Do you feel healthy? If the answer is 'no,' you're not alone. Whether they know it or not, 88% of American adults have poor metabolic health. That means they are unhealthy in ways that correlate strongly with an increased risk of cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
Whether you feel healthy or not, chances are you could do more to be healthier. With this in mind, let's take a look at six essential ways to achieve better health and wellness:
Healthy Eating
Study after study concludes there's a strong connection between diet and health. Generally speaking, the fattier, saltier, and sweeter your diet, the less healthy you are over time. The more vegetables you eat, the better you look and feel. With this in mind, it's apparent that healthy eating is essential for achieving better health and wellness. Start with the basics: cut back on red meat and boost your consumption of leafy greens. Reduce the amount of refined sugar you eat and drink. Keep sodium levels low. And if you're pressed for time, you can try a service that provides delivery of meals low in calories. By adopting these measures, you will soon find yourself feeling better and looking better too.
Better Sleep
Sleep is a non-negotiable part of healthy living. In other words, all those all-nighters catch up to you sooner or later. Personal ambition at the expense of sleep deprivation might be a badger of honor in most societies, but it's not worth the toll it takes on your health and wellness. Make a point to get seven to nine hours of quality sleep every night. Furthermore, stick to a consistent sleep schedule. Health and wellness start and end with a good night's rest, so don't skip this critical component of healthy living.
Multivitamin Supplement
It's said as much as 92% of the American population is vitamin deficient. That's a staggering statistic, especially considering how relatively easy it is for most Americans to reach their recommended daily allowance. If you have reason to believe you are vitamin deficient due to dietary restrictions or intolerance, consider taking a chewable multivitamin every day to ensure you're getting the proper amount of essential vitamins and minerals. While diet-based nutrition is ideal, it's not always practical, making supplements a useful alternative.
More Exercise
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, regular exercise is critical to overall health and wellness. The reasons are obvious: physical fitness helps lower blood pressure, lose weight, and strengthen muscles. While intense physical activity several times a week is the goal, any amount of exercise is better than none. With this in mind, those with a mostly inactive lifestyle should start by walking two to three miles each day for a few weeks. Take it up to five to six miles after a month. From there, you can pivot to jogging, cycling, or hiking long distances. After that, you'll have the stamina to do just about anything you want!
Mind Management
The link between body and mind is poorly understood, but science is making tremendous strides in connecting the dots. What we do know is that a positive mental attitude bodes well for pushing the body to its limits, while a negative outlook makes it difficult to pursue fitness objectives. With this in mind, those looking to improve health and wellness need to focus on ways to maintain good mental health. Meditation and other mindfulness techniques are a good place to start, followed by speaking with a licensed professional if feelings of sadness still overwhelm your efforts to be healthier.
Avoiding Drugs and Alcohol
A drink or two with friends is one thing. A daily desire to consume large amounts of alcohol is something else. Those with a drug or alcohol problem will have a difficult time improving their overall health and wellness. Because of this impairment, it's imperative to avoid drugs and alcohol as much as possible. Doing so ensures you have the discipline and motivation to fulfill your greatest ambitions.
Are you someone who desires to be healthier? It turns out there are more of us out there than most of us think. With that said, we still have an obligation to ourselves to strive for better health and wellness. Doing so is beneficial for everyone.
Julie Steinbeck is a freelance writer from Florida. She enjoys covering topics related to business, health, and travel.
* This is a contributed article and this content does not necessarily represent the views of sciencetimes.com
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