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Essay on Healthy Lifestyle
The top secret of being physically fit is adopting a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle includes regular exercise, a healthy diet, taking good care of self, healthy sleep habits, and having a physically active daily routine. Lifestyle is the most prevailing factor that affects one’s fitness level. A person leading a sedentary lifestyle has a low fitness level whereas living a healthier life not only makes a person fit but also extends life. Good health has a direct impact on our personality. A person with a good and healthy lifestyle is generally more confident, self-assured, sociable, and energetic.
A good and healthy lifestyle allows one to relish and savor all the pleasures in life without any complications. Even all the wealth is less valuable when compared to sound health. Having all the luxuries in the world does not fulfill its purpose when one is continuously ill, depressed, or suffering from a significant health complication. A healthy person has a clear and calm perception of everything without prejudice. His actions and decisions are more practical and logical and are hence more successful in life.
A good habit is a key factor for a healthy lifestyle. To maintain a stable body and mind, one needs to inculcate good habits. Waking up early in the morning, regularly exercising or a good morning walk helps to keep our body energetic and refresh our mind. Maintaining a balanced and nutritious diet throughout the day is vital for maintaining a good lifestyle. Too much indulgence in alcohol or smoking excessively is not at all appropriate for a healthy lifestyle.
Self-Discipline
Self-discipline is important for maintaining a good lifestyle. When we are self-disciplined then we are more organized and regular in maintaining good health. A disciplined life is a regulated life. A man without discipline is a ship without a rudder. Discipline needs self-control. One who cannot control himself can seldom control others. The level of discipline and perseverance largely determines a person’s success. Self-discipline is the act of disciplining one’s own feelings, desires, etc. especially with the intention of improving oneself. It strengthens our willpower. The stronger our will power the positive will be our decision. It enables us to conquer our own self.
Punctuality
Punctuality is the habit of doing things on time. It is the characteristic of every successful person and everyone must observe punctuality in order to win success in life. Punctuality is necessary for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It should become a habit with us. A punctual person is able to fulfill all his responsibilities and hence is treated with respect in society. It is needed in every walk of life.
Diet is an important component for overall fitness and works best in combination with exercise. A balanced diet and exercise regularly help to maintain good health. It is necessary to reduce weight if one is overweight or obese, failing which one cannot be physically fit for long. For people with obesity, more exercise and a strict regime are necessary, preferably under guidance. There are many ways of making the diet healthier.
Use less sugar and salt while cooking food.
Use less oil while cooking. Avoid deep-frying as much as possible.
Eat more fruits daily. They provide more vitamins and minerals to our bodies.
Add sprouts of gram and moong dal to at least one meal in a day. Add fiber to your diet. Use whole grains instead of polished cereals. Eat lots of salad and yogurt.
Eat fermented food regularly. Fermented food contains many useful bacteria that help in the process of digestion.
Prevention of Lifestyle Diseases
By adopting a healthy lifestyle one can avoid lifestyle diseases. The following are some ways in which we can prevent lifestyle diseases.
Eat a balanced diet that contains important nutrients. One must include more fresh fruits and green vegetables in the diet. Refrain from eating junk food. Stay away from foods that contain large amounts of salt or sugar.
Exercise regularly. Spend more time outdoors and do activities such as walking, running, swimming, and cycling.
One must avoid overindulgence in alcohol, junk food, smoking, and addiction to drugs and medicines.
Avoid spending too much on modern gadgets like mobile phones, laptops, televisions, etc. Spend time on these gadgets for short intervals of time only.
Set a healthy sleeping routine for every day. Waking early in the morning and going to bed early at night should be a daily habit. Lead an active life.
Unhealthy Lifestyle
Bad food habits and an unhealthy lifestyle such as less or no physical activity may lead to several diseases like obesity, high blood pressure or hypertension, diabetes, anemia, and various heart diseases. An unhealthy lifestyle reduces productivity and creativity in a person. It also adversely affects moods and relationships. It leads to depression and anxiety in human beings.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle not only makes a person confident and productive but also drives him to success. A person with a healthy lifestyle will enjoy both personal and social life.
FAQs on Healthy Lifestyle Essay
What Do You Understand about a Healthy Lifestyle?
A healthy lifestyle is a lifestyle that includes regular exercise, a healthy diet, taking good care of self, healthy sleep habits and having a physically active daily routine.
How is Punctuality Important for Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle?
Punctuality is the habit of doing things on time. It is the characteristic of every successful person and everyone must observe punctuality in order to win success in life. It should become a habit with us. A punctual person is able to fulfil all his responsibilities and hence is treated with respect in society. It is needed in every walk of life.
What Happens When One Does Not Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle?
When one does not maintain a healthy lifestyle then several diseases like obesity, high blood pressure or hypertension, diabetes, anaemia and various heart diseases can occur. An unhealthy lifestyle reduces productivity and creativity in a person. It also adversely affects moods and relationships. It leads to depression and anxiety in human beings.
What are the Main Factors that Determine a Good and Healthy Lifestyle?
In order to maintain a good and healthy lifestyle, one must be self-disciplined, self-motivated, maintain punctuality and have good habits like waking early in the morning and maintain a regular fitness regime and a balanced and nutritious diet.
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Essay writing is a difficult task that needs a great deal of study, time, and focus. It's also an assignment that you can divide down into manageable chunks such as introduction, main content, and conclusion. Breaking down and focusing on each individually makes essay writing more pleasant. It's natural for students to be concerned about writing an essay. It's one of the most difficult tasks to do, especially for people who aren't confident in their writing abilities. While writing a decent essay is difficult, the secret to being proficient at it is reading a lot of books, conducting extensive research on essential topics, and practicing essay writing diligently.
Why is it important for one to aspire to have a healthy lifestyle?
A healthy lifestyle is an important way for reducing the occurrence and impact of health problems, as well as for recovery, coping with life stressors, and improving the overall quality of life. An increasing collection of scientific data suggests that our habits have a significant impact on our health. Everything we eat and drink, as well as how much exercise we get and whether we smoke or use drugs, has an impact on our health, not just in terms of life expectancy but also in terms of how long we may expect to live without developing chronic illness. A large proportion of fatalities are caused by conditions such as heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, joint disease, and mental illness. A healthy lifestyle can help to avoid or at least delay the onset of many health issues.
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What constitutes a healthy lifestyle?
Healthy life is built on the pillars of a good diet, frequent exercise, and appropriate sleep. A healthy lifestyle keeps people in excellent shape, it also gives you more energy throughout the day, and lowers your chance of developing many diet-related chronic diseases. Healthy living is considered a lifestyle choice that allows you to enjoy more elements of your life. Taking care of one's physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being is part of living a healthy lifestyle.
Good Nutrition, Eating Right and proper diet.
Getting Physically Fit, Beneficial Exercise and working out often.
Adequate rest and uninterrupted sleep.
Proper Stress Management.
Self-Supportive Attitudes.
Positive Thoughts are encouraged.
Positive Self-Image and body image.
Inner Calmness and peace.
Openness to Your Creativity and Self-care.
Trust in Your Inner Knowing and your gut feeling.
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Write a article on keeping a healthy lifestyle
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The term ‘healthy lifestyle’ is heard almost everywhere these days – on the television, on social media platforms as well as in magazines. The need to follow a healthy lifestyle is stressed upon via these mediums but people still ignore it and continue with their not-so-healthy lifestyle and eventually bear its consequences.
A healthy lifestyle mainly includes following healthy eating habits, taking adequate sleep and squeezing in some time for physical exercise each day. However, most people get so caught up with their daily grinds that they neglect their health. Ignoring your health is the worst thing you can do to yourself. Many people realize this only after they develop some health issues.
It is time people should understand that our health is of utmost importance and it is only when we are healthy would we be able to work efficiently on other aspects of our lives. Developing healthy habits requires just a few changes in the daily routine. These changes eventually become a habit and before you know you are on your way to a healthy lifestyle.
It is better to take out some time to follow the healthy habits shared above when you are still young and fit to avoid health issues later in life.
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Healthy Lifestyle Essay | Essay on Healthy Lifestyle for Students and Children in English
May 26, 2020 by Prasanna
Healthy Lifestyle Essay: A healthy lifestyle involves a lot of things under it, including a nutritional diet, daily exercise, adequate sleep, being happy, and thinking positively. When we do all the necessary elements to have a healthy lifestyle, our lives are going on the right path. Living a healthy life is vital for you to be happy and feel good in your present life and for the future. Once you choose to live a healthy life, it lasts all your life. It not only helps you live longer but also better and less prone to sickness and diseases. A healthy lifestyle is the kind of lifestyle that we should all strive for.
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Long and Short Essays on Healthy Lifestyle for Students and Kids in English
Given below are two essays in English for students and children about the topic of ‘Healthy Lifestyle’ in both long and short form. The first essay is a long essay on a Healthy Lifestyle of 400-500 words. This essay about Healthy Lifestyle is suitable for students of classes 7, 8, 9 and 10, and also for competitive exam aspirants. The second essay is a short essay on Healthy Lifestyle of 150-200 words. This one is suitable for students and children in class 6 and below.
