Create a healthy lifestyle that lasts
With Christmas around the corner, it’s the season to eat copious amounts of stodgy food and drink plenty of alcohol. But over-indulging during the festive season leads to the inevitable January detox, which may not make you feel better unless you’re committed for the long-term.
So why wait until January to begin your health kick? Use these tips to start building on your long-term healthy lifestyle.
1. Change your diet
Eating healthily doesn’t mean that you have to live exclusively on salads. The NHS promotes eating a balanced diet, which includes all your favourite foods, just in moderation.
Try to drink more water as it flushes out toxins from your body and relieves fatigue. Plus, it has the added benefit of containing no calories. Even switching to sparkling water or infusing fruit in water is a much healthier alternative to sugary soft drinks or tea and coffee. If you feel you need a little extra help when it comes to ridding your body of any nasties, you may wish to look into a product like these detox supplements to help kick-start your new healthier lifestyle.
2. Stay active
Staying active can reduce the risk of major illnesses, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes by up to 50% and lower your risk of early death by 30%.
Sedentary behaviour can be incredibly dangerous, especially to those who spend the majority of their day sitting down at work. If your job doesn’t require you to be active, try to incorporate activity into your day by taking a walk on your lunch break or by parking further away to add some extra steps to your day.
Even small changes like these can improve your levels of activity and stop you from feeling sluggish.
3. Quit smoking
We don’t have to tell you about the health risks that come with smoking as cigarette packets are plastered with warnings and graphic reminders of what smoking does to your body.
The growing popularity of e-cigarettes and plenty of vape businesses opening online in recent years means that it has never been easier, and more fashionable, to stop smoking. With a variety of devices and flavoured liquids on the market, you can avoid the dangers associated with smoking.
4. Sleep well
It’s recommended that adults should have between seven and nine hours of sleep a night to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Sleep deficiency can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes as sleep is vital to healing and repairing your heart and blood vessels.
Stop using technology before bedtime as it can affect your sleeping pattern. The blue light emitted from laptop screens and mobile phones have negative effects on melatonin levels, making it harder for you to fall and stay asleep.
Follow our four easy tips to kick-start your healthier lifestyle. You’ll be able to feel the benefit and ultimately it will help you to lead a happier, longer and more productive life.
