Certain lifestyle changes can make a huge difference when it comes to mental and physical well-being and quality of life.
Staying healthy involves a number of choices, and many of them are in the hands of each of us. Of course, age, medical history or genetic factors can influence your health and make you more vulnerable to certain conditions. On the other hand, there are things you can control so you can live as long as possible, according to you healthline.com.
10 tips to live longer
1. Exercise
If you want to be healthier, full of energy and in a better mood, then you need to exercise. Regular exercise can benefit both your physical and mental health in a multitude of ways. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, if you’re an adult, just 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week can provide huge benefits. That’s about 22 minutes a day of moderate-intensity exercise like brisk walking, dancing, cycling, etc.
Movement helps heartreducing the risk of they were cardiovascular, reduces the risk of dementia, improves mood, reducing the risk of depression and anxiety, facilitates loss in weight and maintaining health, strengthens bones and muscles and reduces the risk of chronic diseases.
2. Consume as little as possible food procession
The ideal is to eat as many whole foods as possible and as few processed foods as possible. Whole foods are foods that have not been heavily processed or modified. They don’t contain many added chemicals or artificial ingredients to help them taste good or give them a long shelf life. It also gives the body more vitaminsminerals and essential nutrients.
On the other hand, processed foods are harmful because they have high amounts of sugars or artificial sweeteners, salt, trans fats, preservatives and artificial colors. A poor diet increases the risk of obesityheart disease and stroke, diabetes of type 2 and certain types of cancer.
3. Give it up smoking
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death. Estimates show that smokers die about 10 years earlier than non-smokers. Smoking can affect almost every organ in the body and significantly increases the risk of:
- Heart diseases
- Accident vascular cerebral
- Respiratory diseases
- Cancer (especially lung)
4. Make of sleep a priority
Sleep is vital to every process in your body. Sleep is when your body repairs cells and replenishes energy stores. Your brain also performs many essential functions while you sleep, such as storing information, eliminating unnecessary information, and strengthening nerve cell connections. Adults need at least 7 hours of sleep per night. Sleep deprivation can increase the risk of:
- Hypertension
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Type 2 diabetes
- Depression and anxiety
- Mood swings
- Weakened immune system
- Certain types of cancer
5. Stay hydrated
Your body needs water for many important functions, such as maintaining body temperature, digestion, supporting proper organ function, and providing nutrients to all cells. When you don’t drink enough fluids, you may feel tired, have trouble concentrating, have headaches and mood swings.
6. Consume alcohol responsive
Although occasional alcohol consumption does not affect health, excessive consumption can affect many organs, including the liver, heart and brain. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, a woman can have one drink a day and a man two.
7. Emphasize prevention
Many people only go to the doctor when they are sick, but prevention plays a key role in health and longevity. If you go to the doctor regularly for routine check-ups, you can detect potential health problems at an early stage, when they can be easily treated.
Don’t forget the blood pressure measurement, blood tests for cholesterol, vaccinepap smears, mammograms, colonoscopies, genetic tests for cancer if there is a family history or tests for sexually transmitted diseases.
8. Keep the numbers in the chart
There are certain key measurements that should always be on the chart: body mass index, blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar.
You need to do these tests and measurements because that way you can spot a potential problem and help you make the right lifestyle changes to improve important aspects of your health. In many cases high blood pressure or high cholesterol may not cause any symptoms until later, when more serious, possibly life-threatening problems begin to develop.
9. Manage stress
Stress is a normal part of everyday life. But chronic stress can take a toll on you mentally, physically and emotionally. Research has shown that high levels of ongoing stress have been associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, depression and a weakened immune system.
Although stress is often unavoidable, you have a choice in how you handle it. Some options that help are: breathing exercises, physical exercises, creative activities, yogameditation.
10. Have responsible sex
If you have an active sex life, it’s important to protect yourself and get tested for sexually transmitted diseases. Some diseases do not cause symptoms until years later. By then, you may have passed it on to someone else. And, it can also be harder to treat the disease when it’s not caught early. That’s why testing is important. Also, talk openly with your partner about your sexual history and any previous diagnoses.