Long Essay on Healthy Lifestyle 500 Words in English
Below we have given a long essay on Healthy Lifestyle of 500 words. This long essay on the topic of healthy lifestyle is suitable for students of classes 7,8,9 and 10, and also for competitive exam aspirants.
Having a healthy lifestyle is all about choosing to live your life in the most healthy way possible. There are a few things you have to do to start living your life in this way, i.e., the healthy way. This means doing some amount of exercise daily, such as jogging, yoga, playing sports, etc. Adding to this, you must also have a balanced and nutritional diet with all the food groups. It would be best if you were taking the right amount of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fats to help you have a proper diet. Grouped with these two essential aspects (diet and exercise), a healthy person also maintains the same sleep cycle, which should consist of around 7-8 hours of sleep.
However, we must remember that a healthy lifestyle not only refers to our physical and mental health. Maintaining a balanced diet, exercising daily, and sleeping well are essential parts of a healthy lifestyle. But feeling happy is also a big part of a healthy lifestyle. To enable happiness, thinking positively is a must. When a person does not feel happy or good about themselves, they are not entirely healthy. Thus we must do our best to think positively so that we can feel happy rather than sad.
We have talked about what all entails a healthy life, so now we must speak of what all does not. There are several things that one must avoid in order to live a healthy lifestyle. These include the kind of practices and habits that are harmful to us and also to the people around us, i.e., society. Such practices and habits include gambling, smoking, drinking, illegal drugs, or any other things that can turn into an addiction. These habits are harmful to not only you but for all the people around you, as addiction causes unhealthy attitudes and behaviors. Other unhealthy practices include skipping meals and eating junk food.
The benefits of a healthy lifestyle are manifold: living a healthy life allows you to live longer, which means that you get to spend more time with your family. Exercising daily will enable you to release endorphins and helps you feel happier. Regular exercise also improves the health of your skin and hair, bettering your appearance as well. Healthy lifestyles also primarily reduce your risk of life-threatening diseases such as cancer, diabetes, etc. and also reduce your susceptibility to cardiac arrests.
Short Essay on Healthy Lifestyle 200 Words in English
Below we have given a short essay on Healthy Lifestyle of 200 words. This long essay on the topic healthy lifestyle is suitable for students of classes 1,2,3,4,5 and 6.
A healthy lifestyle is a vital part of our lives. There are some things that we must do to live a healthy life. The first thing to do is to ensure that you eat three meals a day. These meals should have the right amount of all the food groups, which are carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, and vitamins. You should not eat any junk food, which is unhealthy for you.
The next thing is to exercise daily to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This can be jogging, running, playing sports, dancing, or even walking for a minimum of 30 minutes. Exercise is essential not only for health but also for your skin and hair to look more delightful.
For a healthy lifestyle, you should also get the right amount of sleep at night. The proper routine is to sleep early and wake up early, with a 7-8 hour period of rest. It is crucial to get enough sleep, but not too much or too little, as it can affect your concentration and your abilities.
A healthy lifestyle helps you live longer and have a better and happier life. It is essential to living a healthy life to make the best out of it.
10 Lines About Healthy Lifestyle Essay
- Exercise daily by running, jogging, playing sports, dancing or brisk walking
- Eat three nutritional meals a day with all the food groups (carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals)
- Make sure to get enough sleep, i.e., 7-8 hours per night
- Don’t sleep too much or too less, because either can lead to fatigue
- Mental health is as important as physical health for a healthy lifestyle
- Once you start living a healthy lifestyle, there’s no turning back to old, unhealthy ways
- Avoid harmful habits like smoking, drinking, drugs, gambling, etc.
- A healthy lifestyle helps you live longer
- Healthy living reduces your risk of life-threatening diseases like cancer and diabetes, among others
- You will be grateful later in life for practicing a healthy lifestyle as well as now
FAQ’s On Healthy Lifestyle Essay
Question 1. What are some tips for living a healthy life?
Answer: Exercise regularly, eat all your three nutritional meals a day, sleep enough, refrain from engaging in unhealthy practices which can cause addictions, and be positive to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Question 2. What benefits do I get from a healthy lifestyle?
Answer: A healthy lifestyle helps you live longer and have a better life with less risk of high fatality illnesses and also reduces your risk of heart failure.
Question 3. How do I know if I have good health?
Answer: Good health means that you are free of illnesses or diseases. It means that you can work efficiently and provide for the people you care about.
Question 4. What entails a healthy lifestyle?
Answer: A healthy lifestyle is the kind of lifestyle which ensures that a person maintains good health.
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Essay on Healthy Lifestyle in English for Children and Students
Essay on Healthy Lifestyle in English: A healthy lifestyle is the foundation of a good life. While it does not take much to achieve this lifestyle many people these days are unable to follow it owing to several reasons such as professional commitments, lack of determination and personal issues. It takes a good amount of determination to lead a healthy lifestyle these days. With so many tasks to accomplish during the day, our health often takes a backseat. It is important to realize the need to follow a healthy lifestyle and understand the ways in which it can be achieved.
Long and Short Essay on Healthy Lifestyle in English
Here are some short and long essays on Healthy Lifestyle of varying lengths to help you with the topic in your exams and school/college assignments. You can select any Healthy Lifestyle essay as per your need and interest:
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Healthy Lifestyle Essay – 1 (200 words)
The term ‘healthy lifestyle’ is heard almost everywhere these days – on the television, on social media platforms as well as in magazines. The need to follow a healthy lifestyle is stressed upon via these mediums but people still ignore it and continue with their not-so-healthy lifestyle and eventually bear its consequences.
A healthy lifestyle mainly includes following healthy eating habits, taking adequate sleep and squeezing in some time for physical exercise each day. However, most people get so caught up with their daily grinds that they neglect their health. Ignoring your health is the worst thing you can do to yourself. Many people realize this only after they develop some health issues.
It is time people should understand that our health is of utmost importance and it is only when we are healthy would we be able to work efficiently on other aspects of our lives. Developing healthy habits requires just a few changes in the daily routine. These changes eventually become a habit and before you know you are on your way to a healthy lifestyle.
It is better to take out some time to follow the healthy habits shared above when you are still young and fit to avoid health issues later in life.
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Healthy Lifestyle Essay – 2 (300 words)
Introduction.
Ours is the generation of the computer, mobile, burgers, pizzas and late night parties– basically everything that is unhealthy. Everyone is caught up between professional commitments and personal issues and what they are losing on amidst all this chaos is their health. People these days have become so involved in their daily grinds that they have forgotten what it is to live a wholesome and healthy life.
Importance of Healthy Lifestyle
Our elders often stress upon the need for having a nutritious diet, sleeping and waking up on time each day and going to nearby places by foot rather than using vehicles each time. However, most of us ignore their advice and continue with our unhealthy way of living. What they suggest is absolutely right. It is important to follow a healthy lifestyle. The need to switch to healthy habits is being stressed upon everywhere these days. Here is why it is important to follow a healthy lifestyle:
- It makes you more organized and increases productivity.
- Mkes you physically fit and keeps several health issues at bay.
- It is a great way to live stress free.
- Renders a positive outlook.
- It brings us closer to our family and loved ones.
Indulging in unhealthy habits such as smoking, drinking, having junk food, spending too much time on screen can lead to various serious illnesses and should thus be avoided.
“Health is Wealth”. It is indeed but seems like our generation has forgotten it. It is time to slow down and take a look at the way you are living and treating your body. You may make more money, win friends and afford the luxuries of life with the lifestyle you are following but you are shortening your life span. Take charge of your life and switch to healthy habits while there is still time.
Healthy Lifestyle Essay – 3 (400 words)
Healthy lifestyle implies following good habits such as having a healthy diet, taking out time to indulge in physical exercise regularly and taking adequate sleep at night. It is essential to follow a healthy lifestyle to keep various illnesses at bay and live wholly.
How to Quit Unhealthy Habits?
While most of us are aware of the unhealthy habits we indulge in and many even try to quit the same, we often fall short. You cannot just wake up one day and decide to quit your unhealthy habits and voila you are done with it. No, it requires a lot of effort to quit such habits especially if you have been following them since long. Here are a few things that should help:
The first thing you should do is to write down the cons of the bad habits you have been indulging in and the positive effects you can bring about in your life if you quit the same. Stick it at a place where you can read it often enough. This should work as an inspiration.
Company Effects
Company affects our habits to a large extent. If you have been socializing with people who indulge in drinking and smoking then it would be hard for you to quit these habit. It is time to limit your contact with such people.
Avoid Triggers
There may be a number of things that might act as triggers. For instance, if you smoke more when you are drinking then cut out on your drinks. If you have the habit of having chips and cookies when you are watching TV then cut out on the time you watch TV.
Look for a Substitute
Boredom and stress are some of the common reasons people take to unhealthy habits such as smoking, drinking, spending large amount of time on mobile or TV screens. Instead of indulging in such activities you must make an effort to channelize your energy in the right direction. For instance, you may follow something that interests you during your free time. It can be anything from playing with your dog to dancing to sketching.
