Deciding to change your lifestyle to improve your health is a big choice. After all, breaking old habits and creating new healthier ones can be difficult. However, it is possible to improve your lifestyle and health one step at a time. Use the tips below to get started on your health journey.
Changing your diet is the first step to improve your lifestyle and health. However, rather than eliminating all “bad” foods, aim to reduce your intake of them. Key ingredients to look at reducing include sugar and salt. These are often hidden in sauces, and condiments so take care when making meals if you use premade sauces. If you are purchasing sauces or condiments, look for cane sugar over glucose or corn syrup. Otherwise, try to make sauces from scratch or avoid using them. Reducing your intake of both salt and sugar reduces your risk of high blood pressure and helps you to lose weight. Try to keep your salt intake under 5g per day, and your sugar intake under 50g.
Consuming alcohol increases the risk of both mental and physical health problems. Therefore, lowering your consumption is best for your health. If you already only drink occasionally, pay attention to what are drinking as many premixed options contain high amounts of sugar. However, if you regularly have a drink with dinner, or go out multiple times a week, it is time to change your habits. Switching to non-alcoholic wine or beer is one option, or you can switch your alcoholic beverages to sparkling water. The carbonation of sparkling water is quite satisfying and helps to keep you hydrated.
Smoking can cause lung and heart disease and increases your chance of a stroke. While vaping may seem like a healthier option it also comes with similar risks of lung issues and potential heart disease. Thus, to improve your lifestyle and health, quitting is always the best bet. However, these substances are addictive so quitting can take time. Start by reducing how often you smoke or vape, and try leaving the house without taking your cigarettes or vape with you. The longer you can go between sessions, the better.
Now this doesn’t mean you need to start running 5 miles a day. Start small and just try to move your body each day. This could simply be parking at the back of the car park when going to the store, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. However, you should also aim to do at least 150 minutes of intentional exercise each week. Try going for walks, cycling, swimming, or going to the gym. Simply try different exercises until you find things you enjoy doing. After all, you are more likely to stick to an exercise routine if you enjoy it, or at least don’t hate it.
Drinking enough water is something many of us do not do regularly. However, keeping your body hydrated is crucial to improve sleep quality, regulate body temperature and improve kidney function. Furthermore, studies show that being hydrated can also help reduce joint pain. While experts recommend eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day, jumping to this amount can cause issues with bloating and nausea. Thus, aim to increase the amount of water you drink, and try to track it by using a large water bottle. After a few weeks, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to drink the recommended amount. In addition to regular water consumption, there are situations where intravenous (IV) treatments may be beneficial for hydration or specific health needs. Vineyard Haven IV treatment can be customized based on individual needs and can be particularly helpful in situations where oral hydration is inadequate or when specific health conditions require immediate replenishment of fluids and nutrients.
Start the journey to improve your lifestyle and health by using the tips above. Small changes add up to make a big difference in your health. Just remember that creating a lifestyle change takes time, so be patient and consistent throughout. If you have a bad day, or party all night, it isn’t a failure, just do your best.
