General Health Tips for True Optimal Health

Many people struggle to achieve optimal health. Besides, all the conflicting nutrition and diet advice out there can be quite overwhelming. While most people emphasize on strict dietary limitations, you don’t have to stay unrealistically thin or deprive yourself of foods that you love. It’s all about feeling great, having more energy and improving your overall health outlook. Different experts will recommend different solutions for healthy living. But, you can avoid all that confusion and learn how to create a varied and healthy diet that is as good for your mind as it is for your body. The following tips will help you gain optimal health, lose weight and feel better every day.Continue Reading:

Stay Away from Toxic Substances

Given the world that we live in today, many things are downright toxic to our bodies. The addictive nature of some of these things makes it even hard to avoid them. Things like cigarettes, alcohol and drugs have negative effects on our health. Alcohol when taken in moderation is good but tobacco and abusive drugs are bad for your health. Eating unhealthy, disease-promoting foods has become a common occurrence these days. But, to gain optimal health, minimize your consumption of these foods. The most effective change you can make is to improve your diet by cutting back on processed, packaged foods. Such foods are usually addictive and it can be tough to refrain from consuming them. Added sugars are by far the worst. They can inflict more harm than good on your metabolism when consumed in excess. Consume wheat in moderation as well because too much of it can lead to all sorts of problems. Stay away from fats that require chemicals and factories to produce. This is important because you can’t be healthy if you keep eating disease-promoting substances.

Exercise Is Key

Apart from learning how to make choices on what goes into your body, maintaining a strict exercise regime is also important. It‘s not just about getting a six-pack but rather about making your body, brain and hormones to function optimally. Lifting weights not only lowers blood sugar levels but also improves cholesterol. It raises levels of testosterone and boosts growth hormone, both of which are associated with improved well-being. Exercise also helps reduce depression and risk of chronic diseases including Type 2 Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and Alzheimer’s. if it’s combined with a healthy diet, it will also help you lose fat. This is because it improves your hormonal status and overall function of your body. Luckily, there are many ways to exercise. It doesn’t have to be in a gym.

Get Plenty of Sleep

Sleep is very important for our overall health. Sleep deprivation is associated with many diseases, including obesity and heart disease. That’s why it is recommended that you get good, quality sleep. If you can’t sleep properly for some reason, see a doctor. Sleep disorders such as sleep apnea may be very common but are easily treatable. You can improve sleep by not drinking coffee late in the day, dampening the light a few hours before you go to bed, sleeping in complete darkness or by going to bed and waking up at similar times each day. If you get enough sleep, you’ll feel better both physically and mentally and lower your risk of all sorts of health problems.

Avoid Stress

There is no point in sticking to a certain diet, exercising and getting enough sleep if you are constantly stressed out. Being healthy is more of being physically and mentally at ease. Therefore, the way we feel and think is very important. Too much stress can raise cortisol levels causing harmful effects on your metabolism. If you are often stressed, you’ll crave more for junk food, develop more fat in the abdominal area and risk getting certain diseases. Depression is a massive health problem today and stress has been pointed out as a major contributor. To reduce stress, simplify your life, exercise regularly and meditate. If you become overly stressed, see a psychologist. Overcoming stress will make you healthier, generally improving your life. Besides, why should you go through life worried and anxious without being able to relax and enjoy yourself?

Eat Real Foods

The simplest and most effective way to eat healthy is to just focus on real foods. It easier said than done thanks to cheap processed foods that we normally resort to. Unprocessed whole foods like fruits, meat, vegetables, fish, oils, nuts, healthy fats, high-fat dairy products and eggs will improve your metabolism making you healthier. If you’re lean and active, consume whole unrefined carbohydrates. But, if you are overweight or suffer from diabetes, cut back on major carbohydrate sources. This will help you lose weight because you’ll subconsciously start eating less.

How Does Healthy Eating Affect Mental and Emotional Health?

Eating right can help you maintain a healthy weight and avoid certain health problems. The diet you have chosen influences your mood and sense of well-being. Studies associate certain diets with higher rates of stress, anxiety, depression and, bipolar disorder. An unhealthy diet may even cause mental health disorders such as Schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease. It also increases the risk of suicide in young people. A healthy diet will lower such risks helping you regain control of your life. While some specific foods can improve one’s mood, it’s your overall dietary pattern that matters. There is no perfect diet plan. All you have to do is completely eliminate foods that contribute little to your overall well-being.

Stick with It for Life 8. Set Yourself Up for Success

The “dieting” mindset might be popular but it is a bad idea. it almost never works in the long term. instead, consider a lifestyle change. Besides, being healthy is more of a marathon, not a race. If you are planning a healthy diet, start with small, manageable steps. As these changes become habit, add more healthy choices. Basically, prepare your own meals, make the right changes, simplify things, read the labels, focus on how you feel after eating and drink plenty of water. Remember that moderation is key. This simply means that eat only as much as your body needs. Moderation is about balance. Despite what dieticians would have you believe, we all need a balance of vitamins, protein, carbohydrates, minerals fat and fiber to sustain a healthy body. It may mean eating less than we do now, but you don’t have to eliminate all the foods you love.