Seek Professional Help
If the above mentioned doesn’t help especially when it comes to getting rid of the addictions you have developed then it is time to seek professional help.
You must not take your health lightly. It is time to switch to a healthy lifestyle if you haven’t already to keep health issues at bay.
Healthy Lifestyle Essay – 4 (500 words)
Healthy lifestyle is the need of the hour. While it came easy to the earlier generations these days people find it hard to follow owing to the fast paced life. People are working hard, partying harder and doing everything apart from taking care of their health. It is time we must take our health seriously. A few healthy habits can help you develop a healthy lifestyle over a period of time.
Healthy Habits That Must be Followed
Follow a healthy diet plan.
Following a healthy diet plan is of utmost importance when you are trying to live a healthy life. Begin by following a healthy diet plan that includes all the essential micronutrients and steer clear from junk food.
Wake Up Early
Most people are unable to indulge in exercise, have breakfast and spend few quality moments with their loved ones in the morning because they do not wake up on time. Make it a habit to wake up early each morning so that you have enough time to accommodate all these tasks.
Squeeze in at least half an hour each day to indulge in physical exercise of your choice. You can choose to go for a walk, swim, practice yoga, deep breathing or do anything that interests you. This helps in de-stressing.
Sleep On Time
Since you have to wake up early, it is essential to sleep on time. You must ensure that you take at least 7-8 hours of sleep every day.
Put Your Mobile Aside
You should make it a habit to keep your phone aside while you are working to enhance productivity. Also keep your phone at a distance when you are at home and spend quality time with your family. The rays emitted by mobile phones are harmful it is thus suggested to keep it away especially when you sleep at night.
Connect With Positive Minds
It is always good to be friends with people who bring in positivity in your life and stay away from those who indulge in negative talks. Also socialize with those who follow a healthy lifestyle rather than those who regularly indulge in unhealthy habits such as smoking or drinking.
Have Your Meals on Time
As important as it is to follow a healthy diet plan, it is equally essential to have your meals on time. Make sure you do not skip your breakfast or any other meal of the day and have your meals at the right intervals. It is also suggested to have 5-6 small meals during the day rather than having three large ones.
Follow Your Interest
Most of us are so engrossed in our work these days that we forget to take out time to follow our interests and hobbies. It is a good idea to squeeze in some time to follow your hobbies such as gardening, reading, writing or anything of your choice. These act as a good replacement for the unhealthy habits and also help in keeping stress at bay.
You must make an effort to deliberately inculcate these healthy habits in your daily routine to attain good physical and mental health.
Healthy Lifestyle Essay – 5 (600 words)
It is easy to inculcate bad habits however it takes a good amount of effort to unlearn them and switch to a healthy lifestyle. The importance of healthy lifestyle has been stressed upon often enough however not many take it seriously. Even those who plan to follow it to improve their way of living often fall short as it takes a lot of determination to do so. It is suggested to take one step at a time rather than going overboard with it. This will help you achieve your goal over a period of time. Here is how to develop healthy habits and follow a healthy lifestyle.
Habits That Must Be Avoided
The first step towards a healthy lifestyle is to quit smoking and stop the intake of any tobacco products you may be addicted to. This can obviously not be achieved in a day and would not be easy. It is suggested to seek professional help to quit the same over a period of time.
Drinking occasionally is fine but if you are addicted to it then you must watch out. Excessive drinking can lead to numerous health issues. If you are addicted to it then it is suggested to take professional help and also reach out to your friends and family for support to get rid of this habit.
Ordering out and having junk for most part of the week has become more of a religion these days. It is time to watch out on your intake of junk food and switch to healthy homemade food. This will not only keep you healthy but also in good shape.
Screen Addiction
Most people are glued to their mobile screens these days. This is another unhealthy habit you ought to get rid of right away. Watching too much TV or spending too much time on the laptop is also something you must avoid.
Skipping Meals
Many people these days get so engrossed in their tasks that they tend to skip their meals. Morning hours are usually busy for most and there is a tendency of skipping the breakfast to accommodate other tasks during that time. This is the worst punishment you are giving your body.
Overusing Pills
Many people look for an easy way out to get rid of their mental and physical pain and one sure shot way is to gulp a pill or two. Pain killers work best for such people however it needs to be understood that these only offer a temporary relief and can cause serious side effects.
Time to Follow Healthy Habits
Now that you know the habits that must be avoided you must work towards quitting the same to give way to a healthier lifestyle. Here are a few things you can do in this direction:
- Seek support from family and friends.
- Limit your contact with people who indulge in unhealthy habits such as smoking and drinking.
- Remind yourself about the pros of following a healthy lifestyle.
- Surround yourself with people who are following the kind of lifestyle you want to follow.
- Follow your hobbies and interests during your free time so that you have no time to indulge in unhealthy habits.
- Indulge in physical exercises to promote the growth of endorphins. This is a great way to keep stress and its negative repercussions at bay.
It takes a while to develop a healthy lifestyle especially if you are gripped with unhealthy habits shared above. The task may not be easy but it would definitely be worth it. If you have been planning to set things right it is time to stop procrastinating and start now.
Long Essay on Healthy Lifestyle – Essay 6 (800 Words)
We have grown up hearing the phrase “Health is Wealth”. In this case, health relates to both physical and mental health, which could be achieved by adapting to a healthy lifestyle.
“Healthy Lifestyle” is a way of living adopted in such a way, so as to keep one’s body fit and fine and also away from diseases or ailments. It constitutes set of activities performed routinely by an individual in order to maintain and improve his/her mental or physical health.
Exercising, yoga, healthy eating, jogging are some of the conventional methods to a healthy lifestyle; however, adhering to certain norms while performing other activities may also considerably improve your physical and mental health. For example – sitting in straight posture will keep your backbone intact and healthy, always wearing a smile on your face and quickly forgetting bad experiences will keep you mentally healthy and happy and not drinking water in between meals is good for digestion.
In this essay we will go through various methods adopted for a healthy lifestyle and advantages of a healthy lifestyle.
How to Maintain Healthy Lifestyle?
A healthy lifestyle could be achieved by merely adopting certain rules and regulations while performing your everyday tasks. Some additional activities in your daily routine may also be introduced to improve overall health and well being. Below we will go through some of the important methods to lead a healthy lifestyle-
1) Exercise
Your mental health largely depends on your physical well being, that is – you will be happy and at peace only if your body is fit and healthy. Regular exercise stimulates your health and tunes your vital organs by pumping blood and adrenaline. It also keeps your sugar level maintained, saving you from a lifelong disease of diabetes.
2) Eat Healthy
Our food is the prime source of energy for our body and what we eat directly affects it. If we eat unhealthy food, it’s going to show on our health in form of obesity, indigestion, constipation or other ailments. It is therefore, advisable to take healthy food for a healthy lifestyle . Eat nutritional food, rich in vitamins and antioxidants, like – fruits and vegetables; they not only improve your health but also improve your body’s immunity.
3) Drink Lots of Water
Water has more wonderful effects on your health than you could even imagine. It functions as a cleanser, cleaning toxins from your body. It also keeps your body cells hydrated and improves the functioning of brain and other body parts, apart from making your skin feel always young and fresh. Drinking 2 glasses of lukewarm water, first thing in the morning is a wonderful for the kidneys, also, it is advisable to drink 8 – 12 glasses of water daily.
4) Maintain Mental Health
There are various ways to improve your mental health. Though, exercising and eating healthy will also gives you mental satisfaction by keeping you physically healthy, there are some other habits, which could be adopted to improve mental health. Socializing, laughing and sleeping for recommended hours will keep one mentally healthy. Recommended sleep for children is for 10 to 12 hours in night and for adults is 7 to 9 hours.
Advantages of Healthy Lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle has both long term as well as short term benefits. Short term benefits of exercising include stimulated health, improved immune system, increased organ efficiency and improved brain health. While, short term effects of healthy eating are – raised nutrition level, healthy digestive system and raised immunity along with other advantages.
Apart from having short term advantages, healthy life style also has many long term benefits. It prevents the occurrence of many lifestyle related diseases like, diabetes, blood pressure, obesity, back pain and spondylitis etc. It also prevents us from other serious ailments like cancer, heart diseases and osteoporosis etc.
Those were the physical benefits of adapting to a healthy lifestyle, but there are also psychological benefits of it. A healthy lifestyle will give you a healthy body and hence a healthy mind. With no diseases and a fit body and boosted immune system, you will be a happy person with ample of energy and time for your career and growth. You will be happy as ever and socialize more, admiring others as they admire you. Moreover, a healthy person inspires others to follow the path, ultimately leading to a healthy society.
Now that we know how to live a healthy lifestyle and its numerous advantages; no time should be spared and we must at once begin a new healthy and happy life free from diseases and worries. If you are already following a healthy lifestyle, then you should inspire others to adapt a lifestyle as your and see the changes. You just have to make minimal changes in your daily routine for a healthy lifestyle. For example – you must be eating daily, just have to eat healthy and takeout couple of hours for exercising.
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What stage of change are you in?
Contemplation: are you thinking of making changes, preparation: have you made up your mind, action: have you started to make changes, maintenance: have you created a new routine, clinical trials.
