Introduction
Health habits adoption can protect people from severe physical health problems. They include healthy nutrition and regular physical activities and have positive “side effects” like loss of weight and increase of energy. Even minor health problems affect other life aspects, sometimes even overshadowing them (Scott, 2020). Still, there are many factors to be researched by an individual before starting his or her healthy lifestyle. Although it is a time-consuming and challenging process, commitment to healthy habits is a working tool for feeling better and avoiding stress.
Start from the Childhood
There are several basic ways to start forming a child’s healthy lifestyle. Everyday activity is one of the primer ones, as, in the current era of technologies, it is complicated to limit the time spent in front of different gadgets or TV. Nevertheless, healthy growth and development are impossible without being active. Children and teenagers should get at least an hour of daily physical activities, including vigorous ones.
Choosing water as a drink instead of any sweetened drinks like soft drinks or fruit juices is another crucial factor. The whole fruit is always more beneficial than the fruit juice for a child’s health and well-being. Reduced-fat milk is one of the best sources of calcium. Eating more vegetables and fruits is essential for children and youth. Moreover, they might be healthy snacks instead of chips, hamburgers, and other meals of doubtful benefit. It is highly recommended to include fruit and vegetables into the daily ratio to prevent the risk of a variety of chronic diseases.
The Importance of Breakfast
There are valid advantages of eating in the morning, according to scientists. The benefits of starting one’s day with a full meal start from decreasing BMI. Numerous researches proved that missing the morning meal leads to being overweight (“Why breakfast,” n.d.). Moreover, breakfast leads to a decrease in fat consumption during the day. Breakfast should include some fruit and vegetables to meet the demands of their daily norm. This meal is highly essential for the increase of daily calcium and fiber intake. Additionally, breakfast affects daily performance, improves attention and memory, primarily related to school-aged children. It is noteworthy that there is an established interrelation between skipping breakfast and gaining risky behaviors like alcohol and drug abuse or smoking.
The Role of Carbs
During the process of digestion, carbohydrates are converted into sugar or glucose in the body. In turn, glucose is an essential source of fuel for people. It is crucial for the brain, which may not be substituted by protein or fat for its normal functioning. There are two types of carbs – simple and complex. Simple carbs may be contained in table sugar, fruit juice and fruit, dairy products, and sugar. Complex carbs may be found in grain products like pasta, bread, rice, and crackers. They are also present in sweet potato, corn, white potato, peas, and butternut. People should not wholly exclude carbs from their ration, as they are an essential part of a healthy diet. It is healthier to pick carbs bursting with minerals, vitamins, fiber, and protein. All carbs are transformed into glucose and, therefore, increase blood sugar. Those with fiber, such as apples, beans, 100% whole-wheat bread, and broccoli, take more time to be digested and, hence, release glucose into the blood slower (“Carbohydrates,” 2015). Blood glucose plays a vital role in the control of weight and diabetes.
Protein Issue
As people get older, protein is becoming more crucial for preserving strength and muscle mass. Additionally, rational protein consumption is obligatory to prevent malnutrition. Some people advocate for a high protein diet to speed up metabolism and facilitate weight loss, although success in this regard varies greatly. There is also no accurately established norm of daily protein consumption. Commonly, men are believed to need 56 g/day, while women – 46 g/day (“When it comes to protein,” n.d.). Nevertheless, sportspeople eager to gain muscle mass need many more.
There is an averaged formula for counting the daily norm of a protein called RDA (recommended daily allowance), which is 0,8 grams per kg of the body (“When it comes to protein,” n.d.). Therefore, the daily norm may extensively differ dependent on the weight of a separately taken individual. If counted based on calorie percentage, protein should occupy not less than 10% of daily consumed calories in total (“When it comes to protein,” n.d.). It is also imperative to take into account the type of protein obtained from different meals. For instance, one should prefer consuming yogurt, salmon, or beans instead of red meat for healthier benefits.
