Good nutrition, daily exercise, and adequate sleep are the foundations of healthy living. A healthy lifestyle keeps you fit, energetic, and at reduced risk for disease. According to WHO, Healthy living is a way of living that helps you enjoy more aspects of your life. It is a way of living that lowers the risk of being seriously ill or dying early. Health is not just about avoiding a disease or illness. It is about physical, mental, and social well-being too.
When you adopt a healthy lifestyle, you provide a more positive role model for other people in your family, particularly children. You will also create a better environment for them to grow up in. By helping them to follow a healthier lifestyle, you will be contributing to their well-being and enjoyment of life now and in the future.
Here, I’d like to share some basic tips and resources for how to maintain your healthy lifestyle, body weight, and overall well-being while staying home and engaging in social distancing.
1. Measure and Watch Your Weight
Keeping track of your body weight on a daily or weekly basis will help you see what you’re losing and/or what you’re gaining.
2. Limit Unhealthy Foods and Eat
Healthy Meals do not forget to eat breakfast and choose a nutritious meal with more protein and fiber and less fat, sugar, and calories. It’s no secret that the amount of calories people eat and drink has a direct impact on their weight: Consume the same number of calories that the body burns over time, and their weight stays stable. Consume more than the body burns, weight goes up. Less, weight goes down. But what about the type of calories:
3. Take Multivitamin Supplements
To make sure you have sufficient levels of nutrients, taking a daily multivitamin supplement is a good idea, especially when you do not have a variety of vegetables and fruits at home. Many micronutrients are vital to your immune system, including vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, and E, as well as zinc, iron, copper, selenium, and magnesium. However, there’s currently NO available evidence that adding any supplements or “miracle mineral supplements” to your diet will help protect you from the virus or increase recovery. In some cases, high doses of vitamins can be bad for your health.
4. Drink Water and Stay Hydrated, and Limit Sugared Beverages
Drink water regularly to stay healthy, but there is NO evidence that drinking water frequently (e.g. every 15 minutes) can help prevent any viral infection. Water keeps every system in the body functioning properly. The daily four-to-six cup rule is for generally healthy people. It's possible to take in too much water if you have certain health conditions, such as thyroid disease or kidney, liver, or heart problems; or if you're taking medications that make you retain water, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
5. Exercise Regularly and Be Physically Active
At this time, at-home workouts may be a good idea. But you can also walk your dog or run outside. Be sure you know what’s going on in your area and if there are any restrictions or mandatory self-quarantines. Research has shown that it’s important to get all four types of exercise: endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility. Each one has different benefits. Doing one kind also can improve your ability to do the others, and variety helps reduce boredom and the risk of injury. No matter your age, you can find activities that meet your fitness level and needs!
6. Reduce Sitting and Screen Time Exercise can’t immunize you from your sedentary time.
Even people who exercise regularly could be at increased risk for diabetes and heart disease and stroke if they spend lots of time sitting behind computers. Practically speaking, you could consider taking breaks from sedentary time, such as walking around the office/room a couple of times a day.
7. Get Enough Good Sleep
There is a very strong connection between sleep quality and quantity and your immune system. You can keep your immune system functioning properly by getting seven to eight hours of sleep each night.
8. Go Easy on Alcohol and Stay Sober Drinking
Alcohol does not protect you from the coronavirus infection. Don’t forget that those alcohol calories can add up quickly. Alcohol should always be consumed in moderation.
9. Improves longevity
The other benefits of adopting a healthy lifestyle in daily routine will give you longer life, healthier and younger skin, nourished hairs, and overall wellbeing.
Regular exercise and balanced diet is a key to healthy lifestyle and availing all above benefits. For a healthy body, start with a simple and short five-minute walk. Gradually increase it with daily 30 minutes.
Although it’s hard to adopt such habits in daily lifestyle yet a strong willpower can do great. You can even join any fitness course, Ayurveda course, or nutrition course. These courses help you to get extensive information and make them habit.
10. Use an App to Keep Track of Your Movement, Sleep, and Heart Rate
A reminder, People with serious chronic medical conditions, including extreme obesity, diabetes, and heart disease are at a higher risk of experiencing complications and getting very sick from the COVID-19 infection. They should talk to their medical providers and listen to their advice.
Benefits of following healthy lifestyle:
Making changes to improve your health can lead to benefits for your body, your mind, your wallet, and even the environment.
Prevent disease
Saves money
Lengthens lifespan
It can be good for the environment
Practicing all of these healthy habits isn’t easy. Many kids tell us that eating fruits and vegetables and sleeping is the most challenging to do every day. Being honest and talking about these habits is the first step to living a healthy lifestyle.
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.