Are you thinking about being more active? Have you been trying to cut back on less healthy foods? Are you starting to eat better and move more but having a hard time sticking with these changes?
Old habits die hard. Changing your habits is a process that involves several stages. Sometimes it takes a while before changes become new habits. And, you may face roadblocks along the way.
Adopting new, healthier habits may protect you from serious health problems like obesity and diabetes . New habits, like healthy eating and regular physical activity, may also help you manage your weight and have more energy. After a while, if you stick with these changes, they may become part of your daily routine.
The information below outlines four stages you may go through when changing your health habits or behavior. You will also find tips to help you improve your eating, physical activity habits, and overall health. The four stages of changing a health behavior are
- contemplation
- preparation
- maintenance
Contemplation: “I’m thinking about it.”
In this first stage, you are thinking about change and becoming motivated to get started.
You might be in this stage if you
- have been considering change but are not quite ready to start
- believe that your health, energy level, or overall well-being will improve if you develop new habits
- are not sure how you will overcome the roadblocks that may keep you from starting to change
Preparation: “I have made up my mind to take action.”
In this next stage, you are making plans and thinking of specific ideas that will work for you.
- have decided that you are going to change and are ready to take action
- have set some specific goals that you would like to meet
- are getting ready to put your plan into action
Action: “I have started to make changes.”
In this third stage, you are acting on your plan and making the changes you set out to achieve.
- have been making eating, physical activity, and other behavior changes in the last 6 months or so
- are adjusting to how it feels to eat healthier, be more active, and make other changes such as getting more sleep or reducing screen time
- have been trying to overcome things that sometimes block your success
Maintenance: “I have a new routine.”
In this final stage, you have become used to your changes and have kept them up for more than 6 months.
You might be in this stage if
- your changes have become a normal part of your routine
- you have found creative ways to stick with your routine
- you have had slip-ups and setbacks but have been able to get past them and make progress
Did you find your stage of change? Read on for ideas about what you can do next.
Making the leap from thinking about change to taking action can be hard and may take time. Asking yourself about the pros (benefits) and cons (things that get in the way) of changing your habits may be helpful. How would life be better if you made some changes?
Think about how the benefits of healthy eating or regular physical activity might relate to your overall health. For example, suppose your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is a bit high and you have a parent, brother, or sister who has type 2 diabetes . This means you also may develop type 2 diabetes. You may find that it is easier to be physically active and eat healthy knowing that it may help control blood glucose and protect you from a serious disease.
You may learn more about the benefits of changing your eating and physical activity habits from a health care professional. This knowledge may help you take action.
Look at the lists of pros and cons below. Find the items you believe are true for you. Think about factors that are important to you.
Healthy Eating
Physical activity.
If you are in the preparation stage, you are about to take action. To get started, look at your list of pros and cons. How can you make a plan and act on it?
The chart below lists common roadblocks you may face and possible solutions to overcome roadblocks as you begin to change your habits. Think about these things as you make your plan.
Once you have made up your mind to change your habits, make a plan and set goals for taking action. Here are some ideas for making your plan:
- learn more about healthy eating and food portions
- learn more about being physically active
- healthy foods that you like or may need to eat more of—or more often
- foods you love that you may need to eat less often
- things you could do to be more physically active
- fun activities you like and could do more often, such as dancing
After making your plan, start setting goals for putting your plan into action. Start with small changes. For example, “I’m going to walk for 10 minutes, three times a week.” What is the one step you can take right away?
You are making real changes to your lifestyle, which is fantastic! To stick with your new habits
- review your plan
- look at the goals you set and how well you are meeting them
- overcome roadblocks by planning ahead for setbacks
- reward yourself for your hard work
Track your progress
- Tracking your progress helps you spot your strengths, find areas where you can improve, and stay on course. Record not only what you did, but how you felt while doing it—your feelings can play a role in making your new habits stick.
- Recording your progress may help you stay focused and catch setbacks in meeting your goals. Remember that a setback does not mean you have failed. All of us experience setbacks. The key is to get back on track as soon as you can.
- You can track your progress with online tools such as the NIH Body Weight Planner . The NIH Body Weight Planner lets you tailor your calorie and physical activity plans to reach your personal goals within a specific time period.
Overcome roadblocks
- Remind yourself why you want to be healthier. Perhaps you want the energy to play with your nieces and nephews or to be able to carry your own grocery bags. Recall your reasons for making changes when slip-ups occur. Decide to take the first step to get back on track.
- Problem-solve to “outsmart” roadblocks. For example, plan to walk indoors, such as at a mall, on days when bad weather keeps you from walking outside.
- Ask a friend or family member for help when you need it, and always try to plan ahead. For example, if you know that you will not have time to be physically active after work, go walking with a coworker at lunch or start your day with an exercise video.
Reward yourself
- After reaching a goal or milestone, allow for a nonfood reward such as new workout gear or a new workout device. Also consider posting a message on social media to share your success with friends and family.
- Choose rewards carefully. Although you should be proud of your progress, keep in mind that a high-calorie treat or a day off from your activity routine are not the best rewards to keep you healthy.
- Pat yourself on the back. When negative thoughts creep in, remind yourself how much good you are doing for your health by moving more and eating healthier.
Make your future a healthy one. Remember that eating healthy, getting regular physical activity, and other healthy habits are lifelong behaviors, not one-time events. Always keep an eye on your efforts and seek ways to deal with the planned and unplanned changes in life.
Now that healthy eating and regular physical activity are part of your routine, keep things interesting, avoid slip-ups, and find ways to cope with what life throws at you.
Add variety and stay motivated
- Mix up your routine with new physical activities and goals, physical activity buddies, foods, recipes, and rewards.
Deal with unexpected setbacks
- Plan ahead to avoid setbacks. For example, find other ways to be active in case of bad weather, injury, or other issues that arise. Think of ways to eat healthy when traveling or dining out, like packing healthy snacks while on the road or sharing an entrée with a friend in a restaurant.
- If you do have a setback, don’t give up. Setbacks happen to everyone. Regroup and focus on meeting your goals again as soon as you can.
Challenge yourself!
- Revisit your goals and think of ways to expand them. For example, if you are comfortable walking 5 days a week, consider adding strength training twice a week. If you have limited your saturated fat intake by eating less fried foods, try cutting back on added sugars, too. Small changes can lead to healthy habits worth keeping.
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and other components of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) conduct and support research into many diseases and conditions.
What are clinical trials, and are they right for you?
Clinical trials are part of clinical research and at the heart of all medical advances. Clinical trials look at new ways to prevent, detect, or treat disease. Researchers also use clinical trials to look at other aspects of care, such as improving the quality of life for people with chronic illnesses. Find out if clinical trials are right for you.
What clinical trials are open?
Clinical trials that are currently open and are recruiting can be viewed at www.ClinicalTrials.gov .
This content is provided as a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health. The NIDDK translates and disseminates research findings to increase knowledge and understanding about health and disease among patients, health professionals, and the public. Content produced by the NIDDK is carefully reviewed by NIDDK scientists and other experts.
The NIDDK would like to thank: Dr. Carla Miller, Associate Professor, Ohio State University
Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle
Home Living Well Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle
Physical fitness is not the sole basis of being healthy; being healthy means being mentally and emotionally fit. Being healthy should be part of your overall lifestyle. Living a healthy lifestyle can help prevent chronic diseases and long-term illnesses. Feeling good about yourself and taking care of your health are important for your self-esteem and self-image. Maintain a healthy lifestyle by doing what is right for your body.
Power of Attitude
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Assistive Devices
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Good nutrition is often the first line of defense to avoid many diseases, including PN. Find advice for keeping a healthy diet, shopping and managing drug side effects.
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Caregiver Tips
Tips for being a caregiver and needing a caregiver for yourself or a loved one.
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If you want to be a well-rounded, healthy individual, here are a couple of staying healthy tips that may help you do just that:
Maintain a regular exercise routine
No, you do not have to force yourself into intense workouts at the gym but you need to keep as active as possible. You can stick to easy floor exercises, swimming, walking, or simply keep yourself moving by doing some household chores. Do what your body allows you to do.
What is important is that you continue exercising. Give at least twenty to thirty minutes a day to exercise at least three to five times a week. Have a routine; see to it that you have enough physical activity each day.
Be conscious in your diet
Engage in the things you are passionate about.
Every now and then, to keep the stress and the demands of life from taking over, take a break to do something you love doing.
Surround yourself with positive energy
In order to have a sound mental and emotional state, you must surround yourself with positive energy. Yes, not all problems can be avoided. But it helps to face such obstacles with an optimist outlook. Surround yourself with encouraging friends and people that will provide you with constructive criticism every once in a while to help you improve.
Make it a habit to always look at the brighter side of life. Even if you find yourself in the worst situation, there is always an upside to it—something good and positive. Dwell on these things instead.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is not that difficult, nor does it require a lot of work. Just keep doing what you do and apply the staying healthy tips listed above—surely you will be a well-rounded individual in no time.
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Healthy living
A healthy lifestyle is important for everyone. When we look after our physical health, we feel better too – fitter, more relaxed and better able to cope with things. This is especially important when you have a mental illness.
