Healthy Living Through Prevention

The benefits of healthy living are obvious, but for many, healthy habits don’t start until it’s too late and the body is already on the decline.  Instead of combating healthissues once they’ve begun to negatively impact one’s life, it’s important to prevent illness and unhealthy lifestyles before they start.  The following tips offer some tried-and-true methods for staying healthy, which will keep you living longer and feeling great.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Healthy eating doesn’t mean a diet of bland foods, and it certainly doesn’t require going hungry.  Lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and dairy are all available to healthy eaters. 

And it’s okay to splurge once in a while on a cheeseburger, bag of chips or some ice cream.  The key to maintaining a healthy diet and weight is to eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods and to reduce your intake of processed foods loaded with refined sugars, unhealthy fats and sodium.

Sleep

Sleep is one of the most important and overlooked components to healthy living.  Research suggests that getting too little sleep increases one’s risk ofobesity, diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers.  Getting too much sleep isn’t much better.  Aim for between seven and eight hours of restful sleep each night to keep your body healthy and happy.

Exercise Regularly

Regular exercise promotes a healthy weight, which reduces one’s risk for heart disease and diabetes.  Exercise also promotes bone, muscle and joint health, as well as flexibility, each of which keeps us feeling better as we age.  Plus, regular exercise increases our body’s natural immune defenses and even helps us sleep better at night.

Everything in Moderation

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying an occasional order of cheese fries or having a couple drinks with friends.  The key is to do everything in moderation, as overindulging too frequently can negatively impact weight, general health and fitness levels.

Healthy living isn’t about strict rules. It’s about an overall lifestyle that, when followed, actually increases our happiness and self-image.  By forming healthy habits early in life and sticking to them, we can ensure that our bodies don’t give out on us as we age.