How To Live A Healthy Lifestyle And Enjoy Life

                    

Living a healthy life style naturally calls for a healthy body, free from disease and illnesses. It also means that you enjoy a positive outlook about your life, the people in it, and the world. A healthy lifestyle is one full of energy, without constant stress about aches and pains, and what tomorrow will bring. It's about living in a healthy body, and enjoying the world around you. Living a healthy lifestyle is built on these foundational steps: Staying healthy calls for a healthy diet A diet rich in fresh, whole foods is essential in a healthy lifestyle. When available, always choose foods found in its natural state. Fruits and vegetables have high vitamin and mineral content. Whole grains like quinoa and whole wheat bread should be consumed instead of less nutritious white varieties. Vegetables need to make up 50-60% of your total intake of food each and every day. The more vegetables you eat, the less sugar and white flour you will crave and your immune system will help you fight off illness and give you all the energy you need. Drink plenty of water. The old suggestion of 8 glasses as day is still what you need to keep every cell in your body healthy. Exercise keeps your heart healthy and your body agile. Just 30 minutes a day of movement can benefit your health by improving joint stability, increase your range of movement and flexibility, help prevent osteoporosis and fractures and improve your mood while reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. Exercise doesn't necessarily mean joining a gym. It can be simple things like turning off the TV for an hour and playing outdoors with your kids or taking your dog for a walk. If you already exercise regular, add an extra lap in the pool, walk an extra turn around the block, do one more set of reps before quitting. Small increases can make a big difference. Chores like shoveling snow, gardening, raking leaves or vacuuming and sweeping the floor are all considered a form of exercise. Emotional Health makes all the pieces come together Your emotional health plays a big part in a healthy lifestyle. Tune into your body to learn what causes you stress. Have a healthy social life by avoiding negative people and situations. Relaxation and meditation help release negative emotions. Listen to soothing music, meditate, breathe deep to help reduce stress. A healthy lifestyle makes life full and large In addition to an overall good feeling, a healthy lifestyle has many benefits. A healthy lifestyle makes life worth something to you. When you're living conscious of your diet, sleep, exercise, and the other people you share the world with, life will take on a new and profound meaning. A naturally healthy lifestyle can lead to a longer more productive life. You'll feel less pain, ward off diseases and have energy like you did when you were young. Living a healthy lifestyle is the only way to live your life, but it isn't the normal way to live.

Living a Healthy Lifestyle Is Easier Than You Think

                   

Happiness is bestowed in a healthy lifestyle. The term 'healthy lifestyle' may sound arduous until you discover it by yourself. A healthy lifestyle undoubtedly gives a magical touch to your life. And what if this magic is created with the least possible effort? Yeah, you'll surely enjoy it. Adapting it is much easier and enjoyable than it seems. If not exaggeration, it is the only way of getting yourself out of this wrecked lifestyle. Let us now look into few easy steps which help in acquiring a healthy lifestyle. Just need to make small changes Nothing will come easily, but healthy living will. Healthy lifestyle may be projected as hectic task, but in reality all it takes is very few changes in your regular living. These small adjustments in your lifestyle may require you to forego few ailing habits, like laziness, drug or alcohol abuse, unhealthy food habits, sedentary lifestyle; and adapt few good habits such as, thinking positively, being dedicated, getting active, living natural, keeping clean and most importantly loving yourself. These small changes here and there in your existing lifestyle will definitely make a great difference. Exercise can make difference A healthy body is marked by active lifestyle. Nothing can make a body active the way exercise does. Sedentary lifestyle can take you nowhere. The only way you can make your body happy is by moving it. Exercise is known to strengthen your body, act as a stress buster and moreover it is the natural way of maintaining your body and allowing it to perform its regular functions properly. Simple ways to burn calories Obesity is a curse to your body. Burdening your body with the unwanted calories will only end up impairing your bodily processes. Simple activities such as taking regular breaks from sedentary lifestyle, walking, stretching, cycling, swimming, dancing, jogging, rowing, elliptical workouts etc., act as great ways to burn calories. Healthy diet - what to include Healthy diet and healthy living go hand in hand. Having a balanced diet is very crucial for living healthy. It is very much important to keep yourself away from unhealthy junk food, which has high amounts of unsaturated fats, cholesterol and sugar. Healthy diet should include a variety of food items such as fruits, vegetables, meat, drinks and much more, which can meet the basic requirements of nutrients, minerals, fats, proteins, carbohydrates, fiber, sugar, and so on. Some of the food items which are needed to be included in daily diet are cereals, green salads, fruits, dairy products etc. Get enough sleep Body needs rest, without which it becomes completely exhausted. In that case, however much good diet or positive way of living you adopt, everything goes in vain. A body needs to rejuvenate its cells regularly in course of working to resume its functions with regained energy. Nothing can replace the role of sleep in terms of providing relaxation to the body. Hence enough sleep is a must to lead a healthy lifestyle. Balance between work and play Healthy living demands a stress free life. To lead a stress free life, one needs to create a perfect balance between work and play. Monotonous lifestyle is always boring and more importantly discouraging. Taking break from work and indulging yourself in your most liked hobby or activity will surely shoot up your energy levels. This will also enhance your creative side. Stay in a good company of friends and family members A healthy lifestyle is a combination of physical and mental well-being. A wholesome life is obtained by having good health, good work environment and healthy relationships. Being in a good company of friends and family members motivates and inspires a person. Stay away from substance abuse Ditching bad habits is as important as embracing new habits to lead a healthy lifestyle. Substance abuse is one of the major obstacles for healthy lifestyle. This has become more rampant these days. Addiction to harmful drugs or alcohol will make an individual forego his beautiful future. Hence, if you aspire to have healthy future, it is suggested to stay away from drug abuse.

