A healthy lifestyle is a long-term commitment to maintaining or doing several things to support bodily functions, thus having a positive impact on health. In order to achieve this, there are several efforts that can be made to adopt a healthy lifestyle. For example, maintaining a healthy diet and nutrition, exercising, engaging in positive activities to avoid stress, and many more. These things can certainly improve the quality of life and have a positive influence on the environment.
How important is it to lead a healthy life?
Implementing a healthy lifestyle is also the most important thing, as according to the World Health Organization (WHO), unhealthy eating patterns and lack of physical activity are the main global health risk factors. Moreover, with advances in food technology, the production of processed foods is increasing. Not only that, due to the convenience of technology, an unhealthy lifestyle makes the body vulnerable to various health disorders, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Steps to Start a Healthy Lifestyle
Implementing a healthy lifestyle cannot be done randomly. It needs to be adjusted according to age, gender, level of physical activity, health condition, and even eating habits. So, here are the steps that can be taken as an effort to live a healthy life:
1. Consumption of Nutritious and Balanced Healthy Food
This is a healthy lifestyle that unfortunately can be quite challenging to implement, despite its importance in maintaining a proper nutrient intake for the body. This includes proteins, carbohydrates, fibers, minerals, and vitamins. It is crucial for the body to grow, develop, and function optimally. Moreover, the food preparation methods should also be taken into consideration to avoid damaging the nutrients in them, ensuring that the consumed food remains beneficial.
If you are still trapped in unhealthy eating habits, start by documenting all the food you consume each day. This record serves as a reminder for you to limit or add to your consumption. Additionally, you can choose natural foods or those that are not processed with chemical substances.
This aims to avoid the potential negative effects. To maintain a healthy lifestyle, you should at least consume fruits and vegetables alongside meat and other sources of carbohydrates.
2. Regular Exercise
At least engage in 30 minutes of exercise every day if you want to have a healthy body. You can also perform moderate aerobic activities like walking for a minimum of 150 minutes or vigorous aerobic activities like running for at least 75 minutes per week. Meanwhile, strength training for all muscle groups is recommended to be done at least twice a week.
Proper exercise at the right time is known to improve blood circulation, strengthen muscles, and bones. If your routine is dominated by sedentary activities, consider being physically active every day.
3. Managing Stress Effectively
It cannot be denied that stress is one of the things you must avoid in order to achieve optimal health. Although the burdens of life can bring about heavy stress, you must be smart in handling it. When stress strikes, physical symptoms you may experience include headaches, stomachaches, increased blood pressure, chest pain, and difficulty sleeping.
To overcome it, you can take time to relax and engage in activities you enjoy. Some activities, such as yoga or meditation, can also be done to help you avoid stress. Additionally, it is important to be grateful to keep your mind and heart at peace. Mental well-being also affects overall physical health, so you cannot neglect either of them.
4. Regular Health Check-ups
One step to adopting a healthy lifestyle is to undergo regular health check-ups. There are several benefits to doing so, including:
- Detecting current medical problems or those that have already emerged but have not been detected yet.
- Assessing the risks of future medical issues.
- Encouraging you to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Moreover, undergoing health check-ups is also an opportune time to evaluate your lifestyle and see what improvements can be made.
5. Sufficient Rest
To achieve a healthy body and mind, you can also attain it by getting enough rest. Ensure that you consistently fulfill your sleep hours and establish a routine for sleeping and waking up at the same time. If you find it difficult to sleep, you can try taking a warm bath, reading a book, or listening to music to relax your body and facilitate falling asleep.
Those are some healthy lifestyle patterns that you can apply every day. It is important to remember that it is better to prevent diseases by adopting a healthy lifestyle rather than waiting for the body to be affected by illness.
Do not hesitate to talk to a doctor about your health condition.
Questions About Healthy Living
Doctor, what kind of healthy lifestyle is recommended to prevent heart disease?
Asked by: Ichaansyahli
Answered by: Dr. Fadhli Rizal Makarim
The recommended healthy lifestyle to prevent heart disease is a balanced one. The food intake should be balanced between the needs for protein, fats, and carbohydrates. It is recommended to allocate 50 percent for carbohydrates, 15-20 percent for protein, and 20-25 percent for fats. In addition, regular exercise should be performed at least 5 days a week for 30 minutes. The exercise should include aerobic exercises and occasional weightlifting.
How can I maintain body stamina to avoid easily getting tired?
Asked by: maulana_alief723
Answered by: Dr. Rizal Fadli
Some ways to maintain stamina and avoid easily getting tired include:
- Meeting daily fluid needs.
- Getting enough sleep and rest.
- Consuming healthy intake. Proper nutrition is crucial for the body to maintain a well-functioning immune system. What you consume can greatly affect your overall health.
- Taking food supplements or vitamins. However, the effects of supplements on the immune system in general still need further research.
- Exercising regularly. People who are inactive and spend most of their time sitting or being sedentary are more susceptible to flu and other infectious diseases. Therefore, it is recommended to exercise regularly. Exercise is believed to improve overall body fitness, enhance the immune system, and protect the body from various diseases and infections.
- Not smoking.