There are lots of ways of being healthy that feel good as well as doing you good.
Benefits of healthy living
What you gain by living more healthily includes:
- feeling better mentally – regular exercise can lift your mood and help you feel better
- saving money – eating junk food, smoking, and drinking sugary drinks or alcohol are all expensive habits
- fewer health problems – living a healthier lifestyle means a lower risk of developing many illnesses
- taking control of your life – getting healthy helps you feel in control of your life.
Getting healthy
‘Healthy living’ means maintaining a healthy lifestyle and introducing habits that improve your health. It can be difficult to change old habits, but there are steps you can take to become healthier. An important first step is identifying less healthy habits and learning new, positive ones to replace them, such as:
- eating healthy foods and balanced meals
- sleeping well and managing stress
- practicing safe sex, drinking alcohol responsibly and not abusing drugs
- being physically active
- staying connected with others
- being aware of any health risks related to your illness and its treatment, and working with your doctor to monitor these and then take action
- taking responsibility for your overall health including having regular check-ups for your eyes and teeth.
How to develop positive health habits
The key to developing positive habits that you are more likely to keep is to:
Start slowly
Change just one thing at a time - see the benefits that can come from eating more balanced meals or, exercising more or quitting smoking Make small changes – an achievable change is more likely to become a habit you keep. Go slowly – making a change gradually can be easier than all at once. Build on what you already do – for example, if you enjoy walking, try extending your usual route by a manageable amount. Remember, increasing or adding even one new health behaviour can make a big difference to your health.
Work around challenges
There are things you can do to manage any extra challenges related to your illness and it’s treatment – such as drowsiness, sugar cravings or lack of motivation. Steps you can take include:
- organise daily activities around side-effects of medication, for example, if you are drowsy in the morning, organise exercise for the afternoon.
- discuss things with your doctor – there may be another medication you can try, or ask for referral to a specialist such as a dietitian or psychologist for expert advice.
Staying healthy
Being healthy is about more than getting fit and feeling better, it’s about staying that way too. Tips to help you stay motivated include:
- schedule regular check ups with your doctor to monitor your progress and for that extra push you may need to keep going.
- reward yourself – feel good about developing healthier habits by rewarding yourself with something nice.
- overcome slip-ups – if you slip-up, be realistic and start again.
Finding Support
There are lots of ways to get the support you need to help stay healthy. An important step is finding a good GP (general practitioner) you are comfortable discussing your health with. Seeing the same GP each time means you can work together to manage your health and organise check-ups as needed. Having someone else as a ‘support person’ can make all the difference in keeping up healthy habits. Talk with your friends, family, mental health program or case worker. Don’t forget other services in your area that you can draw on too.
How do I get more information?
- Contact the SANE Help Centre or phone 1800 187 263
- Talk to your local GP – or other medical doctor who understands mental illness – for information, assessment, referral and support. They can also tell you about any specialist services that can help with specific issues, such as weight management or improving fitness.
1. The facts
Feeling good, feeling healthy
The great thing about being healthy is that it helps you feel good as well as doing you good. It’s about what you eat and drink. It’s about sleeping well. It’s about being physically active, and enjoying yourself without risking your health.
Being healthy is not about looking a particular way it’s about feeling fitter – physically, mentally and emotionally.
‘Healthy living’ means making changes to your life to develop new habits that improve your health in all these ways.
Feeling good
The more you know about the benefits of healthy living, the easier it is to get motivated and start doing something about it. Here are some of the benefits:
Feeling better mentally
Research shows that getting regular exercise can lift your mood and helps you feel better, reducing symptoms for people with depression.
For people with psychotic illnesses, cutting out cannabis has been shown to reduce symptoms and makes it less likely a psychotic episode will recur. It may even mean that your doctor can look at reducing the dose of your antipsychotic medication
Saving money
Some habits you may want to change - like eating out, smoking or drinking alcohol regularly - are expensive. Eating balanced meals, cutting down on alcohol and smoking can make a real difference in spending, which means more money for the things you really enjoy (see ‘Rewarding Yourself’).
Fewer health problems
A healthier lifestyle means being less at risk of developing illnesses, which start to affect us as we grow older.
Weight gain is a common side-effect of some medications for Schizophrenia and related conditions, and this can be associated with a number of physical health problems.
Developing good habits
Just like bad habits, good habits are hard to shake. Once you become used to small changes in your lifestyle, you find they become part of your daily routine. For example, many people say the more regularly they exercise, the more they enjoy it – really missing it when they have to skip a session.
Taking control of your life
Doing something about getting healthy helps you feel you are taking control of your life. This feels good . . .
What you are already doing
Healthy Living is not just about what you should be doing, it is also about recognising what you are doing now that’s good for you. Check out this list of easy healthy things, and see how many you are already doing:
- eat fresh fruit or vegetables
- walk to catch public transport
- visit the dentist for a check up
- walk up stairs instead of taking the lift
- get 7-9 hours of sleep a night
- eat breakfast regularly
- have a sugar-free snack instead of a smoke
- drink 4-8 glasses of water a day
- take medication as prescribed by the doctor
- make a meal instead of buying a take-away
- take a walk in the park
- smile, greet or chat to someone
- steam, boil or bake food instead of frying it
- use a condom during sex
- have a regular medical test (for example, pap smear, breast screen, cholesterol check)
- put on sunscreen when going out of the house
- Wear a jacket on a cold day.
2. Getting healthy
The first steps
A lot of what we do is driven by habit. Important first steps in getting healthy are identifying negative habits and learning new, positive ones to replace them.
Identifying negative habits
For most people, there are certain times when negative habits are more likely to appear.
When we’re bored
When we’re bored it’s easy to fall into the trap of doing things that are bad for your health. This is when it can be helpful to think about what positive things you can do with your time and energy.
When we feel down
When we’re feeling down, it’s tempting to turn to ‘quick fixes’ such as drinking alcohol, smoking, eating and using illegal drugs.
The bad news is that ‘quick fixes’ don’t last long and leave you feeling worse than before. The good news is that there are other, better ways to make yourself feel good.
When we feel tired
Having a mental illness, and even taking medication, can make people feel tired a lot of the time. Sometimes even the thought of being physically active or cooking a good meal can seem impossible. But eating more wholesome food and balanced meals can actually give you more energy.
And the same goes for exercise. Once you start to make it a new habit, you will start to feel you have more energy than before.
When we feel stressed or anxious
Everyone feels stressed or anxious at times – but if these feelings persist, it’s important to deal with them sensibly.
Over-eating, drinking alcohol, smoking or using illegal drugs can seem like easy ways of dealing with stress and anxiety. Unfortunately, they will only make things worse in the long run.
Think about other things to help you relax which suit you – for example, listening to peaceful music, talking to someone, breathing exercises, Tai Chi or Yoga. If anxiety persists you should also talk it over with a health professional.
Anniversaries
It can be tempting to deal with the anniversary of a sad event by doing something unhealthy, like binge-eating or getting drunk. Think about how you could break this habit by planning to do something completely different around that time – for example, by arranging to go away to visit someone or starting a new course or hobby.
Choose your company
It can be difficult to change old habits if you’re hanging out with people who do the things you want to stop, like smoking for example. Think about ways of seeing these people that don’t involve being tempted into your old habits. If they smoke when having a coffee, for example, you might want to suggest going for a walk or to a movie instead of a café when you catch up.
When you don’t feel good about yourself
When people feel down they sometimes can’t be bothered about looking after their health. Everyone likes to feel good, though, and once you start to enjoy the benefit of changing just one habit – such as breathing easier after quitting cigarettes – then it becomes easier to change other things.
Side-effects of medication
Some medications used to treat mental illness can have side-effects such as weight-gain and making people feel drowsy, restless or hungry. This can be a challenge to building up a healthy lifestyle but there are common-sense ways of dealing with it.
For example, if you feel drowsy in the mornings, arrange to exercise in the afternoon. If you regularly crave sweet foods, keep fresh fruit or fruit snacks around the house that will give you more energy.
The smoking habit
One of the most common harmful habits around is smoking, and people affected by mental illness are much more likely to be cigarette smokers than average.
If you smoke, think about how you could make the first moves to quitting: talk to your doctor about aids such as nicotine replacement (and how this might interact with medications).
For someone to talk to about ways to give up smoking, ring Quitline on 131 848.
Developing positive habits
Here are some tips on developing positive habits to help your healthy, new lifestyle.
Build on what you already do
Chances are that you already have some healthy habits – recognise and build on these. For example, try eating heatlhy foods and eating in moderation.
Rushing into things is not a good way to develop healthy new habits. Pace yourself by making small changes, which are more likely to be kept up. For example, it’s better to start exercising by going for a regular walk, than by suddenly pushing yourself to run 5 km every day.
Vary techniques
Don’t allow a new habit to get boring – remember, variety is the spice of life. For example, if you go for a walk a few times a week, don’t feel you have to stick to exactly the same route. Go a different way through your local park, or explore a new route altogether.
