When we are young most of us neglect the health of our bodies. Fortunately, our youth allows us some leeway in this respect. What we do not realize until later on is our unhealthy habits catch up to us. One day we wake up to find ourselves in a not so healthy state. Following are ten ways we can maintain our health and live a full life.
One important area we need to address is cholesterol intake. The first step is to get tested for your cholesterol levels. This will let you know what your cholesterol levels are and how strict you will need to be in monitoring your intake.
As we have always been told, start eating more fruits and vegetables. Even though science has isolated many vitamins and healthy substances from many fruits and vegetables, dieticians agree it is much better to consume them than swallow a pill. There are many synergistic substances which we cannot get from a pill.
Stay away from processed foods. They are loaded with sodium, chemicals and preservatives. Processing also takes away many of the health benefits in foods , such as fiber,vitamins and minerals.
Portion control is one of the most important tips for maintaining health. Failure to monitor portion size results in weight gain. Of course, to much weight gain and your health becomes plagued with high blood pressure, diabetes and more.
Fiber is crucial to a healthy diet. One of the best things we can do for our body is substitute processed foods for non processed. For instance whole wheat bread instead of bleached white bread. Natural cereals rich in bran and oats instead of sugar filled, processed ones.
Having sufficient protein intake is another important step to staying healthy. Our skin, hair, fingernails and muscles need protein to stay healthy. If we exercise, protein is needed for muscle repair.
Drinking enough water to keep you hydrated will prevent muscle cramps and help wash away toxins. Most dieticians recommend we drink water regularly, without waiting until we are actually thirsty. Our bodies need water to be able to function well, so routine hydration is a must.
As the name implies, vitamins are vital to our health. Remembering to take your vitamins every day is crucial. With many of our modern foods having been stripped of their vitamin content during processing, it is difficult to get all our recommended daily allowances of vitamins and minerals.
Remember to eat a well balanced breakfast for a healthy start to your day. Neglecting to eat breakfast can result in low energy levels and overeating during lunch. Doctors and health care professionals always tell us breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
Make sure to get a good night sleep. When we sleep our body and mind have a chance to recuperate. Not only is sleep deprivation detrimental to our health, but also our safety when engaging in activities like driving and other tasks requiring mental clarity .
Following these simple tip, using common sense and moderation will help us stay healthy into our golden years.