Healthy Lifestyle: Rules for a Healthy Lifestyle

Today we often hear about the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle to improve the quality of life and achieve psycho-physical well-being . But what does it mean to lead a healthy lifestyle? How can our actions affect the quality of our life? Let’s find out in this article.

The sum of all our daily actions lead us to lead or not to lead a correct lifestyle ; everything we do, see or hear can influence our psychophysical state. If life is also the result of unforeseen events, the only thing that is up to us is to act on what we can control.  Adopting a healthy lifestyle therefore means avoiding all those actions that are harmful to the health of our body, eating properly and doing physical activity that is appropriate  for our physical characteristics.

The main rules to follow for a correct lifestyle are simple  but require consistency to reach the goal. A  healthy lifestyle cannot ignore a correct diet , without forgetting that  to achieve the perfect psychophysical balance,  taking care of the mind and inner well-being are also important . Feeling good is the result of a combination of factors: emotional, environmental, work and food. Finding the right balance is the challenge of every human being.

It is scientifically proven that the adoption of unbalanced behaviors and lifestyles can cause the formation and accumulation of excess harmful substances , called Free Radicals, which can lead to the development or worsening of various disorders and pathologies: an unregulated lifestyle can contribute to the onset of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, arthrosis, chronic liver diseases, tumors, obstructive sleep apnea.

Here are  10 rules, from nutrition to exercise, that we should follow to adopt the most correct lifestyle possible .

• Get active.  Experts stress the importance of getting at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week, so about 20 minutes a day. Whether it’s walking at a certain pace, taking the stairs, or riding a bike, your muscles and circulation will thank you.
  
• Limit sugars and fats . According to the Mediterranean diet, sugars and fats should occupy a low percentage of the foods ingested. Prefer whole grains, legumes and fish, among dairy products it is best not to overdo it with cheese, eaten at most twice a week and the same advice is valid for red meat, while the consumption of sweets should instead be reserved for special occasions.
  
• Yes to seasonal fruit and vegetables.  Sources of vitamins and antioxidants, seasonal fruit and vegetables are more natural and fresh. Not everyone knows that each color is associated with specific beneficial substances: if yellow indicates the presence of carotenoids, red is a guarantee of lycopene and anthocyanins. Green symbolizes folic acid, chlorophyll and magnesium and blue vitamin C, potassium, magnesium and carotenoids.
  
• Choose healthy protein sources.  Soybeans (including edamame and tofu), beans of all kinds, lentils, chickpeas, and peas are foods recommended by cardiologists because they are not only rich in protein, but also good sources of fiber. On the other hand, when red meat consumption is high, there is an increase in mortality from cardiovascular disease, as well as in body mass index and waist circumference, two important risk factors.

• Sleep at least 8 hours a day.  Sleeping allows you to recharge your batteries and face the next day at your best, but not only that. The brain also needs hours of sleep to consolidate memories of what happened during the day.  It is better, therefore, to ensure a regular rest of at least 8 hours.
  
• Drink at least 2 liters of water.  Water is essential for life and is a fundamental part of healthy living. The average adult body is made up of 60% water, and even moderate dehydration equal to 2% of body weight can have a negative impact on cognitive functions and physical performance. One and a half liters of water daily, preferably two, is the recommended dose.
  
• Say no to smoking and alcohol  The damage associated with tobacco and alcohol is well known. From cardiovascular problems to the risk of developing tumors, there are plenty of reasons to stop smoking and it is never too late to start a new lifestyle. Similarly, overdoing it with alcohol endangers your health as well as increasing the risk of reckless behavior.  Seeing your doctor is always a useful first step.

• Stay in touch with nature.  With the frenetic life of the city it is easy to forget how important contact with nature is, which relaxes and promotes inner peace. Even just a 20-minute walk in a park will help improve the performance of our brain and therefore our ability to concentrate, also thanks to the reduction of anxiety.
  
• Take care of your mind.  The challenge of the century is to find the right balance between work, family and personal commitments, only in this way can we reduce stress to stay healthy also from a mental point of view. In addition to the energy spent on work, we must not forget to also allow ourselves a bit of relaxation: cultivate hobbies and interests and spend time with people who make us feel good.
  
• Check your health status periodically.  Periodic check-ups with your doctor and annual blood tests are part of the check-up that everyone should do to monitor their health status and are valuable allies in the prevention of even serious diseases.