The Importance of Living a Healthy Lifestyle As a Family

                   

The importance of living a healthy lifestyle for maintaining general good health and preventing chronic diseases has been well established. A healthy lifestyle is quite simple to achieve - one does not need to do anything "crazy" to adopt a healthy lifestyle. I will say that a certain amount of independent thinking is required to separate truth from fiction in most modern health advice currently being delivered. The most important thing you can do is eat well. Avoid toxins in your food as much as possible and consume plenty of fresh fruit, veggies and whole grains; exercise moderately a few times per week; avoid smoking, including secondhand smoke; and avoid gaining too much weight (which should come naturally if you eat right and exercise). While it is not always possible to eat all Organic food - the EWG recommends 12 fruits and vegetables that should be organic because of their higher levels of pesticide residue. Avoiding environmental toxins as much as you can is an important part of achieving a healthy lifestyle. Our modern lifestyle is very convenient - but it can also be extremely unhealthy. Most of us eat too many processed foods and too few fruit and veggies; we rarely exercise; and when we develop chronic conditions such as diabetes, we rely on conventional medications to make us feel better - but these medications often have devastating side effects. Instead of accepting the importance of living a healthy lifestyle for us and for future generations, we continue with our bad habits - then take potent, toxic medication to treat our inevitable symptoms. Of course, not all aspects of living a healthy lifestyle are in our control. We are going to be exposed to certain environmental toxins whether we like it or not. But many of these factors are absolutely in our control. Whenever we can, we should be responsible and make the right choices. This is why it is so important to be sure you eat well as the key factor in achieving a healthy LIFESTYLE. I say "lifestyle" because what I know is that "eating well" can sometimes be something a person does with resentment because they feel "sacrifice" is required to adopt a healthy lifestyle. I remember when people who ate poor foods used to joke with me and say I was not really living because I chose not to eat pizza and drink beer - and I always replied "how much LIVING can you do when your body is recovering from what you put in it? Shifting from an Unhealthy to a Healthy Lifestyle The reason I discuss the healthy lifestyle tip of simply EATING WELL on my blog is because it has been so effective for my health. It was not always like this though. I remember when I was addicted to a chocolate bar each day and I always had headaches or an infection or illness of some kind. In addition to excessive sugar cravings (eating a chocolate bar each day) I also suffered from many unhealthy symptoms that were challenging to resolve through traditional medicine: Frequent headaches, Skin problems (ie. eczema, acne, hives, Bloating, Gas, Bad Breath, Weak or brittle hair and nails, Fatigue and lethargy, Excessive stress, Candida overgrowth, Yeast infections, Food or Environmental Allergies, Anxiety or depression, Diarrhea, Constipation, Memory loss, Mood swings, Frequent colds or infections, PMS or bad menstrual cramps, Bladder infection, Loss of sex drive...etc Ughhh! No fun at all! Years later, I LOVE good food and I am rarely sick. Eating well is the perfect way to get in tune with your body and really get back to basics of what your body needs. It challenges you to give up the vices that you take for granted, break your addictive eating habits and start again from the beginning. Eating well is a healthy lifestyle choice that gives you clarity on what your body really needs, not craves and becomes the foundation for all other healthy lifestyle choices. An important thing to remember with eating well is to really examine your root philosophy for adapting more healthy foods into your lifestyle. This is SO IMPORTANT! If it's simply to loose a few pounds - I personally feel that this is not enough of a motivator and you will set yourself up for "failure" however, if you choose to eat well to enjoy a better quality of life, to do things you have not done in