“The first wealth is health” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Hurry up, rush to work! Rush to complete those deadlines! Rush home for family plans! Rush to meet your friends! Rush, rush, rush! Amidst all the rushing in our lives, do we ever stop to think if we’re adhering to a healthy lifestyle? Those magazines and newspaper articles about health and lifestyle keep telling us that we need to focus on habits like eating healthy, getting enough sleep and exercise, but how often do we focus on these three things while going through the daily grind? Often times, we find ourselves relying on coffee to beat those irregular sleep hours, or snacking with the classic ‘Vada Pav’ or ‘Cheese Grilled Sandwich’ instead of focusing on healthy and nourishing foods, and we barely ever make time for exercise, if we’re being honest! On most days, we end up feeling dull, exhausted and demotivated, which interferes with our work and takes a toll on our relationships. Maybe it’s finally time we prioritise, make ourselves Numero Uno and execute all those healthy habits! But how do we make it easy for ourselves? Here are some tips that will make you realise how simple it actually is.
First things first.
What does a cranky mood, a fatigued feeling, and a protruding stomach all have in common? Yup, you guessed it, a bad diet! Studies have shown that not only will a nutritious and well-balanced meal improve the mumbo-jumbo sciency stuff like heart health, diabetes and blood flow, but will also help you maintain a good mood and a high quality of sleep, which is so hard to find in today’s fast-paced lifestyle. And we’re not talking about counting those calories or macronutrients, but instead just keep away from sugar, trans fats, and complex carbohydrates and that’s pretty much all you need to stabilise your meals.
Sleep well!
Finding it difficult to fall asleep? Pick up a book, read a magazine or write in a journal instead of staring at a screen in the dying embers of your day. The light emitted by your phone and laptop screens interfere with hormones required for a good night’s sleep, by tricking your brain into thinking that it’s actually daytime. Keep those gadgets aside at least 1.5-2 hours before you sleep, and wake up the next morning feeling like the day is yours to conquer.
Set your heart racing.
Go for a run, join Zumba classes, or break the sandbags with some kickboxing. Whatever you do, try and make SOME time for exercise, no matter if it’s at home, in a park or at the gym. If not for the ‘zero’ figure or the ‘six pack’, do it for the hormones named serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin that keep you motivated, in a good mood and put you to bed for a good night’s sleep. Not to mention, the more regular you are with your exercise, the longer you will live!
H2Oh!
Well, it was only a matter of time before water made it to this list. This one has fairly simple reasoning – 60% of our bodies are made of water. Water is the carrier of all essential supplies to our muscles and vital organs and helps in eliminating waste from our bodies. If the water levels drop, it’s basically just chaos inside our systems. The number of things that can go wrong over a period of consistent dehydration, well that will need a separate article altogether! It’s simple – drink 4-5 liters of water in designer drinking glasses a day, and you’ll be happy.
We are often left believing that a healthy lifestyle is complex and hard to master. It’s only when you actually start executing it, you realise that it doesn’t require anything but your commitment. Sure, even that sounds like a lot. But if you commit to a successful career and meaningful relationships, then shouldn’t your own well-being be the first on that list too?