Be flexible
It’s not always easy to change habits. Be ready for this by being flexible rather than too hard on yourself or just giving up. For example, if you stop taking sugar with coffee and find you really miss the flavour – switch to using a low-calorie sweetener rather than going back to sugar.
Look after your body
Regular physical health checks by your doctor are an important part of looking after yourself.
This is a good idea for everyone, and especially for people with a mental illness as some of those affected can be at greater risk of physical health problems, such as diabetes and heart disease. This can be due to the effects of weight gain combined with high blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar (sometimes called ‘metabolic syndrome’).
For this reason it is important to see a GP regularly and have periodic checks of weight, waist measurement and blood tests for cholesterol, blood sugar, and liver function among others. The doctor can also advise on a healthy lifestyle, including an improved diet, getting regular exercise, quitting smoking, and sleeping well, for example.
Danny's story
Danny is 34. He was diagnosed with Schizophrenia in his early twenties and has been taking medication regularly for seven years. While his symptoms are under control, he has become unfit which prevents him from doing many things he enjoys.
Danny was a good tennis player at high school, but stopped playing when he became unwell. He is still a fan of the sport and enjoys watching it on TV. Sometimes he thinks about how great it would be to play again, but then gets depressed about how out-of-shape he’s become.
How you can start getting healthy
Danny is a good example of someone wants to become physically active, but doesn’t know how to start.
This needs to be done in a realistic way which isn’t discouraging, and which he can keep up in the long term. By starting small he can build up his fitness and confidence so that playing tennis can become a reality. For example:
- helping his sister in the garden – digging and weeding to build up his stamina
- hitting a tennis ball against a wall every afternoon, to get used to handling a racquet again
- asking at his local recreation centre about cheap or free access to tennis courts, and if there are concession rates for lessons.
Write down the main thing you’d like to do to get healthy yourself. It could be giving up smoking, sleeping more regularly or even just being more physically active.
Then, write down some new healthy habits you could start to practise to achieve this.
3. Staying healthy
How to stay healthy
Being healthy is about more than getting fit and feeling better, it’s about staying that way too.
Tips for staying healthy
Here are some tips to help you stay motivated to be healthy.
Think about why you want to be healthy
There will be times when you don’t feel like bothering, and are tempted to slip back into old, unhealthy habits. When this happens, think about why you wanted to be healthier in the first place.
Join a group
Joining a group where others are trying to reach the same goal can give you the extra push you may need to keep going. This might be a gym, a gardening club, a neighbourhood house or whatever suits you.
- Get support
Having someone to support you can be a big help in getting started, and can make a real difference to keeping you on track too. Let a family member, friend or health worker know how you’re getting on and encourage them to support you.
Look after your mental health
Remember to keep an eye on your mental as well as physical health. If you start to feel down and like not bothering, it could be a sign that your mental health needs some extra care, so make sure you tell your doctor or case manager about it.
Relaxing matters too
Remember that relaxing and not getting stressed are essential parts of being healthy. There are lots of free and easy ways to stay relaxed, for example:
- going for a walk
- deep breathing exercises
- listening to relaxing music.
Rewarding yourself
Being healthy can change the way you feel about your whole life. The very point of it is to make you feel good, not to ‘punish your body’. That’s why making sure you reward yourself for developing healthier habits is important.
When you’re spending less on cigarettes and other things that aren’t healthy, you can spend more on treating yourself. Here are some examples of rewards you can give yourself which are enjoyable and cost little or nothing:
- a long relaxing bath with your favourite music playing in the background
- organising a simple picnic
- making yourself comfortable with a new magazine and a cup of tea or hot chocolate
- dinner with a friend-seeing a movie
- a walk on the beach-catching up with someone you like.
Overcoming slip-ups
There are bound to be times when you feel like giving up and going back to old habits. It’s only natural. Try the following tips to deal with these times.
Just start again
When you do slip up – skipping a walk or having a cigarette, for example – don’t think you’ve failed. Look at how far you’ve come and what you want to achieve, and just start again.
Be realistic
More than one slip-up could mean that you’re expecting too much of yourself. Think about how realistic you’re being about changing to more healthy habits, and that you do need to be flexible.
For example, if replacing coffee with herbal tea isn’t working, switch to de-caff instead.
Don’t punish yourself
Getting healthy isn’t about feeling guilty. If you do have slip-ups, don’t waste time telling yourself that you’re hopeless. Guilt won’t help you get healthy. Concentrate instead on the progress you’ve already made, and on getting back into your new habit.
Learn from your slip-ups
Be positive about slip-ups – they can help you in the long run. Thinking about why they happened will help you learn to avoid them in future.
For example, if you visit a friend in the evenings and they like to smoke cannabis at the end of the day, it can be hard to say no. A lesson from this could be to meet them in a café or in the afternoon when you won’t be tempted. Ask them not to offer you a smoke too – a true friend will respect this.
Kelly's story
After her second psychotic episode, Kelly recognised she needed to stop smoking cannabis because it made her symptoms worse. She went for over two months without a smoke, but one night – after an argument with her sister – she went to a friend’s place and had a couple of joints to unwind. The next day she felt really paranoid, and was disappointed with herself for going back to the dope.
How to take positive action
Kelly can learn from what happened – that she’s tempted to smoke when she gets stressed. Now that she knows this, she can do things to reduce the chance of it happening again, for instance:
- planning a de-stress routine in advance – such as breathing exercises or going to bed early with a hot chocolate and a pile of magazines
- learning not to waste time feeling guilty or blaming herself – but focusing on the future
- asking her friends not to offer her drugs when she visits.
Write down some things you can think of to reward yourself for being healthy.
4. Finding support
Everyone needs support sometimes
There are lots of ways to get the support you need to help stay healthy. An important step is finding a good GP (general practitioner) you are comfortable discussing your health with.
Having someone else as a ‘support person’ can be a big help, and don’t forget other services in your area that you can draw on too.
Finding a GP
It’s a good idea to have a regular doctor, a GP, who has an understanding of your general health and whom you are comfortable talking to. Seeing the same GP regularly means they can keep a better eye on your health and organise any check-ups needed.
If you don’t have one yet, ask people you know if they can recommend one. You can also just go down to your local GP’s surgery and ask to be registered.
Check it out
We all know the feeling of wondering if something is wrong – a bump, an ache, or something else – and doing nothing while we hope it goes away. Often, though, we end up worrying at the back of our minds anyway.
If there is something that needs treatment, then it’s best for it to be checked out as soon as possible. This goes for your mental as well as physical health. That’s why if you are feeling unwell at all it’s best to see your GP. If nothing else, it means you can be reassured and stop worrying about it.
Prevention is better than cure
Lots of health problems can be detected early or avoided if you get checked out regularly. This is especially important as we get a little older, or if at risk of the ‘metabolic syndrome’. Discuss with your GP having regular tests for things such as cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and breast or prostate cancer, for example.
Take some notes along
It’s difficult to remember everything you need to tell a doctor. Sometimes we just forget, or are embarrassed, or don’t want to bother them. That’s why it’s a really good idea to scribble down some notes before seeing the doctor – just some dot points are enough, to remind you of everything you wanted to ask about.
Like anyone else, doctors understand something better when it’s explained in a simple, direct way. The more information you give, too, will help to make a diagnosis, so you get the right treatment.
Be as specific as you can about what’s bothering you. For example, if there’s a chest pain, is it sharp or aching? Is it on the right, left or centre? Is it only present when you exercise or after meals? All this will help the doctor to help you.
Be sure to tell the doctor, too, about any family history of medical conditions (such as diabetes or heart disease), and any medications you are taking, whether prescribed or not.
When you are on to a good thing
It’s a good idea to see the same GP regularly. This means the doctor gets to know your medical history, and helps you feel more comfortable in talking about personal things. That way, when you have concerns about your health you are more likely to feel relaxed about seeing your GP, and they are more likely to be able to help.
Setting up a ‘support person’
Having someone around to encourage you can make all the difference in learning new, healthy habits.
This support person could be your case manager or other support worker from a day program or Personal Helper And Mentor (PHAM) program, for example. It could be a neighbour, friend, someone in your family, or even your psychiatrist or GP. It can be anyone who knows you’re trying to lead a healthier life and agrees to help and keep a friendly eye on how you’re getting on.
The following things are important when thinking about who to ask to be your support person.
Remember your support person needs to be someone you trust, and who will take a real interest in how you are getting on.
Availability
No one can be available all the time, but think about how available a person is – in person, by phone or email.
Familiarity
Being a support person means being familiar with you and your life. This is likely to be someone you’ve known for some time and are comfortable talking to.
A positive attitude
A good support person sees the bright side of life. It can make all the difference to have someone with a positive approach to life helping you – it’s surprisingly infectious.
What to discuss with your support person
Here are some things to talk about with your support person, to help them help you to keep up your healthy new habits.
Explain what you’re trying to do
Be specific about what you want to do. For example, if you want to start getting fitter, don’t let them think you’re necessarily going to join a gym and do weights, when what you have in mind is walking around a park once a day.
Think about alternatives
There are bound to be days when you just don’t feel like doing things. Talk about this beforehand so that there’s an alternative. For example, you can agree that if you’re not motivated to get your usual exercise, the support person could come round and go on a shorter walk with you – to keep your healthy habit up.