years and to not get sick anymore, then this is a wonderful motivator that will likely last! So, getting really practical, eating well obviously involves making a few changes to the foods you prepare and enjoy. I always listen to my body when I eat. I do not calorie count, measure my fist, use ratio's or anything that causes me to separate myself form the food I eat. The main reason I enjoy excellent health is because I am critical of what I eat - I choose to eat REAL food. Because of this, I do not need expensive supplements or challenging programs to maintain my weight. Delicious menus of real, whole foods allow me to enjoy the things so many diet plans warn against. This sounds simple enough, but what I have learned is that many people simply do not know what a healthy lifestyle consists of, especially when it comes to food! I try to keep things as simple as possible. I shop from the perimeter of the grocery store, eat mostly wild and free range chicken, very little meat and mostly raw organic fruits and vegetables, with beans and rice. It's not practical to list everything I eat here, but feel free to visit my blog and download your FREE Healthy Grocery List while you are here! The Future Depends on our Health Living a healthy lifestyle, free as much as possible of toxins (in our environment and in our food) and of stress, is important to us - but it's also important for future generations. Scientists are also now discovering the impact nutrition has on our DNA! Healthy trees bear healthy fruit. A continued lifestyle of sickness will have a lasting effect on future generations and on our planet. The results of years of living an unhealthy lifestyle are obvious. We are currently faced with a sharp increase in chronic illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease, with an obesity rate so high it's considered an epidemic, and with growing rates of infertility. The number of children diagnosed with autism, Asperger's syndrome or ADHD is alarmingly high. We should also remember that our children carefully watch us and emulate us. If they see us act responsibly now, they will likely adopt a similar approach of taking care of themselves and of the planet when they become adults. We must each ask ourselves if we are modeling the importance of a healthy lifestyle to our children. If we do not show them how to care for themselves, they will likely turn to the food corporations instead. How will they know the difference between real food, "food like" substances? I keep about 6 - 8 fantastic cookbooks on hand. From these books, I create simple meal plans that I rotate each month based on about 15 simple meal ideas. In addition to eating Delicious Food (that is real and healthy!) I suggest the following ways to help model a positive approach to food in our children: Young children especially learn about the world through imitation. How do you feel each day as you prepare your family's meals? Are you hurried, frustrated, and disconnected? We can show our children that eating healthy is important by the way we approach our meal times. If we are happy and engaged in making a meal, and then take pleasure in eating together we affirm that food is more than something to fill the hole but is a necessary part of a happy and healthy family life. In short, your children will imitate what they see so make sure you are placing a positive value around the activities involving healthy living. Involve your children in meal preparation, even once or twice a week. By discussing how good certain foods taste and by letting them help you cook you will show that it's important to take the time to prepare a healthy meal instead of throwing something in the microwave. You never know, you may inspire a future chef! Make a plan to eat together as a family as often as possible. By each decision you make to eat together, you are casting a value judgment on the importance of healthy living and that it involves more than just eating a few more vegetables. We can and should make an effort to change our habits and accept the importance of living a healthy lifestyle. If society won't make changes, then we as individuals need to make them. After all, if we leave our health to someone else guess what they have planned for you? Not much.

Benefits Of A Healthy Lifestyle

                    

