What is a healthy lifestyle?

We’ve heard it many times before, but do we really know what a healthy lifestyle means?

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity,” which implies that this concept goes beyond the existence or lack of existence illnesses.

Consequently, more than just healthy living, we must talk about a healthy lifestyle that includes food, physical exercise, preventive healthcare, work, the relationship with the environment, and social activity.

How can we live a healthy lifestyle? 

A healthy lifestyle is not achieved overnight, but we have to be consistent. You have to follow a good plan based on healthy habits. By doing this, our bodies and minds will get in to a rhythm that will eventually become second nature.  It’s common for people to have routines that are only a little healthy, or not healthy at all. Maybe that’s the way it is, because it’s easier and more comfortable than doing it correctly (or at least that’s the popular belief).

Due to the great misinformation that “Dr. Google” provides, it can be difficult to know what are the best avenues to take to create a healthy lifestyle. In this blog, you will find everything you need to get you moving towards a much healthier lifestyle as soon as possible. if you are unsure where to start,you have come to the right place!

What are the components of a healthy lifestyle? 

From the perspective mentioned previously, it can be determined that some of the habits necessary to lead a healthy lifestyle are the following:

SOCIAL ACTIVITY

Your social life is actually a fundamental aspect of your health . Social isolation can lead to a gradual and irreversible deterioration of physical and mental abilities, including physical disability and dementia.

Being happy with others is essential for you as an individual. But first make sure you are happy with yourself.

PHYSICAL EXERCISE

It’s generally recommended that you should get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day.  Walking at a rapid pace is enough – as long as it gets your heart rate up!

The NHS states: “One way to do your recommended 150 minutes of weekly physical activity is to do 30 minutes on 5 days every week.”

This allows you to not only burn excess calories and strengthen muscles and bones, but also helps to control blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose levels. In addition, this contributes to a decrease in stress levels and helps you sleep better. It also helps you acquire a state of relaxation, avoid mood changes, improve self-esteem, and attain a state of personal satisfaction. It can also be a good way to develop a healthy social activity when the exercise is practiced with others.

MENTAL BALANCE

This does not only refer to the existence of mental illnesses, but to the state of emotional and psychological well-being. Good mental health is necessary to maintain and develop cognitive abilities, social relations, and for coping with the personal and professional challenges of daily life. Stress, fatigue, and anxiety are, among others, some of the signs that indicate that your mental state is not entirely healthy.

BALANCE DIET

A healthy diet is achieved by including all the foods that appear in MyPlate (which replaced the classic food pyramid in 2011), but in the right proportions and with the correct quantity. The main aim should be to maintain the nutritional needs of the body and give us enough energy for the day.

MyPlate is divided into four sections of approximately 30% grains, 40% vegetables, 10% fruits, and 20% protein, accompanied by a smaller circle representing dairy, such as a yogurt cup or glass of milk.

GET GOOD QUALITY SLEEP

It is necessary to sleep well and for an adequate number of hours – at least 8 hours a night. This will help you rest and generate energy for the next day.  Insomnia is a cause of high blood pressure, heart disease, and mental, metabolic and endocrine diseases, so try and switch off before heading to bed.

ENJOY YOUR FREE TIME

You will be surprised to know the amount of people that live to work instead of working to live – or maybe not – maybe you are one of them! So, please enjoy your free time, and use it in an efficient and pleasant way.

ENJOY HEALTHY SEX

Great news – sex is not only fun but also good for your health! It is great for your cardiovascular health and relaxes our minds. However, to protect yourself from sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea and syphilis, you should always practice safe sex, using condoms if you are having sex with multiple partners of a partner with a history of STDs.

EXERCISE THE MIND

It’s not only your body that needs exercise! Exercising your mind will help keep it working well  and avoid cognitive deterioration and the appearance of dementia.

Try to give your brain a regular workout with exercises that enhance memory, attention, ability to focus, and learning new topics. This will help you avoid, or at least delays these issues.

What negative lifestyles affect health and quality of life? 

Not sticking to all of the above will obviously have negative effects on you. One of the key areas of an unhealthy lifestyle are making choices that involve toxic products.

TOXIC HABITS AND PRODUCTS

Tobacco, alcohol, and drugs have a very negative impact on health.  There was a popular belief until recent years that one daily drink of wine or beer was totally fine, but new studies have proven that even this can influence our health in a negative way.

There are many products to which exposure, occasionally or continuous, can result in a serious risk to our health. The environmental pollution of cities is considered one of the most important risk factors for health.

What is the relationship between quality of life and healthy lifestyles?
Quality of life is related to the following aspects:

1. Satisfaction of needs.
2. Satisfaction in daily activities.
3. Achievement of goals in life.
4. Self-image and attitude towards life.
5. Involvement of personal and socio-environmental factors.

Benefits of a healthy lifestyle

The benefits of a living healthy lifestyle are almost limitless. Having healthy habits and routines will allow us to stay active and achieve our goals. In doing this, our internal satisfaction will increase and will remain at the highest level.

We must not forget that if we are not healthy, our chances of doing activities that we like are drastically reduced.

With healthy habits, we will only see benefits, both for ourselves and for the society that surrounds us.


BENEFITS OF LIVING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE FOR YOURSELF

1. Overall, you will feel better! Your body and mind will have more freedom and you will be able to do things that you could not before.
2. Your fatigue will be reduced when doing any physical activity, since you will gain strength.
3. When you feel good about yourself, you will express it on the outside, and those closest to will feel it too. In this sense, your social relationships will improve.
4. You will rest properly, which will make you full of energy every morning.
5. You will make decisions correctly thanks to the mental balance you have.
6. This mental balance will help you  avoid falling into the consumption of toxic substances.
7. You will be active, minimising the risk of injury.
8. You will have a varied and balanced diet that will make your body and mind stay strong and healthy. 

BENEFITS OF LIVING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE FOR SOCIETY

1. You will enjoy helping others to get started with their healthy habits routine. You will also share with them all of the benefits that you have received from following your own healthy routine!.
2. Expenses to the health system will be reduced, since you will fall sick less often thanks to the strengthening of your immune system.
3. Last but not least, you will be respectful with the environment that surrounds you and as a consequence you will contribute to keeping the planet clean and in good condition for future generations. 

Importance of a healthy lifestyle