Practical Ideas to Help YOU live your best life ever!
Research indicates that adhering to the following 12 lifestyle habits will significantly improve health and extend life.
Try It
Look at the list below and indicate which habits are already a part of your lifestyle. What changes could you make to incorporate some additional healthy habits into your daily life?
1. Participate in a lifetime physical activity program.
Exercise regularly at least 3 times per week and try to accumulate a minimum of 60 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity each day of your life. The 60 minutes should include 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise at least 3 times per week, along with strengthening and stretching exercises 2 to 3 times per week.
I Plan to! I already do!
2. Do not smoke cigarettes. Cigarette smoking is the largest preventable cause of illness and premature death in the United States. If we include all related deaths, smoking is responsible for more than 440,000 unnecessary deaths each year.
I Plan to! I already do!
3. Eat right. Eat a good breakfast and two additional well-balanced meals every day. Avoid eating too many calories, processed foods, and foods with a lot of sugar, fat, and salt. Increase your daily consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole-grain products.
I Plan to! I already do!
4. Avoid snacking. Some researchers recommend refraining from frequent between-meal snacks. Every time a person eats, insulin is released to remove sugar from the blood. Such frequent spikes in insulin may contribute to the development of heart disease. Less frequent increases of insulin are more conducive to good health.
I Plan to! I already do!
5. Maintain recommended body weight through adequate nutrition and exercise. This is important in preventing chronic diseases and in developing a higher level of fitness.
I Plan to! I already do!
6. Get enough rest. Sleep 7 to 8 hours each night.
I Plan to! I already do!
7. Lower your stress levels. Reduce your vulnerability to stress and practice stress management techniques as needed.
I Plan to! I already do!
8. Be wary of alcohol. Drink alcohol moderately or not at all. Alcohol abuse leads to mental, emotional, physical, and social problems.
I Plan to! I already do!
9. Surround yourself with healthy friendships. Unhealthy friendships contribute to destructive behaviors and low self-esteem. Associating with people who strive to maintain good fitness and health reinforces a positive outlook in life and encourages positive behaviors. Constructive social interactions enhance well-being. Researchers have also found that mortality rates are much higher among people who are socially isolated. People who aren’t socially integrated are more likely to “give up when seriously ill”—which accelerates dying.
I Plan to! I already do!
10. Be informed about the environment. Seek clean air, clean water, and a clean environment. Be aware of pollutants and occupational hazards such as asbestos fibers, nickel dust, chromate, uranium dust and so on. Take precautions when using pesticides and insecticides.
I Plan to! I already do!
11. Increase education. Data indicate that people who are more educated live longer. The theory is that as education increases, so do the number of connections between nerve cells. The increased number of connections in turn helps the individual make better survival (healthy lifestyle) choices.
I Plan to! I already do!
12. Take personal safety measures. Although not all accidents are preventable, many are. Taking simple precautionary measures — such as using seat belts and keeping electrical appliances away from water — lessens the risk for avoidable accidents.
