How to Feel Good About Your Health
If it seems that the concept of becoming healthier is coming at you from every direction, it’s because it probably is.
Every social media platform has a message or viral something or other that’s telling you what you must do right now to be healthier.
Sometimes you need to shut out the noise, take a breath, and begin your journey to a healthier lifestyle, simply.
And the first step is to understand if we’re going to enjoy life to the fullest the most important factor is knowing that our health is in good condition.
They say if you don’t have your health, then you haven’t got much, and it’s hard to disagree with that statement. Sometimes, it’s only when we face a health issue that we understand how important our health is.
At other times, just sensing that we’re not looking after our health as well as we could can cause us distress. If you’re in this position, then read on because in this article, we’re going to run through some useful pieces of advice that’ll help make you feel good about your health.
Further Reading: Health Fix: Why You Should Prioritise A Better Night’s Sleep
How to Feel Good About Your Health in Six Steps
Feel Good About Your Health Step 1: Healthy Eating
It would be nice if we could just eat whatever we wanted, without worrying about the health implications. But sadly, that’s not the case. While the odd unhealthy meal won’t do you too much harm, if those foods are the norm rather than the exception, then you’ll have issues at some point or another.
There are plenty of healthy and easy to make – not to mention delicious – recipes out there that’ll have you eating foods that help rather than hinder your body’s health. When it comes to eating, a little bit of knowledge can go a long way. Once you’ve got a few staple ingredients in your kitchen, you’ll be able to make delicious meals every night – and this will have a positive impact on your wallet as well as your health.
Types of Food
One of the most important things you can do for your health is to focus on nourishing your body with healthy, whole foods. This means filling your plate with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. These types of foods are packed with essential nutrients that can help support a healthy immune system, maintain a healthy weight, and reduce your risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes.
You could also incorporate more healthy snacks into your daily routine. By changing out sugars for healthier options, you will improve your overall health. There are so many great options for healthy snacks, from fruits to healthy chocolates from stores such as Eat it Like.
Keep Hydrated
Hydrating yourself is necessary to keep your body processes moving, flushing out toxins, and helping with mental clarity.
However recent studies have found that you don’t need to drink litres upon litres of water to stay hydrated every day – less than eight glasses is perfectly fine.
In fact you don’t have restrict your hydration intake to water only to stay hydrated. You can try kombucha drinks to add flavour to your everyday beverage intake. Kombucha will help regulate your gut biome with prebiotics and probiotics, too.
Further Reading: Sneaky Signs Your Diet isn’t Working For Your Body
Feel Good About Your Health Step 2: Manage Stress & Safety Nets
Manage Stress
Stress can have a major impact on our health and well-being, so it’s important to find ways to manage it effectively. This could mean finding healthy outlets for stress, such as exercise or meditation, or simply taking time to relax and unwind. It’s also a good idea to set boundaries and prioritise self-care, whether that means saying no to unreasonable demands or taking time for yourself to do something you enjoy.
Make Your Medical Appointments
You know you need to see your GP when something is wrong, but what about when nothing is wrong? You still need to make an annual well-health appointment even when you feel great. It is essential to ensure that nothing is out of the ordinary, receive routine blood tests, and have an opportunity to talk face-to-face with a medical professional. This gives you the chance to bring up any concerns about your body and mind.
Mindful of Your Mental Health
Another thing to put on your schedule is an appointment with a mental health provider. This is essential even if you are not having concerns.
Seeing a mental health professional is no longer taboo. Be proactive and talk about issues before problems arise. These can be anything from the aforementioned stress at work and how to productively handle it and partner relationship or communication concerns to differences of opinion within your family and how to talk it through in a respectful manner.
Dental Care
Next on your list is a dental exam. This is crucial as your oral health affects the rest of the body. When your mouth is teeming with unkempt bacteria, they enter your bloodstream and can wreak havoc on your health. As such it is necessary to see a dental professional in addition to practising sound oral healthcare at home.
Your Vision
Now comes your vision check. When your vision becomes a little blurry, or you notice that bifocals may be in order, make the appointment. There are a stunning array of glasses frames on the market today along with specialised contact lenses.
The Safety Nets
And where it comes to safety nets – you never know what’s going to happen in life. Even if you’re broadly healthy, you’ll have a health issue at some point. Having a health issue isn’t the problem. It’s how you respond to it that counts. You’ll feel much better if you know that, should something happen to you, you’ll be able to handle the illness or condition as well as possible. To give yourself peace of mind, look at getting private health insurance. With that, you’ll know that expert medical treatment is only a phone call away.
Further Reading: Let’s Tackle Stress – Life Can Be Tough But You Are Tougher
Feel Good About Your Health Step 3: Cut Down Bad Habits
We all have bad habits. It’s just that some of us have bad habits that impact our health. If you’re, say, smoking tobacco or drinking too much alcohol, then you’ll be much more likely to have health issues, even if you’re doing things that should nudge your health in the right direction.
Sometimes, the negative impacts of our bad habits can override the positive things that we do. While it’s not always easy, it’s important to find ways to cut down on alcohol and stop smoking completely. The most difficult period is the first couple of days; after that, it becomes much easier!
Further Reading: 3 Everyday Ways You Could Be Harming Your Teeth
Feel Good About Your Health Step 4: Find an Activity
As with eating, most of us wish we could do whatever we want with our spare time. Wouldn’t it be fun to just spend hours sitting on the couch, watching Netflix? Sure it would. But you won’t be doing your health any favours if you do that.
To be at its best, the body needs to move. The good news is that there are a million ways you can move your body. If you can find one that you enjoy, you’ll be able to get fit and healthy without really thinking about it — you’ll be too busy having fun. There are plenty of benefits of making exercise a regular part of your life. Not only will you be healthier, but you’ll also give your mind and mood a boost!
Further Reading: 6 Fun Hobbies That Actually Make You Healthier
Feel Good About Your Health Step 5: Do Your Research
They only teach a little about health in school. But if they’d taught more, it probably wouldn’t do us too much good. The information surrounding what’s good and bad for us is always changing.
If you want to live a healthier lifestyle, it’s worthwhile reading up on the latest news, products, health regimes, and more. There’s a wealth of information out there, and, thanks to the internet, it’s more accessible than ever before.
But with saying that, don’t let yourself feel overwhelmed or bombarded, try not go down the health advice ‘rabbit hole’, and always remember to go with health advice from reputable sources, such as your GP or pharmacist – visiting the former for a professional assessment at least once a year is beneficial – this should include blood tests for the likes of cholesterol and vitamin deficiencies.
Finally you should always discuss any niggling ailment you have with your GP as soon as you can – nip that health issue in the bud. And don’t be afraid to get a second opinion either!
Further Reading: Cardiovascular Health – 4 Lifestyle Tips for a Healthy Heart
Feel Good About Your Health Step 6: Ongoing Management
Remember that you’ll need to actively manage your health on an ongoing basis. It’s too important not to. You wouldn’t let your relationships or finance just operate on autopilot, so don’t do the same with your health.
By taking control, you’ll be able to push your health in the right direction and catch any potential problems at the first signs.
Further Reading: 4 Life-Changing Reasons To Get Outdoors More
Don’t let your health bring you down! Take the tips that we’ve outlined above, and you’ll be on your way towards feeling in control of your health. Start today.
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PIN: How to Feel Good About Your Health in Six Steps
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