Good Healthy Habits

Good health is of prime importance to all of us. We need to be healthy, filled with abundant energy, sound sleep, and fit and disease free body, which will give us a sense of overall well being. In order to be fit and healthy we need to practice healthy living styles with proper food habits and exercise. We cannot be healthy if we are lazy and lethargic. We need to work hard both physically and mentally to be fit and healthy. Besides exercise, we also need to eat healthy foodstuffs avoiding junk foods, which make us lethargic and dull. If you are over weight and obese you will suffer from health problems. So you need to maintain an optimum body weight to be healthy.

You need to follow healthy and positive habits. Positive thinking is very essential in order to be healthy. You need to clear out your mind and fill it with positive thoughts. You will have to remove all the depressing and negative emotions and thoughts from your mind and replace it with healthy and positive thoughts. These positive thoughts can be extremely energizing and always lead to good things in life. You can get involved in practices such as meditation and yoga to get rid of the negativity and force yourself with positive thoughts.

You need to eat healthy foods in order to be fit and healthy. Simple food stuffs like vegetables, fruits, nuts, tubers, lean meat, pulses, ect can keep you healthy and strong. Try to avoid refined foodstuffs. The main reason for ill health and diseases is improper food habits. Because of this many people suffer from diseases like diabetes, cancer, obesity ect. Simple changes in your diet and causes a great difference within a short period and can improve your health drastically. Try to avoid smoking and alcoholic drinks. For good health, you need to exercise daily. Exercising in the morning can leave you with a refreshed feeling throughout the day. Exercising can put you in a good mood and it will be easier for you to think positively and eat healthy foods. You can also get involved in activities such as swimming, biking, walking or playing your favorite sport in order to keep you healthy .Do not go for an activity which you do not enjoy. Try to do your work outs in the open air. In this way you will feel more refreshed. You should not make drastic changes in your life style. You should start with simple changes and make sure that you enjoy it. You try to make these simple changes in to a regular habit in order to achieve long term success. It is very important to improve your health in order to be happy and enjoy life. Besides exercise you need to have good sleep and rest in order to be healthy. Sound sleep can refresh your mind and make you feel healthy .All these simple changes in your life style can improve your health and make you feel strong and fit. You will feel a sense of well being, both emotionally and physically.

Drink More Water

Everyone knows that water is vital to the body. It hydrates you and quenches your thirst. As good as it is; are you getting enough? Are you properly hydrated every day? A new study has examined the importance of proper hydration for good health and performance and established a more accurate measurement of the body's water needs. Here's the refreshing update:

Entitled "Water as an essential nutrient: The physiological basis for hydration," the study starts with explaining the importance of hydration to the body. "Water is the major constituent of the human body. The latter cannot produce enough water by metabolism or obtain enough water by food ingestion to fulfil its needs. As a consequence, we need to pay attention to what we drink throughout the day to ensure that we are meeting our daily water needs, as not doing so may have negative health effects (E. Je´quier and F. Constant. 2009)." The study was first published on September 2, 2009 in an advance online publication of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Important from head to toe

The study highlights five uses of water to the body: (1) it's a vital component of our cells, (2) a necessary agent in the body's chemical processes, (3) a facilitator of all bodily functions including respiration and digestion, (4) regulates body temperature, and (5) lubricates joints and muscles for proper movement.

The study emphasizes the importance of drinking by citing the effects of dehydration or lack of water in your body. "It has been shown that mild dehydration corresponding to only one to two percent of body weight loss in adults can lead to a significant impairment in both cognitive function (alertness, concentration, short-term memory) and physical performance (endurance, sports skills) (E. Je´quier and F. Constant. 2009)."

So if you want to be at the top of your game all the time, don't exclusively rely on thirst to know if you're dehydrated. Mild to moderate dehydration manifests through a dry, sticky mouth, sleepiness or tiredness, decreased urine input, few or no tears when crying, muscle weakness, headaches and dizziness or light-headedness.

The solution to all this is simple enough, keep drinking even when you're not thirsty. But how do you know you're drinking enough? There's the old eight glasses of water a day rule, but is it correct?

According to the study, "Human water requirements are not based on a minimal intake as it might lead to a water deficit because of numerous factors that modify water needs (metabolism, climate, physical activity, diet and so on) (E. Je´quier and F. Constant. 2009)." What this means is that you shouldn't limit yourself to only 8 glasses a day because you need more based on your activities and the weather.

7 Basic Everyday Health Tips

1. Move extra: Make it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and escalators or elevators. Play with your kids; throw balls with friends, trim the lawn. Anything that moves your limbs is not only a fitness tool, it’s a stress buster. Think ‘move’ in small increments of time. It doesn’t have to be an hour in the gym. But that’s great when you’re up to it. Meanwhile, move more.
2. Cut Fat: Avoid such as fried foods, burgers and other fatty meals. Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions. Nuts and sandwich meats, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and sauces should be eaten in limited amounts. Most are available in lower fat versions such as substitute butter, fat free cheeses and mayonnaise.
3. Give up Smoking: Smoking is harmful to your health.
4. Reduce Stress: Easier said than done, stress busters come in many forms. Some techniques recommended by experts are to think positive thoughts. Spend 30 minutes a day doing something you like. (i.e; walk on the beach or in a park; read a good book; visit a friend; play with your baby; listen to soothing music; watch a funny movie. Get a massage, a facial or a haircut. Meditate. Count to ten before losing your temper or getting aggravated. Avoid difficult people when possible.
5. Protect Yourself from Pollution: If you can’t live in a smog-free environment, at least avoid smoke-filled rooms, high traffic areas, breathing in highway fumes and exercising near busy thoroughfares. Exercise indoors in air conditioning when air quality is good. It’s a good pollution and dirt from the street deterrent.
6. Floss Your Teeth: Recent studies make a direct connection between longevity and teeth flossing. Nobody knows exactly why. Perhaps it’s because people who floss tend to be more health conscious than people who don’t? Thought for the day: Floss and be your body’s boss.
7. Keep a optimistic Mental point of view: There’s a definitive connection between living well and healthfully and having a cheerful outlook on life.