Here are 8 benefits of a healthy lifestyle. This Article is written to reach the public with a simple and clear method to point out and to reap the benefits of a healthy lifestyle while reducing the risks of chronic diseases such as diabetes. With the increased understanding of our bodies that we have gained from science over the past few decades, the benefits of a healthy lifestyle are becoming more apparent, along with the reasons why we should detoxify the body at least once a year to remove harmful bacteria, and even worms, from our digestive system. For people of all ages, weights, and abilities the benefits of a healthy lifestyle are endless. But for now let's look at eight simple benefits of a healthy lifestyle. 1. Your Health: Good Health is not something that you buy from a drug store or a department store, but can be achieved by practicing collective patterns of health-related behavior, based on choices made from available options. Following this logic, if you wish to realize the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, you have to repeat some healthy pattern as a part of your daily or weekly activities, some patterns like eating right and exercising. Other benefits includes: Reduced health care costs, reduced illness and injuries, reduced doctors visit, Keeps you employed and improved employee/employer relations. 2. Weight: Managing your weight is the key to attaining all of the health benefits of a Healthy Lifestyle. A weight reduction of just 10 percent will significantly reduce risk of heart disease and other obesity-related illnesses. Obesity/overweight is the second leading contributing factor to many childhood diseases such as orthopedic disorders, sleep apnea, type II diabetes mellitus, asthma, high blood pressure and cholesterol, skin disorders, emotional and psychosocial problems (Spigel, 2002), and many more. Weight-bearing exercise such as walking and strength training helps slow the onset of and/or prevent osteoporosis and some research shows that participating in such activities can actually build bone density and begin to reverse the disease. Other benefits are: Weight reduction, reduced tension and stress, improved well-being, Enhanced self-image and self-esteem and improved physical function. 3. Exercise: Although drugs alone can often bring cholesterol down to normal levels, diet and exercise provide benefits that drugs don't. They'll lower blood pressure, reduce weight, and lower the risk of developing diabetes. A sedentary lifestyle is a dangerous risk factor for disease. Exercise and a healthy diet helps the body use insulin more efficiently and can help control, alleviate and prevent many diseases. Exercise, cessation of tobacco consumption, eating a high-fiber, low-fat diet, controlling body weight, and learning to cope with stress, reduce the risk of heart disease. 4. Medical: We all want a trim and have healthy body for a variety of aesthetic, social and medical reasons. Healthy living is truly the best medicine. In a study conducted by Tufts University at the New England Medical Center, among patients with cardiovascular disease, an exercise program was shown to significantly reduce LDL cholesterol and other risk factors beyond what's provided by drug therapy. Even modest weight loss can help reduce medical and pharmacy costs, help avoid bariatric surgery, and co-morbidities such as asthma, hypertension, and diabetes. 5. Wellness: Wellness is about being comfortable in your space: your body, your attitude, and your environment. A healthy lifestyle can greatly increase a person's longevity. And even though catching something contagious like a cold or flu is sometimes unavoidable, having the wisdom that feeling healthy is a better way to live should have you asking yourself why you are not taking action to live each day as beneficially as possible. The issue with a lot of people nowadays is that they are so busy working and/or taking care of everyone around them, that they neglect their own health and wellness. Make sure your heart is healthy and your bones are strong and Keep it that way to see the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. 6. Care: The best way to ensure good health is by taking care of yourself. The Care stakes are high but the potential rewards are great-preventing premature death, unnecessary illness, and disability, controlling health care cost, and maintaining a high quality of life into old age. With a healthy lifestyle, you are who you are and you don't have to be self-conscious about those things that you otherwise would be if you didn't care about your lifestyle 7. Control: With a healthy lifestyle, you have more control of your life as you work with your body against those aspects of living which may work to hold you back if you would let them. With a healthy lifestyle, you have control over your sleep patterns so that you feel generally well rested throughout the day. With a healthy lifestyle, everything works together to help other aspects of your lifestyle make sense and benefit you. Science has proven that healthy weight loss, healthy eating and fitness routines make dramatic improvements in health, and help control common chronic illnesses like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, stress, and general lack of stamina. 8. Strength: Another benefit of a healthy lifestyle is a steady flow of stamina and strength; you can perform activities and exercises that will enhance your flexibility. With a healthy lifestyle, you have a balanced and varied diet that provides your body its needed nutrients and energy as well. You have strength to train to help build the muscle that supports the bones and joints; therefore decreasing the risk of falls and fractures. Cardiovascular exercise, also known as aerobic exercise, strengthens the heart muscle, therefore increases the heart's efficiency. As we age, our bones biologically begin to lose mass and strength. Weight-bearing exercise such as walking and strength training helps slow the onset of and/or prevent osteoporosis and some research shows that participating in such activities can actually build bone density and begin to reverse the disease. The good news is you don't have to train like an Olympic athlete to enjoy the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. The secret and logic are repeating a chosen healthy pattern as a part of your daily or weekly activities. We hope that this will get you to a healthy lifestyle if you are not there already. A healthy lifestyle is a way of life.