Adjusting your lifestyle toward a healthier way of being can help you live longer, with less injury and illness as you grow older. A consistent fitness program, powered by the right nutrition, becomes both body toner and stress reliever. Motivation is easy to come by when you cook or exercise with a friend and enjoy a healthy weight without extra effort. Healthy eating and living today sets a great example for your family and pays personal dividends long into the future.
Increase Beneficial Nutrients
Eating right starts with attentive shopping and restaurant choices geared toward nutrition. Eat more whole grains for fiber, iron and B vitamins. Vegetables such as sweet potatoes, carrots and cooked spinach deliver different combinations of fiber, iron, potassium, magnesium and vitamins A, B, C, E and K. Fruits contribute fiber and vitamin C. Yogurt and milk provide calcium and vitamin D. Nuts and seeds offer a variety of vitamins and minerals. Healthy protein sources include fish, beans and lean meats and poultry.
Decrease Detrimental Nutrients
As you increase fiber, vitamins and minerals, you may naturally decrease detrimental cholesterol, trans and saturated fats, sodium and sugar. Read the FDA food labels and choose groceries with 20 percent daily value or less of these nutrients. The American Heart Association recommends avoiding fried foods, whole milk, eggs and shellfish to reduce your cholesterol and saturated fat intake. Avoiding canned soups and commercial baked goods will decrease your consumption of sodium and trans fat.
Increase Physical Activity
With your diet in nutritional balance, you can start or ramp up an exercise program, with an initial goal of 30 minutes of aerobics on most days. Getting your heart started and your muscles moving will give you endurance and help you control your weight. Try brisk walking, swimming or cycling. Join a gym class or sports team. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that 150 minutes of moderate activity per week can stave off high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and some forms of cancer.
Decrease Stress Levels
Creating mental diversions and physical outlets for stress also results in health benefits. To improve your mood and decrease muscle tension, blood pressure and indigestion, the National Women's Health Information Center recommends regular stress relief. Set aside time for stretching, listening to music, chatting with a friend, or another form of relaxation, before your stress level becomes chronic. Taking time out for yourself gives you a chance to enjoy the benefits of healthy living.
References
- FDA: Choosing Healthful Foods Using the Nutrition Facts on the Food Label; January 2011
- American Heart Association: How Do I Follow a Healthy Diet?; August 2010
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Benefits of Physical Activity; February 2011
- National Women's Health Information Center: Stress and Your Health; March 2010
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