What Exactly Coconut Oil Is
The popularity of coconut oil soared immensely during recent years due to the touted health benefits. Coconut oil has become a trend, fueled by celebrities. They state that the oil can control appetite blasting away belly fat, improve immunity, prevent heart and vascular diseases, stave off Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia. It is noteworthy that over 70% of Americans rate coconut oil as a healthy product. Still, there is only about 35% of scientists and nutrition experts hold the same view (“Coconut oil,” n.d.). Several trending diets include coconut oil like Paleo and ketogenic diets. Indeed, this oil is free of fiber and cholesterol, but simultaneously it contains only traces of plant sterols, minerals, and vitamins. Plant sterols mimic blood cholesterol, therefore, blocking its absorption by the body. Nevertheless, its amount in coconut oil is too small to produce a considerable effect.
The Ways to Handle Sugar Cravings
For handling sugar cravings, it is obligatory to have the tests of cortisol and melatonin fluctuations on hands. If the tests are normal, one should shift to recognizing bad habits. There is a secure method to start a healthy practice. For instance, when one feels craving: replace pastry with a glass of water or several jumping jacks. Incorporating more fats and proteins into the diet also helps to handle the needs. Avoiding snacks that contain all carbohydrates is also a reasonable move. There are also several food supplements useful for treating sugar cravings. For instance, they are highly absorbable forms of calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and chromium supplements.
Sugar cravings might be a result of insufficient sleep or sleep of low quality. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day can solve the problem of sugar carvings. Sugar is the source of serotonin, but not the only one. Green tea, cheese, eggs, and walnuts are sugar’s worthy rivals in this regard. Additionally, an increase in physical activity and exercise routine can increase one’s serotonin level significantly.
Cleanse Diets
Cleanse diets are usually short-term; therefore, they are not necessarily harmful. Nevertheless, their promised effects are very overpriced. Today, scientists did not provide people with convincing evidence proving the cleansing diets health claims. Moreover, there are specific side effects that can be caused by the cleanse diets, while some of them might be harmful. These warnings and the evidence do not stop the popularity of cleansing diets, partially due to their promotion by celebrities.
In the vast majority of cases, these diets make their followers feel hungry and even deprived. There are also several categories of risk when it comes to cleansing diets, including pregnant women and nursing mothers. Certain health conditions are also contradictory for cleansing diets: kidney diseases, diabetes, liver diseases, and any other chronic conditions. Before keeping on a cleansing diet, one should necessarily consult with a health professional.
Exercising Frequency
The recommendations of the Department of Health and Human Services are as follows: the weekly norm of aerobic activity should reach at least 150 minutes. As an alternative, one can have 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise like aerobic dancing and running instead (Laskowski, n.d.). The course should be spread equally throughout the week, even if one gets a more significant physical load. If an individual is involved in strength training, all groups of muscles should be trained at least twice a week. In turn, adherents of moderate activity should pay attention to swimming, brisk walking, and mowing the lawn. Strength training might include the use of one’s body weight, weight machines, resistant exercises, or, for instance, rock climbing. For losing weight, more exercising and fitness goals are needed and should include around 300 minutes a week (Laskowski, n.d.).
Options for People Hating Exercising
Under the modern rhythm of life, sometimes people run out of time for exercising. There are still several ways to make one’s lifestyle healthier. One can start by reducing sitting time, as its impact on the metabolic processes is crucial. Therefore, sitting for a long time negatively affects both one’s health and longevity. Any activity is useful: a few short walks daily might substitute the recommended half an hour continuous walk.
Sleep mode adjustment is obligatory for a healthy lifestyle either as it affects not only brain activity but also one’s weight. Lessening stress plays a vital role as stress can destruct any system of one’s body. Another part of a healthy lifestyle is a sufficient amount of time spent on rest from working. Vacations with zero access to work, including messaging once in six months, should be an integral part of people’s life. People caring about their lifestyle and hating exercising should at least refine their diets. It means fewer snacks and more fruit, vegetables, and pure water. Finally, people might dislike physical activity like a workout, running, and others. Nevertheless, there are still other options with the same health benefit as yoga, Zumba, or even cycling with friends.
Counting Calories
Consuming fewer calories than burning helps lose weight, although, from the health point of view, calories might differ. People should distinguish between concepts of calories quantity and nutritional quality, having a different impact on their health. Different foods affect people’s appetite, hormone levels, metabolic processes, and hunger in different ways. For example, 100 calories received from apples diminish appetite more efficiently than the same quantity from donuts (“Counting calories,” n.d.). Hence, eating donuts puts you at the risk of overeating during the day, so the calorie deficit is under threat. Whereas from the biological point of view, loss of weight requires a calorie deficit.
