What is considered a healthy lifestyle

Starting a healthy lifestyle can include eating nutritious foods, getting regular physical activity, and prioritising your mental health. 

When you’re not well, you can probably tell. You may just feel “off”. You may find that you feel tired, your digestive system is not functioning normally, and you feel cold. Mentally, you may find that you are unable to concentrate and feel anxious or depressed. 

A healthy lifestyle can help you feel better. Even better, you don’t have to change your entire life overnight. It’s easy to make a few small changes that can lead you to better health. And once you make a change, that success can motivate you to continue making more positive changes.

What is a “Healthy Lifestyle” 

Ask 50 people what a “healthy lifestyle” is, and you’ll probably get 50 different answers. Because there is no way to stay healthy. A healthy lifestyle means doing things that make you happy and feel good. 

For one person, this might mean walking a mile five times a week, eating fast food once a week, and spending virtual or in-person time with loved ones every day. For another person, a healthy lifestyle might mean training and running two marathons a year, following a keto diet, and never drinking alcohol. 

Neither of these is better than the other; both are suitable for that person. You can decide what your healthy lifestyle will look like.

How it’s beneficial: 

Making changes to improve your health can benefit your body, your mind, your wallet and even the environment.

 Prevents Disease:

Healthy habits can reduce the risk of various diseases, including those that run in your family. 

For example, in a recent study, adults who followed a standard American diet (rich in fruits and vegetables) for 8 weeks had a lower risk of heart disease. 

In another 2020 study, researchers found that every 66-gram increase in daily fruit and vegetable intake was associated with a 25 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. 

Replacing some refined grains with whole grains also reduces disease risk. An observational study of nearly 200,000 adults found that those who ate the most whole grains had a 29 percent lower rate of type 2 diabetes than those who ate the least.

Saves money: 

It’s always smart to visit your primary care physician for an annual physical checkup. This is especially true because of how “silent” some health conditions, like high blood pressure, are. This means they don’t have any symptoms, so you usually don’t know you have the disease until you get tested. 

However, the healthier you are, the less likely you are to see a doctor. This can save money by reducing co-payments, prescription requirements and other treatments. 

Increases lifespan: 

Basic healthy habits are linked to a longer life. If, at age 50, you never smoke, maintain a healthy weight, are regularly active, follow a healthy diet and keep alcohol to moderate levels, you could live 14 years longer. Can. Making some of these changes can prolong your life.

It can be good for the environment: 

Ultra-processed foods are those that contain refined grains and additives to change texture, taste or colour. Some examples of these foods are cheese puffs, packaged dessert cakes, chicken nuggets, and sweetened breakfast cereals. More than 70 percent of American supermarket foods are ultra-processed. 

The production of ultra-processed foods contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, water scarcity, biodiversity loss, plastic waste and deforestation. 

Then, there are animal products. According to a 2013 study by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (a United Nations agency focused on reducing hunger and food inequality around the world), raising cattle for meat and milk increases the production of man-made greenhouse gases. A total of 14.5 percent.

However, there are simple solutions for this. For example, if every American reduced their weekly beef consumption by 1/4 pound, the reduction in global warming gas emissions would be equivalent to taking four to six million cars off the road, according to the National Resources Defense Council. 

But it’s not just about whether you eat more or less. Riding a bike instead of a short car trip can reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In 22 non-peer reviewed 2010 studies, researchers estimated that if 20 percent of citizens of Madison, Wisconsin biked for trips less than 5 miles, it would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 57,000 tons per year. 

These notions are not just dreams: 

Barcelona’s bike-share program reduces carbon dioxide emissions by about 10,000 tons per year.

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