A healthy lifestyle can include making small changes to improve your overall health, no matter how young or old you are. The benefits of maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of his or her age, weight, gender, income level, ethnicity, or any other trait or attribute. Here are seven benefits of maintaining a healthy lifestyle that everyone can enjoy.
Boost your immune system
Staying in shape makes your body more resistant to infections and illnesses. When you're young, you tend to think that getting sick is normal and should be expected; however, as you get older, it becomes important to protect your immune system. Regular exercise boosts white blood cell activity, which helps fight infections and illnesses before they affect you. Plus, staying fit will make it easier for your body to fight off future illness if ever you do fall ill. According to Prevention Magazine (2013), about 30% of those between ages 65-74 say that their health is compromised due to smoking or being overweight.
Lose weight
Chances are you want to lose weight, so your body will work better, look better and improve your chances for long-term health. Losing weight doesn't have to be painful or complex. In fact, if you do it right-by eating well and moving more-it should feel simple and empowering. Plus, healthy habits like regular exercise can make food taste better, give you more energy throughout your day and motivate you to take on new challenges. You'll also save money by avoiding unnecessary doctor visits and prescription medications that are frequently prescribed when people who aren't taking care of themselves develop chronic diseases such as diabetes or heart disease.
Increase energy levels
Living an active, healthy lifestyle can help you maintain optimal energy levels. Being physically active and eating well-balanced meals gives your body what it needs to function properly throughout your day. Sufficient sleep is also crucial for keeping energy levels up; try to get at least seven hours each night. When you're getting enough sleep, you can wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle your day, which means more motivation for getting in all that activity!
Improve sleep quality
Studies have shown that working out reduces stress and anxiety, which are often big factors in insomnia. Keeping your body active may also help you sleep deeper and longer, because your body is working to support itself instead of wasting energy during sedentary activities. This is especially true when it comes to weight training. In one study, people who lifted weights for two months reported sleeping an average of 30 minutes more than those who didn't lift. And according to Dr. Cederquist, Sleep deprivation makes cortisol levels rise, which signals that the body is under stress and needs more fuel; she suggests giving yourself ample time between workouts and bedtime (at least 3 hours) to ensure quality rest.
Reduce stress
A high-stress lifestyle can take its toll on your physical and mental health, so finding ways to reduce it can help you live longer. A study by Stanford University found that chronic stress interferes with telomere maintenance (1), which is a compound that helps keep your chromosomes stable. Telomeres shorten as you age, leading to higher risk for heart disease and cancer. You can reduce stress in various ways such as getting enough sleep and exercise, or taking up yoga or other mindfulness techniques
Reduce inflammation
Inflammation may sound like it's only an annoyance, but it can be a serious health threat as well. Research has shown that chronic inflammation is linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's and more. While foods that cause inflammation-think fatty fried foods and cookies might be tasty in small doses, having them constantly on your plate is likely not doing your body any favors. Many experts recommend following an anti-inflammatory diet to reduce symptoms associated with chronic inflammation. These foods often include high-fiber vegetables (like broccoli and kale), fish (especially oily varieties like salmon) and omega-3 rich fruits (like kiwi and berries). Taking supplements may also help reduce symptoms associated with inflammatory diseases.
Avoid injury and illness
Anyone who wants to stay on their feet needs to consider how they're going to avoid injury and illness. This means protecting your body against injuries and illnesses that can keep you away from work or prevent you from performing at your best. So, what kinds of things should you be protecting yourself against? Injuries, illnesses, diseases and health problems (mental and physical). Some examples include slipping on an icy sidewalk, contracting an intestinal parasite while traveling abroad, getting food poisoning at a restaurant or developing debilitating back pain from sitting in front of your computer all day. Healthy employees are more productive employees; if you don't protect yourself against injury and illness now, it could cost you down the road when-or if-you can return to work.
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