Whether it’s the bad habits that you struggle to break away from or the toxic people in your life, we all have that something that we wish we could change.
Everyone has struggled with making behavioral changes in the past. Some people have a difficult time staying on a diet because they enjoy food too much.
Other people find it difficult to end relationships or friendships because they get so wrapped up in their feelings of sadness, loneliness, and insecurity that they can’t pull themselves away from these negative emotions or stop thinking/talking about them.
Imagine a life where you can pursue the things that truly move you; your friends and family, work that excites you, and travel to the corners of the world.
Make these long-lasting changes to your diet, your habits, and your mindset. You deserve to live a happier, more fulfilled life.
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Water
Source: mackeyfamilypractice.com
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! You’ve heard it before but drinking the proper amount of water is vitally important to your health.
Ideally, the average human being should be taking in 64 ounces or 8-8-ounce glasses of water per day. This number can fluctuate depending on your body size, activity levels, and other variables, but it’s a good place to start.
More water in your body that’s made up of a lot of water, means more energy, better skin, and sometimes even aids in weight loss.
Food
A diet rich in fruits and vegetables reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Even better, a study in 2020 found that for every 66 grams of extra fruit and vegetables in your diet each day, compared to old habits, drops your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 25%! Combine that with an additional 29% lower risk from eating whole grains instead of refined grains.
Whole grains can also reduce your risk of cancer and heart disease.
These little diet changes can have a significant impact on your health. Even an increase in good fats (avocado, fatty fish, olive oil) in your diet can lead to weight loss, better immune function, and even glowing skin.
Avoid Drugs
Source: roladoption.org
With the incredible dangers of the misuse of prescription drugs or the recreational use of both prescription and illicit drugs and alcohol, it would be remiss to not include avoiding drugs on a list of ways to improve your lifestyle.
A common coping mechanism for the negative emotions and difficulties of the world we live in, drugs still do more harm than most people realize. It’s not just the possibility of overdose.
If you’re struggling with addiction check out rehab centers near you designed to help you succeed on your path to a healthier lifestyle.
Breathing
Breathing exercises rebalance your central nervous system.
Chronic stress and lack of sleep both lead to an imbalanced nervous system and sympathetic over-activation that’s associated with a number of psychiatric and chronic health conditions like anxiety, inability to relax, and insomnia.
Because the brain prioritizes messages from the respiratory system, learning and practicing breathing exercises gives us a way to rebalance that nervous system.
Simple, controlled breathing decrease your heart rate, blood pressure, and activity in the fear centers of the brain. All of this establishes immediate relaxation and healing of your nervous system through regular practice.
Friends and Family
Source: parade.com
Good mental health requires strong relationships in your life and staying in communication with friends and loved ones.
People with low-quality friendships are at greater risk of depression. Compared with higher-quality social relationships, poor social relationships have a 50% greater risk of leading to states of depression.
Feelings of isolation don’t only lead to depression but also other health problems like headaches, palpitations, and pain in the neck, shoulders, and lower back.
Exercise
Move your body in whatever way works for you.
You don’t have to play sports or develop a running habit to be healthy. The options are endless. Take up walking or hiking, or bike rides with the family. Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn to dance or practice martial arts.
With all the online classes now available it’s hard not to find a physical activity that you enjoy and doesn’t feel like a chore.
If exercise is relatively foreign to you, you don’t have to start big. Aim for 10 minutes when you can, striving for 5 days a week.
As your body acclimates add in another 5 to 10 minutes each time. Your goal should be to reach 30 minutes a day.
Sleep
Source: sleepfoundation.org
Even an hour less sleep than recommended can increase your risk of obesity by 23 percent.
You should be getting between 7 and 9 hours of sleep every single night.
Sleep is essential to almost every bodily function including development, immune response, cognition, disease, psychological health, energy conservation, and even brain waste clearance.
Not getting the proper amount of sleep each night can have dire consequences like increased risk of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, depression, obesity, and diabetes.
Even mild sleep disruptions can interrupt your emotional stability, and your tolerance of pain, cause immunodeficiency, contribute to metabolic disease and impair your cognitive and memory functions.
Takeaway: These lifestyle changes will help you stay healthy and happy long term.
Maintain a healthy lifestyle and make improvements in your diet to ensure a long life of vitality filled with living to the fullest.
I think we did a great job of explaining some of the best ways to improve your overall health and live a happier, longer life.
Yes, you must make that decision to put healthy lifestyle changes into action, but once you do, you’ll be amazed at how much better you feel and how much better you look. It’s not as hard as you might think.
If it helps any, think of these massive lifestyle changes as investments in yourself and your future.
Remember, you’re never too young or too old to start working towards an improved diet and exercise regimen—so get started today!
