5 Vital Lifestyle Choices to Boost Health

Healthful Vitality | 04/16/2019 By Dr. Subarna Ghosh | 5 Vital Lifestyle Choices to Boost Health

The 21st century world is evolving at a fast pace. Unfortunately, in spite of advances in medical science, chronic illnesses and life-threatening diseases have also insidiously crept up the morbidity and mortality graph. In present times, a key factor that has contributed to the rise of ill-health amongst masses is unhealthy lifestyle. Living a healthy life isn’t rocket science, as is evidenced by our ancestors who practiced health-living without the assistance of modern-day diet charts, exercise regimens, etc.

Understanding the significance of following healthy lifestyle

Ironically, people in this age find ‘healthy-living’ challenging despite having numerous healthy lifestyle options at their finger-tips which were denied to our ancestors. Furthermore, in the past decades, healthcare professionals and scientists have been actively involved in a vast number of researches concerning the negative impact of unhealthy lifestyle habits on the onset and propagation of various diseases. Currently, an extensive amount of literature exists on this subject with invaluable recommendations that can help an individual follow a healthy lifestyle. 

In the crusade for a healthy lifestyle, we first need to understand the significance of following healthy lifestyle patterns and their impact on the overall health of an individual. It is a scientific fact that healthy lifestyle habits do positively affect an individual’s health and quality of life.  There is not a shred of doubt that our ancestors did boast a strong constitution owing to their healthy lifestyle choices. It is a pity that a vast proportion of our ancestors didn’t enjoy a long-life due to the bleak nature of medical science in their era.

Healthy lifestyle choices are neither difficult to discern, nor are they difficult to follow. All one needs is a determined mind-set, will power, practice, and patience that will put into motion the development of a healthy body. This article will enlighten readers about 5 important lifestyle choices they can make for a healthy body.

5 Vital Lifestyle Choices to Boost Health

1. Physical Activity

Regular physical activity in the form of brisk walking, jogging, running, swimming, etc. is associated with improved health (1, 2). Exercise-induced health benefits are reflected throughout the body and play a significant role in lowering the risk of cardiovascular (heart) diseases (1, 2). For adults (18-64), the American Heart Association recommends the following (1):

• Per week, it is essential to perform 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercises or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercises.
• At least 2 days per week, perform moderate to high-intensity muscle strengthening exercises
• Increase the exercise intensity and amount slowly over time. It is highly beneficial to get 300 minutes (about 5 hours) of physical activity every week.

Even minor changes in your daily routine can help to keep you physically active. Listed below are some changes you can make in your everyday routine to keep you physically active.

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator
• Doing your household chores can also keep you physically active
• Walking your pets
• Hobbies such as dancing, hiking, and cycling provide good means for regular exercise

2. Balanced Diet

When planning your diet, it is wise to prepare meals as per your body mass index (BMI). An individual’s BMI is the measure of body fat depending on the weight and height of the person. Optimum BMI is estimated to be between 18.5 and 24.9 in adults (3, 4). In general, you need fats to keep your hormones working, vitamins and minerals for your metabolism to function well, proteins for the muscles, and carbs for energy. Therefore, it is essential to consume a balanced meal that provides sufficient amounts of vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, proteins, and carbs as per your BMI (3, 4).

In a balanced meal, you have to remember not to under-or-over consume any of the above. For this it is essential to eat the right quantity of food that your body needs and not focus on what your taste buds love to indulge in. Select foods with a low glycemic index (gradually increase the blood glucose levels) and high nutritional value.

Foods in your diet that can provide the necessary nutrition

You can include a wide variety of foods in your diet that can provide all the necessary nutrition (3, 4). Listed below are some important nutrient sources (3).

• Fiber- Fruits, vegetables, and whole-grains are rich sources of dietary fiber. Fiber adds bulk to stools and helps with chronic constipation
• Protein- Lean meat like poultry and eggs are good protein sources. Vegan sources of protein include beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds
• Omega-3 fatty acids- High amounts of these fatty acids are linked to good cardiovascular health. Mainly found in oily fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines. Plant-based sources of omega 3s include chia seeds, hemp seeds, and walnuts
• Calcium- Calcium is important for skeletal health. It is mainly found in dairy products and dark, leafy greens
• Potassium- Bananas, spinach, and raisins
• Vitamin A- Carrots, sweet potatoes, milk, and eggs
• Vitamin C- Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons are primary sources of vitamin C
• Vitamin E- Nuts, seeds, avocados

3. Drink Sufficient Water

Staying hydrated is as important as making healthy food choices. Water is an essential and inevitable element required by the human body that makes up about 60% of the body weight (4). Drinking adequate water helps to improve the circulatory system, keeps the skin glowing, detoxes various organs, and improves cognitive function, flushes out toxins and much more. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends the following daily water intake (3):

• For men- about 3.7 liters of fluid per day (15.5 cups)
• For women- about 2.7 liters of fluid per day (11.5 cups)
• The above recommendations include water intake via other sources such as fruits, beverages, and milk.

4. Watch Stress Levels

In the modern world, stress is not an unfamiliar word. Almost everybody, kids to grownups, knows how complex stress is and the negative impact it can have on our physical, mental, and emotional state. Stress can lead to various disorders and immune system dysfunctions (5, 6). Hence, keeping stress under control is essential. To keep stress at bay, an individual can make certain healthy lifestyle modifications. For example, practicing meditation, yoga, listening to calm music, going out for a vacation, spending time with family and friends, and indulging in hobbies in your free time can help beat stress. For people who are unable to manage stress levels on their own, it is essential to seek medical help and take available counselling services before it is too late (5).

5. Sleep Well

In today’s community, a good night’s sleep is highly underrated. Long-term sleep deprivation can produce adverse effects on the body. Getting insufficient sleep night after night can not only lead to insomnia (a sleep disorder), but also harm other bodily systems. As per the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), young adults (18-25 years of age) and adults (26-64 years of age) should receive 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night (5, 6). NSF also highlights that an individual should not receive less than 6 hours and more than 10 hours (for adults)/ 11 hours (for young adults) of sleep (5, 6). According to NSF, geriatric population (65 years and older) should receive 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night (5, 6).

Poor sleep is associated with a spectrum of health issues such as (5, 6):

• Worsen gastrointestinal problems such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
• Hormone imbalances
• Increases risk of heart disease and diabetes
• Adversely affect mood and mental well-being

References:

1. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-adults.
2. Peter Kokkinos, “Physical Activity, Health Benefits, and Mortality Risk,” ISRN Cardiology, vol. 2012, Article ID 718789, 14 pages, 2012. https://doi.org/10.5402/2012/718789.
3. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256. 
4. https://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/factsheet_adults/en/.
5. Lichtenstein GR. The Importance of Sleep. Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2015;11(12):790. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4849507/.
6. Mukherjee et al. An Official American Thoracic Society Statement: The Importance of Healthy Sleep. Recommendations and Future Priorities. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. (2015), Vol 191: No 12.
7. https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1164/rccm.201504-0767ST

(Related Article: Top 10 Most Shocking Risks of Physical Inactivity)