Health is very important, and there are numerous experts offline and online that provide tips on ensuring you have good health. However, there are alternative, non-conventional ways that you can use to boost your health. Read on and find out below
1. Eat Slowly – Did you Know Eating too Fast can Lead to Weight Gain?
When compared to people who eat more slowly, faster eaters are more likely to be overweight according to study. The body releases’ fullness hormones’ when you eat, which inform the brain that you have eaten and should stop. However, since this process takes about 20 minutes, swift eaters may eat too much food and only receive this signal later, after they have overeaten. Make a conscious effort to eat slowly and note the effect on your appetite the next time you’re having a meal.
2. Drink Plenty of Water
You may have heard of the saying “drink eight glasses of water a day” but not many people actually follow this advice, opting instead to count their overall liquid intake – which usually includes coffee, sodas, and other beverages. However, the body is not made up of beers and soft drinks. Around 60 per cent of the human body, depending on age, is made up of water. Drinking more water has numerous advantages – it helps us regulate our calorie intake, keeps our kidneys clean, energises our muscles, and hydrates the skin.
When you stay hydrated with water, you will also find that you have fewer cravings for sugary or less nutritious drinks.
3. Read Nutrition Labels
Make it a habit during your grocery shopping to read the nutrition labels on the food if weight loss is one of your health goals. Check for the total quantity of calories a product contains, not just for one serving (which is usually what the label says). Reading nutrition labels will also prevent you from getting to read-only marketing labels such as “low fat”, “high fibre,” or “zero sugar”, as these labels may be deceptive. While a product claims to be “high in calcium” it could be high in sugar, too – a fact that you might have overlooked if you hadn’t read the label.
4. Start Your Day with a Stretch
Stretching is not just for gymnasts or yogis – everybody should stretch out. If you’re a pet owner, you might have noticed that your dog or cat naturally does that every morning – a sign that stretching is a regular activity that we should do more of, particularly if you’re leading a fairly sedentary lifestyle.
5. Sign Up for a Run
Need some inspiration to get up and run? Call up your friends or colleagues, and get together for a run. Choose a group based on your current fitness level and your interests. Consider starting with a 5 km run. If you choose slightly more difficult activities and distances, you will be inspired not only to attend the event but also to prepare for it to boost your level of fitness.
6. Join a Gym Next to your Office or Home
It’s said that 80% of people who own gym membership doesn’t really go to the gym. Another study revealed that in January of any year, 80% of people who sign up for membership typically leave within the first 5 months. If you are considering signing up for membership in a gym, choose one that is near your office or home. This can reduce the possibility of “out of sight and out of mind”. Being able to walk to the gym always makes it easy to exercise and keeps you from skipping workout sessions when you feel unmotivated.
7. Choose (and use) a Fitness Tracker
These days, fitness trackers change the way people live and work out. These smart wrist-based devices can monitor your heart rate and your run speed, and count the number of calories you burn during workouts. While the performance of fitness trackers (and smartwatches) may have been dubious a few years ago, it has been said that the quality, reliability and credibility of these devices has improved markedly in recent years.
8. Smile and Laugh More
This is one of the easiest and greatest improvements that can dramatically improve your mental health. Why does that work? We breathe deeper when we laugh and take in more air which stimulates our muscles, heart, and lungs. It also enhances endorphins produced by our brains, which affects our physiology and mood positively – ultimately placing us in a healthier, happier state.
So go ahead and smile more often, bring more fun into your days. Laughing can indeed be the best medicine sometimes.
9. Choose a Nap over Coffee
To get you through your days, do you always depend on caffeine? Taking a nap is one good alternative. From a 20 or 30-minute nap, you can get a powerful energy boost, which can even have a positive effect on your success in your daily activities. Yes, the National Sleep Foundation cites a NASA report which found that sleepy military pilots and astronauts who took a 40-minute nap saw a 34% improvement in their results, and an astounding 100% increase in alertness.
Very importantly, regularly visit your doctor for checkups. Keeping these healthy habits all year round will also go a long way towards maintaining your good health!
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