthiest habits – eating well, getting regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, and prioritizing mental health – gained three more years of disease-free life expectancy than those who didn’t. Men who did the same added six years of disease-free life expectancy.
The team of researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health analyzed data from more than 136,599 adults in the United States and compared their health metrics with their life expectancy at age 50. The healthiest group, which scored high on the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 cardiovascular health scoring tool, lived longer lives than those with lower scores.
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Better Health
A healthy lifestyle is a combination of different factors that contribute to your overall well-being. This includes eating nutritious foods, getting enough sleep and exercise, and prioritizing mental health. All of these things can help improve your mental and physical health, allowing you to feel more energized and confident.
A healthful diet should focus on whole, nutrient-dense foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains. It should also avoid processed and sugary foods, and limit alcohol and salt intake. Regular exercise helps reduce stress and anxiety, while adequate sleep can help manage mood disorders like depression and anxiety.
Living a healthy lifestyle can seem overwhelming at first, but it’s important to take it slow and stick with it. Start by making one small change at a time, and celebrate your successes! And if you need help creating a healthy lifestyle, reach out to a registered dietitian nutritionist. They can offer guidance and support through the process of making lasting changes. Visit 24/7 Fitness for more information!
