Do you want to stay looking your youngest and most vibrant for the rest of your life? You can do it by developing healthy habits. Healthy habits are like any type of habit. They become second nature and you don’t think twice about doing them. One very simple change can be in what you choose to drink. Eliminate carbonated and sugary drinks from your diet and switch to water, herbal tea and green tea. Water is a great choice for flushing your system and hydrating you rapidly. Herbal and green tea have their own extra benefits from the nutrients and phytonutrients they contain.
Get regular exercise and add to it an active lifestyle.
Even if you have a program of regular exercise, but stand at the elevator waiting to take it one floor, or circle the parking lot for 15 minutes trying to find the spot nearest the door, you don’t have all the healthy habits you should have. Make it a point to use your legs as often as possible. Don’t hop in the car to drive to a neighbors just down the road, hoof it. Each bit of additional exercise you add will help you be fit and healthier.
Eat whole foods and leave processed foods on the shelf at the store.
The closer you come to eating a diet of whole foods, the more likely you’ll be to getting the healthiest possible diet. Start changing your diet in small ways, such as freezing bananas and mashing or grinding them up to replace ice cream or substituting brown or wild rice for white rice. When you make your own food, you know exactly what’s in it. Cut back on the fast food and opt for healthier choices. You can create a salad quicker than the time it takes sitting in a drive-through. It’s especially true if you have all the ingredients ready. When you cook chicken or make a roast, slice off pieces and put them in individual servings packets for the freezer that you’ll thaw in the microwave to use whenever you . Have containers of fresh veggies always on hand for snacks. Using those and some lettuce or baby spinach makes creating a salad a breeze in under two minutes.
Get plenty of sleep.
In this country, somewhere along the line working until the wee hours of the night and longer hours became a noble gesture. While nobody can fault a person dedicated to good work and finishing a task, they may be harming their health and working less efficiently by getting fewer hours of sleep. You need seven to nine hours of sleep. Any less causes health problems and decreases mental clarity. Any more may be indicative of a health problem.
If you smoke, quit. Smoking was until recently one of the leading causes of preventable death. It’s since been overtaken by obesity.
Enjoy a rich social life. Whether it’s family or friends, the more socially active you are, the healthier you probably are. Many studies show that have strong social bonds live longer and healthier.
Beware of diet products. Artificial sweeteners are lower in calories, but not necessarily good for you. There are so many sugar alternatives, some of which are healthier than others. Be aware of any health habits and limit your intake.
Limit the use of alcohol. Drinking wine in moderation might be heart healthy, but too much alcohol on a regular basis can damage your body.