5 Tips For A Healthier Lifestyle

Are you thinking about what you can do to lead a healthier lifestyle? Here are 5 dietitian-approved tips to help you make it happen:

1. Stay active

Regular physical activity is one of the best things you can do to lead a healthier lifestyle. It relieves stress, improves memory and boosts your overall mood.  Also, exercising improves your muscle strength and endurance and helps prevent many chronic diseases.  It increases your HDL or “good cholesterol” levels and decreases unhealthy triglycerides.  According to the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines, it is recommended to aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity per week. A minimum of 2 sessions of muscle and bone strengthening exercises per week has also proven to be beneficial.

2. Prepare your own meals

Food choices have a significant impact on our health since it provides our bodies with the nutrients we need to function properly. It has been proven that cooking from scratch and preparing home-cooked meals with fresh ingredients will lead to better health outcomes than having packaged or pre-cooked meals. This not only helps you control what goes in your food, it also helps you limit the amount of preservatives or food additives you consume.

3. Drink more water

The human body is composed of approximately 60% water. Ensuring proper hydration is important in maintaining a good balance of body fluids. Men and women should aim for a daily fluid intake of 3 L (12 cups) and 2.2 L (9 cups), respectively. The best way to avoid dehydration is to drink before getting thirsty.

4. Get enough sleep

Adequate sleep is a key part of a healthy lifestyle. Getting enough sleep helps you function well during the day since it improves focus and productivity. Studies show that sleeping 7 to 8 hours per night reduces the risk of chronic disease and stroke.

5. Manage your stress

Reducing stress is all about taking charge of your life, thoughts, and emotions. Learning how to manage your daily stress and practicing relaxation techniques such as meditation not only boosts your immune function, but also improves your quality of life.

Jennifer Mikhael, P.Dt.

Photo source: Pexels

 5 Tips For A Healthier Lifestyle is a post from Nautilus Plus. The Nautilus Plus blog aims to help people in their journey to fitness through articles on training, nutrition, motivation, exercise and healthy recipes.
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