[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Sign-in] [Mail] [Setup] [Help]
Status: Not Logged In; Sign In
|
Health See other Health Articles Title: 10 Best Habits of 'Naturally' Healthy People Have you ever noticed that some people seem to be naturally healthy? I'm not talking about those rare few that are thin without trying — I'm talking about people for whom healthy habits seem to be a way of life... They never miss a 6 a.m. spin class; they happily eat kale for lunch every day; and they're always full of energy. Are these people just disciplined freaks of nature who are naturally motivated, while the rest of us have to summon every ounce of strength we have just to make it to work on time and hopefully fit in three square meals throughout the day? Maybe. Or maybe they know a few secrets that make healthy living come second nature... Advertisement The Ultimate Antioxidant? Fresh research from the the prestigious Penn State University College of Medicine has good news about the recently discovered "God molecule": "It is involved in protecting cells and tissues from oxidants and other toxins", and now studies show that "oral supplementation of this molecule is effective in increasing the body's stores of the antioxidant." This new super antioxidant could spell the end of things like diabetes, Alzheimer's, and even cancer. For more information, click here. This is not to say that it's easy to make regular exercise and a flawless diet into a habit, but it is possible. And you don't have to be born with a special "fitness gene" to do it. With a little extra planning and a few subtle changes, you too can be one of "those people" who make a healthy lifestyle look easy. 1. Plan and prepare your meals for the week. You have enough to do in the morning without worrying about packing a nutritious lunch, and it's all too easy to grab something from the corner deli on your break. Spare your waistline — and your wallet! — the extra damage by preparing your lunches for the week (and dinners, too!) ahead of time... Sundays are a great day to plan out your weekly meals for those of us who work during the week. Divide a giant salad into daily lunch portions to store in your fridge, and hard boil a dozen eggs for easy, protein-packed snacking. 2. Drink smoothies. Invest in a decent blender, and you'll find you can instantly transform your diet. There's no easier way to load up on crucial nutrients like the ones you'll find in spinach, kale, or flaxseed than throwing them into a delicious fruit smoothie. And the options are endless... You can add protein powder to boost your intake and really make your meals count. Smoothies also make the perfect quick and portable breakfast, leaving you with no excuse not to start each day off right. 3. Sleep smart. Getting a solid night's sleep each night is the key to keeping your body and mind in tip-top shape. But with everything else you have going on in your life, those all-important eight hours can be tough to come by... Good news: Research shows that even if you're only getting six or seven (or less) hours of shut-eye, you can maximize your time in bed by timing your alarm clock so that you wake up between sleep cycles instead of in the middle of one. According to sleepyti.me, the bedtime calculator, "waking up in the middle of a sleep cycle leaves you feeling tired and groggy, but waking up in between cycles lets you wake up feeling refreshed and alert!" This is especially important if you plan on getting in a morning workout. The sleep calculator works by counting backwards in sleep cycles, which typically last 90 minutes. So if you need to wake up at 6:00 a.m., you can go to bed at 9:00 p.m., 10:30 p.m., or 12:00 a.m. and still wake up feeling refreshed. The calculator accounts for the time you need to actually be asleep for, so give yourself 15 minutes or so to fall asleep beforehand. Advertisement Will you be a victim of this silent heart killer? Nearly 33%-50% of people don't know they have this disorder... Yet it's one of the major risk factors for heart disease and stroke. You'll find plenty of people who will tell you how you need to treat it — but how do you know who is right? Now you can find out for yourself in the "Blood Pressure Reduction Guide", the definitive source on hypertension treatment. To find out how to get your copy, follow this link. 4. Log your workouts. Nothing has made my training more effective than printing out a schedule, hanging it on my wall, and checking off workouts as I complete them. Making a vague goal like, "I need to exercise more," is good in theory, but with no plan of action or timetable, it's incredibly tough to stick to... Find a workout or training program that fits your fitness goals and your schedule (even if it's only walking 30 minutes three times a week), and write it down on a calendar. You can always make adjustments if you have conflicts, but having a tangible workout plan will up your personal accountability and help motivate you to get moving. 5. Make grocery lists. Along the same lines as writing down your workout schedule, you should get in the habit of always writing down what you need before you get to the grocery store and are tempted by all the sweet treats in fancy packaging. Plan out the meals you want to make for the week and all the ingredients you will need. When you are at the store, buy only the items on your list. And don't be swayed by tricky marketing and clearance sales. The best way to start eating better is to shop better. Once your fridge is filled only with healthy options, you'll find it much easier to stick to the right foods. 6. Drink more water. If there's one effortless way to make a huge difference in your health, it's drinking water. By substituting sugary drinks (or, God forbid, soda) for water, you can cut hundreds of calories a week. Staying properly hydrated also promotes kidney function, improves your skin's appearance, and keeps your muscles energized. Carry a refillable water bottle with you at all times to make sure you always have some on hand. Set markers throughout the day to remind yourself to keep drinking. (You may even burn some extra calories from all those trips to the bathroom!) 7. De-stress. Your mental and emotional health can have a big impact on your physical health as well, and extra stress causes hormones, which allow us to gain weight more easily, not to mention trigger stress eating... Make sure you're setting aside a few hours a week to collect yourself. Whether it's yoga classes, some self-guided meditation, or just deep breathing, taking the time to tune out all the distractions of your daily life can make a world of difference and allow you to focus better the rest of the time. 8. Don't smoke. This should really go without saying, but smoking cigarettes is arguably one of the worst things you can do for you health. Even "social smoking" can contribute to the multitude of negative effects of smoking — including breathing problems, yellow teeth, lung disease and, of course, cancer. 9. Floss daily. Turns out your dentist was right all along... Studies have shown that regular flossing reduces gum-disease-causing bacteria that can enter the bloodstream and lead to inflammation in the arteries and heart disease. Flossing twice a day is also believed to increase life expectancy. It only takes a minute... it's worth it. 10. Keep a routine. It may sound boring, but according the research, those who live the longest are creatures of habit. Sticking to the same type of diet and doing regular activities will help ingrain these healthy habits. You should also try to go to bed and wake up around the same times each day; this keeps your body in a steady equilibrium and supports your immune system. So there you have it! There are many small ways you can transform yourself into a health-centric individual... The key to developing healthy habits is that it takes a lot of repetition. Try to add one new practice a week until you find yourself wondering when you became one of those effortlessly healthy people who make living well look easy. Cheers, Allison Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 2.
#2. To: Tatarewicz (#0)
Invest in a decent blender, and you'll find you can instantly transform your diet. Aw, shucks! I just gave my perfectly good blender away since I hadn't used it in years. Can you point me to smoothie recipes? I'll share them with the new owner of the blender.
There are no replies to Comment # 2. End Trace Mode for Comment # 2.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest |
||
|
[Home]
[Headlines]
[Latest Articles]
[Latest Comments]
[Post]
[Sign-in]
[Mail]
[Setup]
[Help]
|
||