Yet, there is evidence that the quality of food is more important than its quantity. For instance, examining two groups receiving an equal amount of calories but keeping on different diets (high-carb and low-carb), the results will differ. Those keeping on a low-carb diet can lose more weight even if they get a higher amount of calories. Moreover, by restricting calories, people should add physical activities to get better results and keep their bodies tight and elastic.
Vegan Diet Peculiarities
The popularity of vegan diets is grounded by the various health benefits like the decrease of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes risk. Nevertheless, being a vegan, it is essential not to rely on processed foods containing much sugar, sodium, and fat. Moreover, vegans tend to neglect vegetables, fruits, calcium-rich foods, and whole grains, missing the nutrients these foods provide. However, a well-planned and balanced vegan diet is appropriate for everyone, including children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers. A vegan diet should rely on plant-based foods, including those mentioned above plus nuts and legumes. If one has any doubt about whether his or her vegan diet is well-balanced, it is appropriate to approach a registered dietitian to create the right vegetarian plan.
Soy: Friend or Foe
Soy is consumed as a part of many processed foods and a source of protein. Nevertheless, it is quite a controversial product, as there is no general opinion regarding its benefits and harms for health. The myth that soy can prevent the risks of heart disease is debunked, but it does not hurt the heart either has many other health benefits either. It contains a lot of fiber; it is high in vitamins, polyunsaturated fats, and minerals, while the quantity of saturated fat is low. Moreover, some soy products, such as edamame and tofu, can replace animal sources like red meat. The issue with soy foods is that some of them have estrogen-like chemicals in their structure, and, therefore, their effect might be adverse (“Confused about eating soy?” 2018). Hence, products like nutrition bars and protein powders containing soy protein isolate or textured vegetable protein should be avoided. Whereas soy milk, tofu, edamame, and other whole soy foods may be consumed in moderation, for instance, twice a week.
Lifestyle and Mental Health
Mental and physical health should not be considered separate, although people often make a distinction between body and mind. Bad physical fitness increases the risk of psychiatric diseases development and many other conditions. It is irrational to rely only on medical therapy in case there are already some problems with mental health. Taking care of a physical state is essential and should never be neglected. Moreover, a healthy lifestyle makes people more resistant to stress risks (Scott, 2019). At the same time, there is scientific evidence that high levels of stress lead to depression, which, in turn, is highly associated with coronary heart disease.
Additionally, a healthy lifestyle makes people more friendly, so they avoid stress connected with loneliness and a feeling of needlessness. Vice versa, bad habits significantly increase the risk of mental diseases. For example, nicotine interacts with brains, particularly, with its chemicals like dopamine. Dopamine is responsible for positive feelings, so depression is often connected with its lack. Initially, nicotine increases dopamine levels, simultaneously blocking the brain’s ability to make chemicals (“Physical health,” n.d.). That is the reason why they need for nicotine’s level to increase rises with the flow of time.
Conclusion
Healthy habits like excellent and balanced nutrition, avoiding harmful substances, exercising, and others make sense. Any behavior is benefits emotional, physical, and mental health can be considered a healthy habit (Wilson, 2016). It is challenging to develop a healthy lifestyle, whereas adhering, is even more complicated. Nevertheless, any sacrifices made on this path are worthy due to the long-term positive impact on health regardless of one’s physical ability, sex, age, and other factors.
References
Carbohydrates — good or bad for you? (2015). Harvard Health Publishing. Web.
Coconut oil.(n.d.). Harvard T. H. Chan. Web.
Confused about eating soy? (2018). Harvard Health Publishing. Web.
Counting calories: Get back to weight-loss basics. (2020). Mayo Clinic. Web.
Laskowski, E. R. (n.d.). How much should the average adult exercise every day?Mayo Clinic. Web.
Physical health and mental health. (n.d.). Mental Health Foundation. Web.
Scott, E. (2019,). How does stress impact your health? Verywellmind. Web.
Scott, E. (2020). Why you should take care of your body and health. Verywellmind. Web.
When it comes to protein, how much is too much? (n.d.) Harvard Health Publishing. Web.
Why breakfast is the most important meal of the day. (n.d.). Rush. Web.
Wilson, D. R. (2016). The benefits of healthy habits. Healthline. Web.