Being prepared
If there are things you know are going to be a problem or a challenge, talk to your support person about getting ready to deal with these. For example, if you tend to snack a lot in the afternoon, your support person could suggest rearranging the kitchen cupboard so that healthier foods such as dried fruit, pretzels or rice crackers are at the front.
Learning by example
If your support person leads a healthy life, then you can learn from their example or even do things together. For example, if they are a keen gardener, you could help them out or even learn how to grow your own vegetables – getting exercise, fresh air, and free, good food too.
Having a back-up plan
There are bound to be times when your support person is not around. Discuss a back-up plan with them for when this happens.
For example, if you usually have a walk together, the support person might help you to arrange to walk someone’s dog while they’re away. People are often grateful to have a dog-walker, and it means you have a daily routine that gives you exercise too.
Using local services
As well as your GP and support person, don’t forget to check out other services that will help you get healthier.
Council recreation centres
These often offer cheap or free facilities such as swimming pools, tennis courts and skating ramps.
Local gymnasiums
Gyms can have a range of facilities such as swimming pools and exercise machines as well as groups such as aerobics and Tai Chi. Some offer lower fees for people with Pension or Health Care Cards.
Local Community Health Centres
These often have general health services such as dentists, podiatrists, psychologists and access to immunisation.
Neighbourhood houses
Neighbourhood houses often run groups that can help you with healthy living including Tai Chi, meditation, Yoga, dance or walking groups. Some also have groups such as healthy eating programs, Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous and Gamblers Anonymous.
Local markets
Get to know your local market – not only because the food is fresh, varied and cheap (especially just before closing), but also because it’s an enjoyable and friendly way to shop and meet people. If near enough, walk there with a shopping trolley, so you get some exercise and fresh air too.
Lyndall's story
Lyndall is in her forties and was diagnosed with Schizophrenia 13 years ago. She’s been getting stomach pains over the past month, but her GP has told her to ‘keep taking her antipsychotic medication and she’ll be fine’.
She feels the doctor sees her as a ‘psych patient’ only and doesn’t take her physical health seriously.
Lyndall also wants to get fitter so she’s not out-of-breath all the time, but can’t get motivated to start exercising.
Asking for more support
Don’t be afraid to ask for more support when you need it. It’s important for Lyndall to have a GP she is comfortable with, and who looks after her physical as well as mental health. She also needs someone to support her in getting motivated to exercise. Steps she can take include:
- asking people she knows to recommend a good GP she can see and get a proper diagnosis for her stomach pains
- asking a worker at the day program she attends to be a support person and discuss a ‘get fit’ program for her.
Write down some ways in which you could get support for your healthy new habits.
In a crisis
If you or someone you know experiences a mental health crisis and becomes highly distressed, it can be difficult for others to know what to do. See In a crisis for advice on how you or others can help.
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health & living health center / nutrition, food & recipes a-z list / healthy living article
Healthy Living and Disease Prevention
- Medical Author: Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD
- Medical Editor: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
What is healthy living?
Healthy eating (diet and nutrition), exercise for physical and mental health, avoid tobacco use, avoid excessive alcohol consumption, avoid high-risk sexual behaviors, avoid other high-risk behaviors, additional tips for healthy living.
"Healthy living" to most people means both physical and mental health are in balance or functioning well together. In many instances, physical and mental health are closely linked, so that a change (good or bad) in one directly affects the other. Consequently, some of the tips will include suggestions for emotional and mental "healthy living."
This article is designed to give tips to readers about how they can improve or augment actions in their life to have a healthy lifestyle; it is not meant to be all inclusive but will include major components that are considered to be parts of a lifestyle that lead to good health. In addition to the tips about what people should do for healthy living, the article will mention some of the tips about avoiding actions (the don'ts) that lead to unhealthy living.
Quit Smoking
- Set a date for quitting. If possible, plan to have a friend quit smoking with you. It's best to pick a day within the next month. A date too far off in the future will give you a chance to procrastinate and postpone, while a date too soon may not allow you to make a plan for medications or support systems.
- Notice when and why you smoke. Try to find the things in your daily life that you often do while smoking (such as drinking your morning cup of coffee or driving a car).
- Change your smoking routines: Keep your cigarettes in a different place. Smoke with your other hand. Don't do anything else when you are smoking. Think about how you feel when you smoke.
All humans have to eat food for growth and maintenance of a healthy body, but we humans have different nutrition requirements as infants, children (kids), teenagers, young adults, adults, and seniors. For example, infants may require feeding every 4 hours until they gradually age and begin to take in more solid foods. Eventually they develop into the more normal pattern of eating three times per day as young kids. However, as most parents know, kids, teenagers, and young adults often snack between meals. Snacking is often not limited to these age groups because adults and seniors often do the same.
Tips for everyday healthy eating:
- Eat three healthy meals a day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner); it is important to remember that dinner does not have to be the largest meal.
- The bulk of food consumption should consist of healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk products.
- Incorporate lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts (with emphasis on beans and nuts) into a healthy diet .
- Choose foods that are low in saturated fats , trans fats, cholesterol , salt (sodium), and added sugars; look at the labels because the first listed items on the labels comprise the highest concentrations of ingredients.
- Control portion sizes; eat the smallest portion that can satisfy hunger and then stop eating.
- Healthy snacks are OK in moderation and should consist of items like fruit, whole grains, or nuts to satisfy hunger and not cause excessive weight gain .
- Avoid sodas and sugar -enhanced drinks because of the excessive calories in the sodas and sugar drinks; diet drinks may not be a good choice as they make some people hungrier and increase food consumption.
- Avoid eating a large meal before sleeping to decrease gastroesophageal reflux and weight gain.
- If a person is angry or depressed , eating will not solve these situations and may make the underlying problems worse.
- Avoid rewarding children with sugary snacks; such a pattern may become a lifelong habit for people.
- Avoid heavy meals in the summer months, especially during hot days.
- A vegetarian lifestyle has been promoted for a healthy lifestyle and weight loss ; vegetarians should check with their physicians to be sure they are getting enough vitamins , minerals , and iron in their diet.
- Cooking foods (above 165 F) destroys most harmful bacteria and other pathogens; if you choose to eat uncooked foods like fruits or vegetables, they should be thoroughly washed with running treated (safe to drink) tap water right before eating.
- Avoid eating raw or undercooked meats of any type.
Tips for special situations:
- People with diabetes should use the above tips and monitor their glucose levels as directed; try to keep the daily blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible.
- People with unusual work schedules (night shifts, college students, military) should try to adhere to a breakfast, lunch, and dinner routine with minimal snacking.
- People who prepare food should avoid using grease or frying foods in grease.
- People trying to lose weight (body fat) should avoid all fatty and sugary foods and eat mainly vegetables, fruits, and nuts and markedly reduce his/her intake of meat and dairy products.
- Seek medical advice early if you cannot control your weight, food intake, or if you have diabetes and cannot control your blood glucose levels.
Physical health
Physical activity and exercise is a major contributor to a healthy lifestyle; people are made to use their bodies, and disuse leads to unhealthy living. Unhealthy living may manifest itself in obesity , weakness , lack of endurance, and overall poor health that may foster disease development.
Benefits of exercising regularly:
- Regular exercise can prevent and reverse age-related decreases in muscle mass and strength, improve balance, flexibility, and endurance, and decrease the risk of falls in the elderly. Regular exercise can help prevent coronary heart disease , stroke , diabetes , obesity, and high blood pressure . Regular, weight-bearing exercise can also help prevent osteoporosis by building bone strength.
- Regular fitness can help chronic arthritis sufferers improve their capacity to perform daily activities such as driving, climbing stairs, and opening jars.
- Regular exercise can help increase self-esteem and self-confidence, decrease stress and anxiety , enhance mood, and improve general mental health.
- Regular exercise can help control body weight and in some people cause loss of fat.
Tips for exercising regularly:
- Thirty minutes of modest exercise ( walking is OK) at least 3 to 5 days a week is recommended, but the greatest health benefits come from exercising most days of the week.
- Exercise can be broken up into smaller 10-minute sessions.
- Start slowly and progress gradually to avoid injury or excessive soreness or fatigue . Over time, build up to 30 to 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise every day.
- People are never too old to start exercising. Even frail, elderly individuals (70-90 years of age) can improve their strength and balance with exercise.
- Almost any type of exercise (resistance, water aerobics, walking, swimming , weights, yoga , and many others) is helpful for everybody.
- Children need exercise; play outside of the home is a good beginning.
- Sports for children may provide excellent opportunities for exercise, but care must be taken not to overdo certain exercises (for example, throwing too many pitches in baseball may harm a joint like the elbow or shoulder).
- Exertion during strenuous exercise may make a person tired and sore, but if pain occurs, stop the exercise until the pain source is discovered; the person may need to seek medical help and advice about continuation of such exercise.
