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As we all start to get a little bit older, we begin
to realize that maintaining good health becomes more and more of a
priority and less of an indulgence. Why? The easiest answer is that as
advances and improvements in medicine occur, our quality of life begins
to improve. And with that, our lifespans are also positively affected
and they get increasingly longer.
That’s great news for all of us! We’re living longer so we get to enjoy
our friends, families and hobbies longer. But the trick to this hinges
on one small thing- our health.
Living longer is great but if it’s not done with good health, then we
start to question the effectiveness or necessity of better medicine.
The good news is that it is not difficult to make the shifts needed to
improve and also maintain your good health.
Here are the top 10 ways to help you maintain your
good health:
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1. Get plenty of quality, restful sleep. Most adults need a minimum of
7-8 hours of sleep but some feel rested on as few as 6 hours while
others will require 9 hours. The number of hours is important but not as
critical as the time you go to bed. Every hour of sleep before 12
midnight is worth twice that of each hour past midnight. You will feel a
big difference if you sleep from 10 pm to 6 am versus if you sleep from
12 am to 8 am.
2. Drink plenty of clean water. Water is critical for the healthy
functioning of our bodies and is intimately involved with every single
organ and every single process of our bodies. Without it, our bodies
will become sluggish and slow both inside and out. Aim for at least 10
full glasses of water a day, more if you plan on drinking caffeinated
beverages or plan on being outside in warm or hot weather.
3. Engage in some kind of exercise or movement based activity that gets
your heart pumping. Cardiovascular exercise as well as strength training
of any kind is a necessary factor in maintaining health as it keeps the
body strong, fit and flexible to take on any challenges you throw at it.
Aim for a grand total of 30 minutes minimum of exercise each day, either
in one bout or spread throughout the day.
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4. Eat your fruits and vegetables. Be creative, use variety and find a
way to add these nutritional powerhouses into every meal. They are
nutrient dense, minimalist on the calories and are full of flavor as
well as fiber. Focus on the dark, leafy greens especially for heart
health, digestive system fluidity and for plentiful energy.
5. Find and eat an adequate amount of protein, leaving room for that
protein source to fit into your lifestyle goals and physical needs.
Decide for yourself if you need animal or non-animal sources of protein
or both. Most active adults need about 45-60 grams of protein per day.
This will change dependent on activity level as well as age itself.
Picture one egg, that’s approximately 16 grams of protein. A half cup of
beans, about 7 grams of protein.
6. Maintain healthy interpersonal relationships. Healthy relationships
will improve your quality of life in a big way. You will know that they
are healthy if you feel encouraged, supported and loved as opposed to
beaten down, exhausted or emotionally drained. Decide for yourself if
someone or something should remain in your life and in what capacity it
will be in.
7. Have something to live for, something that helps you to feel alive,
vital and a part of something bigger than yourself. This could be a
career, volunteer work, your spirituality, your creativity, absolutely
anything. You could be active in sports, games, in your family, whatever
it takes for you to feel needed, special and valuable.
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8. Go to the doctor. Get regular check-ups. Just do it. Know what you’re
dealing with and allow yourself to be proactive.
9. Leave space for forgiveness, not only for others but also for
yourself. The fastest way to let yourself become unhealthy or to feel
not quite yourself is to wallow in feelings of sadness, anger, despair
and pity. Let yourself be human, allow space for mistakes- yours and
others- and be strong enough to let go.
10. Fill your fun quota every day to overflowing. Use that fun as a way
to do something purely for yourself, to cut down on stress and create
memories that you’ll look back on with fondness.
It may seem like being healthy is a daunting task but in reality, it’s
just about being alive every single day. It’s about being fully alive in
every moment and doing the things that make your body feel good, make
your heart feel alive and make you feel grateful every moment of every
single day.
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