Healthy lifestyle

aka how important it is to be aware of how you live your life.

How many of you have ever heard or read to eat healthy, not abuse caffeine, not to smoke, to sleep enough, exercise, think positive, avoid stress, and have a great social network to stay a healthy individual inside and out? Yes, we have heard all about it. We read about living healthy, we hear about it on the radio, get feedback from the internet, we talk to our doctors; we familiarize ourselves with the literature about it as well. The truth is however, that it is actually very hard to incorporate the healthy habits into our everyday life. We also know that even though we are aware of the consequences of the unhealthy life most of us lead, we always manage to find an excuse to remain living that way.

Knowing that not only not living a hygienic lifestyle will shorten our lives, but also may cause serious chronic diseases, and make our lives miserable, we continue to thrive on junk food, soft drinks and unreasonable amounts of coffee. On top of that, to relieve stress, we tend to smoke and intoxicate ourselves with other harmful substances. Yes, live is difficult, stressful and often times hard to manage. Yes, it is simple, in a moment of complete nervous breakdown, to reach for a cigarette or a drink to find some temporary gratitude. It is definitely easier, and faster to go to one of the biggest fast food corporations, and buy something to eat just to satisfy an empty stomach. We do spent most of our days commuting to and from work, and working, in usually, a very fast paced environment. I am aware that it may be difficult to find time to even think of starting changing the life we lead to a healthy, and therefore better one. I myself am a busy woman and my life is hectic. I somehow do find the time, and energy to relax, and think about my life from a different perspective. I could go on and on with this. I’d rather focus on the basics. As mentioned earlier it is crucial to start working on the basic needs: food, sleep, exercise, stress and toxic substances avoidance, as well as positive attitude.

Your diet does not have to be strict and a “diet” per se. Please focus on planning your meals that compose of whole foods. Yes, I am sure that this term has also been heard before. The fruit and vegetables, nuts, whole grains and lean protein are widely available. With some willingness you will find a great, and I am sure not that expensive produce store in your area. It doesn’t take much effort to toss some stir-fried veggies with whole grain pasta, and a bit of grated cheese. You will have a delicious, satisfying meal in a heart bit. Your satisfaction of being aware what is in your meal will be a pay off for the job you did. Cooking is a great way of relaxing after a long day. You may want to try to slowly incorporate that activity in your life. Start with one homemade meal a week. When it comes to beverages, drink water instead of sugar and caffeine loaded soft drinks.

A good night sleep is essential. I have learned that hard way after avoiding sleep for a long time for unworthy reasons. Believe me, your body and mind will be grateful if, instead of watching another movie, you will allow it to rest peacefully. In order for your brain to process all the activity of the day, and prepare itself to deal with the next, it needs to rest. Ideally you want to have six to eight hours of slumber. When to find time to sleep? Less important activities [watching TV, chatting on the phone] can wait. You need time to reset. It may sound like a cliché, but if you are not rested, you will not be able to function properly. Drinking coffee will not solve the problem of tired body and mind. It may perk you up, but will not work as well as a cozy bed and plenty of sleep.

Exercise is another topic. I have never been big on that. Going to the gym? Nope, I refuse to participate in a group sweating session. The closed environment filled with germs surrounding me from all possible directions is just not for me. If you feel the same as me, try outdoor activities. Yes, whatever you can do, do it outside regardless of the season of the year. The activities will boost your metabolism, improve your blood circulation, strengthen your muscles, prevent weight gain, and will help you relieve stress, and even help avoid depression. What to do? Walking, jogging, playing with kids/ pets outside, biking or rollerblading are just a few to name. If you need to have a long conversation with your mom, take the phone and walk around the block. Sounds banal? You will be energized, and with no extra effort you’ll get your daily exercise.

Do not smoke. It doesn’t help relieve stress. You may think smoking is a great way to relax, but it is all in your head. Smoking is so passé. I remember it used to be cool. Smoking with friends to fit in was a thing to do. Not anymore! You are not a teenager anymore. And even if you are, you do not have to use smoking to be a part of a group. If your peers cannot accept you for who you are, they are not worth to be your friends. I used to smoke from time to time. When I looked at faces of people who had been smoking for years, and saw the gray skin, yellow or brownish teeth, wrinkles around the mouth, discolored fingers; I figured I was smarter than that. I am a woman. I want to look great, and the cigarettes would make me look anything but great. I am not going to mention the negative health consequences. You all know what it will cost you in the future.

How to avoid stress and have a positive attitude? Some of you will say “No can do.” I disagree. I understand keeping sane these days is quite difficult. Some people are just born with this ability, some need to work on staying in good spirits. I found it easy to find something positive in each and every situation. It keeps me going, makes my mind occupied, and does not allow me to be negative. There is always something good in whatever happens. One just needs to be willing to find it. It is also important to talk. Friends are great for that. You can get a psychotherapy session with the closest people in your life. It is crucial to maintain healthy relations with people. In a long run it will have very positive effects on your entire life.