Most individuals can begin moderate exercise, such as walking, without a medical examination. The following people, however, should consult a doctor before beginning more vigorous exercise:
- Men over age 40 or women over age 50
- Individuals with heart or lung disease, asthma , arthritis , or osteoporosis
- Individuals who experience chest pressure or pain with exertion, or who develop fatigue or shortness of breath easily
- Individuals with conditions that increase their risks of developing coronary heart disease , such as high blood pressure , diabetes, cigarette smoking , high blood cholesterol, or having family members who had early onset heart attacks and coronary heart disease
- Individuals who are morbidly obese
Consequences of physical inactivity and lack of exercise include:
- Physical inactivity and lack of exercise are associated with heart disease and some cancers .
- Physical inactivity and lack of exercise are associated with type II diabetes mellitus (also known as maturity or adult-onset, non-insulin-dependent diabetes ).
- Physical inactivity and lack of exercise contribute to weight gain.
Mental health
Healthy living involves more than physical health, it also includes emotional or mental health. The following are some ways people can support their mental health and well-being.
Tips for improving mental health:
- Get enough sleep daily; the CDC recommends the following by age group (naps inclusive); 12-18 hours from birth to 2 months, 14-15 hours from 3-11 months of age, 12-18 hours for 1-3 years of age, 11-13 hours for 3-5 years of age, 10-11 hours for 5-10 years of age, 8.5-9.5 hours for 10-17 years of age and those 18 and above need 7-9 hours of sleep . Elderly people need about 7-9 hours but do not sleep as deeply and may awaken at night or wake early, so naps (like kids need) allow them to accumulate the total of 7-9 hours of sleep.
- Take a walk and reflect on what you see and hear at least several times per week.
- Try something new and often (eat a new food, try a different route to work, go to a new museum display).
- Do some mind exercises (read, do a puzzle occasionally during the week).
- Try to focus on a process intensely and complete a segment of it over 1 to several hours, then take a break and do something relaxing (walk, exercise, short nap).
- Plan to spend some time talking with other people about different subjects.
- Try to make some leisure time to do some things that interest you every week (hobby, sport).
- Learn ways to say "no" when something occurs that you do not want to do or be involved with.
- Have fun (go on a trip with someone you love, go shopping, go fishing; do not let vacation time slip away).
- Let yourself be pleased with your achievements, both big and small (develop contentment).
- Have a network of friends; those with strong social support systems lead healthier lives.
- Seek help and advice early if you feel depressed, have suicidal thoughts , or consider harming yourself or others.
- People taking medicine for mental health problems should not stop taking these medications, no matter how "well" they feel, until they have discussed their situation with their prescribing doctor(s).
Avoidance behavior is another key to wellness. Below are described some of the major items to avoid if a person is seeking a healthy lifestyle.
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Tobacco use is the most important preventable illness and cause of death in the U.S., according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Tobacco use was estimated to be the cause of 443,000 deaths in 2010 in the U.S.
- Stop smoking tobacco (it takes about 15 years of nonsmoking behavior to achieve a "normal" risk level for heart disease for those that smoke).
- Stop using chewing tobacco to avoid oral cancers.
Adverse consequences of tobacco use:
- Tobacco use causes or contributes to a large number of cancers in the U.S. In men, 90% of lung cancer deaths are attributable to smoking ; 80% in women. Tobacco use causes cancers of the lung, mouth, lip, tongue, esophagus , kidney, and bladder. It also further increases the risk of bladder cancer in subjects occupationally exposed to certain organic chemicals found in the textile, leather, rubber, dye, paint, and other organic chemical industries, and further increases the risk of lung cancer among subjects exposed to asbestos .
- Tobacco use causes atherosclerotic arterial disease (hardening and narrowing of the arteries) that can lead to heart attacks , strokes , and lack of blood flow to the lower extremities. Tobacco use causes an estimated 20%-30% of coronary heart disease in the U.S. It also further increases the risk of heart attacks among subjects with elevated cholesterol, uncontrolled hypertension , obesity, and a sedentary lifestyle.
- Tobacco use causes an estimated 20% of chronic lung diseases in the U.S., such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema , and causes pneumonia in those with chronic lung disease. The CDC, in 2011, estimated that 90% of deaths from chronic obstructive lung disease ( COPD ) were due to smoking .
- Pregnant women who smoke are more likely to deliver babies with low birth weight.
- Secondhand smoke can cause middle- ear infections ( otitis media ), coughing , wheezing , bronchitis , and pneumonia in babies, and aggravate asthma in children . Secondhand smoke (sometimes referred to as passive smoking ) can also cause lung cancer .
Tips for quitting tobacco:
- Quitting smoking is difficult to accomplish; tobacco contains nicotine, which is addictive. Some smokers can quit " cold turkey," but for most, quitting smoking requires a serious life-long commitment and an average of six quitting attempts before success.
- Quitting smoking efforts may include behavior modification, counseling, use of nicotine chewing gum ( Nicorette Gum ), nicotine skin patches (Transderm Nicotine), or oral medications such as bupropion ( Zyban ).
Adverse consequences of excessive alcohol consumption:
- Chronic, excess alcohol consumption is the major cause of liver cirrhosis in the U.S.
- Liver cirrhosis can cause internal hemorrhage, fluid accumulation in the abdomen, easy bleeding and bruising , muscle wasting, mental confusion , infections, and in advanced cases, coma , and kidney failure .
- Liver cirrhosis can lead to liver cancer .
- Alcohol accounts for 40%-50% of deaths from automobile accidents in the U.S.
- Alcohol use is a significant cause of injury and death from home accidents, drowning , and burns .
Tips for limiting alcohol intake:
There are many treatments for alcoholism . But the crucial first step to recovery is for the individual to admit there is a problem and make a commitment to address the alcoholism issue. The 12-step-style self-help programs, pioneered by Alcoholics Anonymous, can be one effective treatment. Psychologists and related professionals have developed programs to help individuals better handle emotional stresses and avoid behaviors that can lead to excess drinking. Support and understanding from family members are often critical for sustained recovery. Medication can be useful for the prevention of relapses and for withdrawal symptoms following acute or prolonged intoxication.
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High-risk sexual behavior can lead to the acquisition of sexually transmitted illnesses such as gonorrhea , syphilis , herpes , or HIV infection. High-risk sexual behavior is also known to spread human papillomavirus infection, which can lead to cervical cancer in women and other anogenital cancers in both men and women. High-risk sexual behaviors include the following:
- Multiple sex partners
- Intravenous drug use
- Venereal disease ( sexually transmitted diseases or STDs )
Adverse consequences of high-risk sexual behavior:
- Transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases ( chlamydia , gonorrhea , syphilis , genital herpes )
- Transmission of hepatitis B (50% of hepatitis B infections are due to sexual transmission) and, in rare instances, hepatitis C
- Transmission of human papilloma virus ( HPV ), which can cause genital warts and anogenital carcinomas, most commonly cancer of the uterine cervix
- Unplanned pregnancy
Tips for avoiding unsafe sex:
- Avoid unprotected sex (sex without barriers such as a condom ) outside an established, committed, monogamous relationship.
- If you plan to have sex and are unsure of your partner's health status, use a condom.
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High-risk behaviors to avoid:
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Driving while sleep-deprived
- Reckless driving and speeding, "road rage"
- Driving while using cell phones, texting, or performing other tasks
- Motorcycle (and bicycle) riding without helmets
- Possession of firearms and guns without proper training and storage
- Smoking in bed
Adverse consequences of high-risk behaviors:
- Motor vehicle accidents account for 40%-50% of accidental deaths.
- Motorcycle accidents are a major cause of serious head injuries .
- Firearms and guns account for a significant proportion of deaths among adolescents due to male suicide and homicide.
- Smoking in bed can lead to burn injury and death.
Tips for avoiding risks:
- When driving, use seat restraints on all passengers, both front and rear seats.
- Do not drink and drive.
- Do not drive if sleep deprived.
- Avoid unnecessary distractions and focus on the road and traffic while driving (avoid texting, talking on cell phones, eating, applying makeup , or other distractions).
- Use helmets while riding bicycles and motorcycles. Helmet use reduces deaths from motorcycle accidents by 30% and serious head injuries by 75%.
- Obtain proper training in the use and storage of guns and ammunition.
- Use smoke detectors; avoid smoking in bed.
Adverse consequences of excess sun exposure:
- Melanoma and other skin cancers
Tips for avoiding sun exposure:
- Avoid sunburns and sun exposure by using adequate skin protection; use brimmed hats, protective clothing, and sunscreen .
Sunscreens have undergone changes, and the U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration) published new requirements that sunscreens needed to meet starting in 2012. Currently, the FDA suggests an effective sunscreen is rated as SPF 30 or higher and has both UVA and UVB protection (protection against ultraviolet waves of types A and B). In most instances, sunscreen needs to be applied every 2 hours and each time after a person has gone swimming.
Although there are many other risky behaviors that may impede an otherwise healthy lifestyle (for example, working with toxic or radioactive materials, drug addiction , travel to areas with unusual endemic diseases), these are too numerous to cover in this general article. However, the reader is advised to visit such topic sites on MedicineNet.com, eMedicineHealth.com or WebMD.com because most of the specific articles will provide tips to avoid health-related problems.
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