One of the leading global health crises is a result of unhealthy diet and lack of physical activities. Eating food high in sugar, trans-fat, and low fiber and taking high-sugar drinks contributes to malnutrition, poor digestion, non-communicable diseases, and obesity. Living a healthy life not only include the type of diet you are on, but it also involves the little activities that positively affect your physical and mental well-being. Note that you can make a difference in your health and well-being by adding getting better each day because, at the end of the day, these are what sum up to living a healthy or unhealthy life.
Why is it necessary to eat healthily?
Firstly, the quality of your diet affects your mental health, disease rate, and general quality of life. Eating a balanced diet helps boost immunity, keeps the organ healthy, and increases one’s energy levels.
Here are some commons signs that show you are not eating healthy
- Feeling Fatigued – unexplained, persistent, and relapsing tiredness due to lack of regular exercise, alcohol, or drugs are symptoms of having a bad diet
- Lack of Sleep: Poor eating habits may influence a person’s sleep quality over time. Poor eating and sleeping habits can affect your physical and mental health erratically. This can lead to chronic diseases like diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, etc.
- Obesity: Obesity does not happen overnight. It develops with time due to eating large portions of processed food, high-calorie intake, poor eating pattern, and a sedentary lifestyle which may influence body weight and obesity development.
- Depression: Depression is a state of sadness, cavity, and distress. There are so many reasons attributed to the cause of depression, but one of them is unhealthy eating. Excess drinking of alcohol, caffeine, smoking, and substance abuse can lead to depression.
- Indigestion: indigestion often reduces the quality of life by making you feel uncomfortable. Eating healthy and abiding by the principles of diet can never be overemphasized. The first set of signs of not eating healthy is indigestion which causes constipation. It is critical to note that depression and indigestion are intertwined and so eating the right type can alleviate these effects.
- Dry hair: Unhealthy eating has both internal and external effects. One of the visible external effects can be hair loss and dry hair. Stress and dehydration can also have a lasting effect on your physical appearance, even on your hair.
The kind of food we eat says a lot about who we are. One of the best ways to stay healthy is by eating the right type of food. It is done by eating a balanced diet. Eating green vegetables, fruits, and essential food is recommended for different ages. Consuming too many processed foods is detrimental to our health. Examples are food that contains added sugars, high sodium content, and fatty foods.
By eating healthy, it is sacrosanct to also choose from a variety of low-fat sources of protein, which includes eggs, legumes, seafood, lean meats, walnuts nuts, seeds, and soy products. If you like to eat meat avoid eating red meat as often as you eat white meat like pork, rabbit meat, and chicken breast
One important activity to do while eating healthy is to get regular exercise.
Exercise is a key to good health. If you already feel exhausted just when your day has barely started, exercising is a great way to boost your energy level. It not only delivers oxygen to the brain but also produces changes in the parts of the brain that regulate stress and anxiety.
Exercise gives nutrients to your tissues and helps your heart work more efficiently which gives you more energy to tackle daily chores.
Health professionals and researchers suggest that doing a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity will help maintain one’s health and reduce your risk of health problems To enable an effective workout session, see Welltech.
Here are some easy tips to start eating healthy food
Increase your protein intake
Food rich in Proteins is good for the body. They are one of the building blocks of body tissue which supports continuous physiological and biological functions. It is necessary for growth and development in not only adults, but also in children, teens, and expectant mothers. The quantity of daily protein you need from your diet depends largely on your weight, gender, age, and health.
Studies have shown that eating a high-protein meal decreases levels of ghrelin, the hunger hormone, above a high-carbs meal in people with excess weight
It also increases muscle mass and reduces the chances of getting hyperlipidemia which is often associated with high carbs diets.
Examples include:
- Dairy products, such as greek yogurt, cow milk, or cottage cheese -Milk and dairy products provide the body with a range of essential micronutrients such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and phosphorus in an easily absorbed form.
- Poultry- Turkey, chicken, chicken breast,
- Eggs
- Lentils and beans
- Seeds and Nuts- Almond nut, hazelnut, cashew nut, walnuts, etc.
Monitor daily calories
According to the NHS, the proposed daily calorie intake in a day for women is 2,000 calories and for men is 2,500. Consuming the exact calorie needed by the body is of great as there will be very minimal health problems.
The way the body carries out it’s metabolism differ from person to person as some people have more active lifestyles or more sedentary lifestyles than other people.
Apart from eating healthy food to stay fit and healthy, some other activities to keep in mind are
Stay hydrated
Water seems to be the key to everything because it makes up most of our body weight. The human body needs water to function at an optimal level and so you must follow the principle of do not wait until you are thirsty before you drink water because, by the time you feel thirsty, you are already slightly dehydrated
To stay healthy, you must take water as frequently as possible, and reduce caffeine, sugary drinks, and excess alcohol intake.
Get Enough Sleep
One of the best ways to stay healthy is to get enough rest. Sleep offers the body and brain time to restore and rejuvenate after working for some time. Sleep-deprived people are more prone to increased risk of obesity. Stick to a sleeping schedule by setting aside at least eight hours for sleep.
