The sheer volume of information on living a healthy life is overwhelming. We are bombarded with data about what food to eat, what exercise we should be doing, etc. And then there are lists of don’ts. All of this can be condensed into a few common sense, no-nonsense rules to live by.
Prioritize Your Health And Wellbeing
When we’re young, we rarely think about health and our own mortality until something happens. We may be unlucky enough to succumb to a serious illness. Or someone around us may become ill. Or we may be involved in an accident. Often, until that happens, we take risks with our health and put things off. It’s difficult to think about our old age when there are pressing issues to deal with today.
How many times have you put off going to the doctor about that niggling issue? How often do you take unnecessary risks? Do you drive too fast or workout too hard? Thinking about your own safety and making it a priority can not only extend your life but make it more tolerable and enjoyable.
Quality of life is something that is personal to everyone. But if you want to make it to your senior years without illness or pain, it is important to take steps now. If you require medical attention, prioritize it. It could be something as simple as removing a bad tooth. Or it could be more complex such as total knee replacement surgery. Whatever it is, don’t put it off. Make health your priority and ensure your retirement is fun and pain-free.
Get Enough Sleep
Sleep deprivation doesn’t just make you feel groggy the next day. It has more far-reaching consequences. It puts you at greater risk of accidents, such as car crashes, etc. Chronic sleep deprivation is also associated with high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. So it is worth investing in this area of your life and taking steps to improve your sleep quality.
Eat Well
Yes, it had to be up there, didn’t it. Many of us focus on healthy eating as a way to improve our appearance. We may want to shift a few pounds or maintain our weight. Or, we may want to improve our skin. But eating well is vital to longevity. A poor diet is linked to many life-limited illnesses including cancer and heart problems. So it’s important to eat well for good health.
Give Up Smoking
Smoking is one of the greatest risks to our health. Most of us are aware of its links with lung cancer. But it is also associated with other cancers, coronary heart disease, and stroke. These are a few of a very long list. So, if you smoke, the best thing you can do for your health is to quit.
Limiting Your Alcohol Intake
Like smoking, excessive drinking is linked to a wide range of life-limited illnesses. These include cancer, stroke, and brain damage. Work out what you drink each week, and be honest with yourself. If necessary, cut down and keep within the recommended health limits.
Exercise
Exercise goes hand in hand with eating well. It helps keep our whole body healthy. It is an important part of maintaining a healthy weight. You don’t have to go to the gym. Find a sport or activity that you enjoy and do it regularly.
Taking steps to a better future is not difficult. It just takes a little thought and planning. Making these changes now will be far easier than rectifying issues later in life.
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