It’s a goal every year to live a healthier life, for most people anyway. But, what this means is that individuals must break the many negative habits that have built up through the years and, in turn, make serious lifestyle changes. These harmful habits take their toll on a person’s health, often leading to serious diseases. While it’s easy to just say, “I’ll stop these habits,” it’s not always that easy to stop smoking, cut out the fried foods or increase one’s exercise. But, it can be done. It’s your life at stake here. Following are some habits to attack this year and improve your chance at a longer, healthier life.
1. Not Drinking Adequate Amounts of Water
Doctors recommend eating the right amount of dietary fiber each day to improve digestion and lower risks to the gastrointestinal tract, but if you don’t drink enough water, constipation is likely. Everyone should drink at least 8-8-ounce glasses of water each day. If a person is consuming a higher volume of fiber each day, they need an adequate amount of water to keep the gastrointestinal tract lubricated, or bulky stools cause abdominal distention bloating, and discomfort.
Frequent constipation could lead to Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and diverticular disease. By drinking the right amount of water, poor gut health can be reversed and digestion improved without further health risks.
2. Choosing Foods That Aren’t Really Healthy
Just because food sounds healthy doesn’t necessarily make it healthy, and fat-free choices aren’t always the best options. Even an all-organic diet isn’t completely healthy for everyone. The diet must be balanced between lean meats, vegetables, fruits, and grains. Further, healthy fats help balance blood glucose levels and nourish the body.
When improving one’s health, it’s important to take any existing medical conditions into consideration, and a diet designed for these ailments balances out nutrition. The diet and meal plans can provide great strides toward becoming healthier. Proper health and nutrition require individuals to choose foods that are healthy for them, but, foods shouldn’t be added just because the foods seem healthy. A healthy balance of the right foods improves the body and well-being.
3. Not Exercising Regularly
Regular exercise is a must to keep the body healthy, and this means choosing a plan that meets particular health needs. Doctors recommend exercising at least three times a week at 30-minute intervals. However, some plans may require more of a commitment, and you will need to balance your schedule to accommodate new exercise plans. If a person doesn’t exercise at all, this could increase a multitude of health risks and increase the probability of developing serious diseases and ailments.
4. Inadequate Sleep Schedules
Irregular sleep schedules can cause a multitude of health risks and place a person at risk of serious accidents. Additionally, studies show that inadequate sleep levels cause cardiovascular disease. For those who experience sleep disorders such as insomnia, a trip to a sleep specialist helps find a better solution. By getting at least eight hours of sleep a night, you could see major improvements in one’s health and quality of life.
Negative habits can lead to organ damage, diseases, and a diminished quality of life, and a person who doesn’t break these habits suffers for the rest of their lives. Lifestyle changes are certain to improve one’s health and decrease the risk of serious health crises. Simple steps such as drinking enough water every day, choosing healthy foods, and exercising regularly improve just about everyone’s health dramatically.
