Stay Hydrated, Stay Cool
Staying hydrated is essential for ensuring that your body functions properly while also maintaining proper blood volume levels. Water is, of course, the best way to keep your body hydrated - aim for at least six glasses per day.
Lay Off the Soda
There’s nothing more refreshing than a can of soda on a hot day, apart from just about every other cold drink on the planet. Soda is the primary source of added sugar in the American diet and is one of the main causes of type-2 diabetes, heart disease, and other fun bodily afflictions.
Eat Nuts… Literally
Some folks will tell you to avoid nuts due to their high-fat content, but the benefits far outweigh any negatives. Nuts (and seeds) are a great source of protein, fiber, and vitamins (all of which, we’re told, are important for living a healthy life).
Avoid the UPF’s
UPFs (or ultra-processed foods) are those foods made with mostly artificial ingredients like added sugar, refined oil, refined salt, preservatives, et cetera, et cetera. These ingredients contribute to the food’s palatability, that is, the ease with which you can keep eating and eating and eating.
Have Some Coffee
Though there’s some controversy surrounding the consumption of coffee (and caffeine in general), the general consensus seems to be that, yes, coffee can be good for you when consumed in moderation. That’s due to its high levels of antioxidants, which are thought to stave off things like type-2 diabetes and Parkinson’s.
Go Fish
It may smell a little funny, but fish is actually one of the healthiest foods you can eat. Fatty fish, in particular, is rich in anti-inflammatory acids and various other nutrients, and studies have shown that people who regularly consume fish are less susceptible to several conditions, including heart disease and dementia.
Catch a Few Winks
Burning the midnight oil may make you moderately more productive, but poor sleep habits are a leading cause of obesity and weight gain. It can also lead to insulin resistance and appetite suppression and makes you even less productive in the long run.
Feed the Bacteria
Here’s something you probably didn’t want to know: you have bacteria in your stomach. Don’t worry, though; this is a good bacteria, honestly. Gut microbiota (which is their official name; you can name yours whatever you like) are important for digestive health, so be sure to feed it plenty of fiber.
Medium-Rare, Please
Though there are few things finer than a freshly grilled steak, consuming too much charred meat is linked to the development of certain cancers. When cooking your meat, do your best to avoid burning it; it’s a good idea to limit your red meat intake as well.
Turn the Lights Down Low
For some, doomscrolling through social media is a way of winding down before sleep, but the presence of blue light wavelengths inhibits the production of melatonin, the sleep chemical. Try wearing some blue light-blocking glasses or avoiding any screens whatsoever 30 minutes to an hour before bed.
Vitamin D for the Win
We’re an indoor generation, and the majority of us lack vitamin D. That’s unfortunate because vitamin D is crucial for maintaining bone strength, reducing the chance of certain cancers, and keeping our immune systems healthy. Get outside and bask in the sunlight for a while. Otherwise, take a supplement.
Hulk Hogan Says Eat Your Greens
Look, we’re not going to beat a dead horse here: we were all told to eat our veggies when we were younger. These greens are packed with beneficial nutrients, fiber, minerals, and vitamins - pretty much everything good that you can find in a food. Naturally, all of these have potent health benefits.
Get Your Protein On
Protein is that stuff that gym bros are always telling you about. It’s an important nutrient that provides resources for your body to do things like repair cells and build muscle. If you’re trying to lose weight, protein reduces cravings while still ensuring that you are left full and satisfied.
Get up and Move
Not everyone can afford a gym membership, and even then, not everyone feels comfortable working out around others. Exercise is important, however, for both your mental and physical health. Consider indoor, at-home workouts like aerobics or simple cardio exercises to get the blood flowing.
Time to Quit
The effects of smoking are pretty much universally known, but if you haven’t stopped yet, now’s the time. The same goes for similar substances. You can still enjoy a glass of wine occasionally, but you’ll want to limit your consumption of “intoxicating substances” if you hope to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
The Virgin Olive
Try using some extra virgin olive oil in your cooking. It’s one of the healthiest vegetable oils you can find and is loaded with monounsaturated fats (which are good for heart health) and potent antioxidants (which have anti-inflammatory properties).
Cut the Sugar
Unfortunately, limiting your sugar intake takes a lot more than just avoiding candy bars and sugary sweets. Added sugar is in everything nowadays, and cutting back means fully committing to healthy foods, but the benefits speak for themselves.
Say No to Refined Carbs
Carbs are important for gaining weight (if that’s your goal), but not all carbs are created equal. Indeed, refined carbs - like those found in highly processed foods - have been linked to overeating, excessive weight gain, and chronic conditions like type-2 diabetes.
Do You Even Lift, Bro?
Lifting weights is great for improving your strength and maintaining your metabolic health, but you don’t need to hit the gym to do this. You can use your own body weight (think push-ups) or whatever heavy objects you’ve got around the house. It’s less about the specific weights you lift and more about how you lift them.
Mind the (Artificial) Trans Fats
Here’s a tip that you can easily implement now that they’ve been banned in the US: avoid artificial trans fats. These man-made concoctions have been linked to inflammation and heart disease, and while they have been banned, it never hurts to pay extra attention to the labels of every food you buy just to be safe.
Embrace Your Inner Apothecary
Herbs and spices aren’t the shamanic supplements people think they are. Many of them are loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. The best part is that they’ve become so popular nowadays that getting your hands on a few exciting varieties has never been easier.
Be a Friend
While maintaining your social relationships can be exhausting if you’re a people-pleaser, having healthy relationships with both your family and your friends is good for not only your mental health but your physical health as well. Indeed, studies have shown that people with strong ties tend to live longer than those without.
Watch What You Eat
Tracking your food intake can provide many insights into the lifestyle you currently live and which areas may need more attention. This can help you manage your weight and build the body you want, but you’ll want to consult your physician first since excessive tracking can lead to eating disorders.
Trust Your Gut
Excessive belly fat is actually a much stronger indicator of poor health than general body fat, being linked to type-2 diabetes and heart disease. For this reason, you’ll want to focus on slimming your waistline first by reducing your refined carb intake and eating more proteins and fiber.
Don’t Die(t)
Diets are a fad. They’re almost never effective, and their restrictive nature actually reduces your metabolism, leading to even more weight gain. Focus instead on adopting broad lifestyle changes and nurturing your body rather than depriving it, and the benefits will follow in time.
Put Your Eggs in One Basket
For some reason, eggs are a contentious subject in many health-conscious circles due to their high cholesterol levels, but studies have shown that they don’t actually have much of an effect on blood cholesterol for most people. So, go ahead: enjoy your breakfast eggs guilt-free.
Get Creative
Depending on your hobbies, chances are that you’re already practicing fitness and exercise without even knowing it. Active hobbies like gardening, hiking, or even photography get you out of the house and moving.
Laugh a Little
Laughter is the best medicine for a reason. Aside from boosting your mood and reducing your stress levels, a good and hearty laugh also slightly exercises your gut and can help burn calories. Really, though, laughing just reminds you to enjoy life.
Embrace Yoga
Yoga is often dismissed as some new-age fad that experiences surges and declines in popularity, but it really is effective. Not only does it promote core strength and flexibility, but the peaceful nature of the exercise also reduces stress and promotes mental clarity.
Stretch Regularly
Although stretching often precipitates a workout, incorporating a few stretches into your daily routine not only improves your flexibility but can also help you avoid injury in other aspects of your life that you may not have considered.
Enjoy the Music
Music may not seem like the most obvious of ways to remain healthy, but the mood-enhancing benefits of the act of listening to music can reduce stress and improve sleep, both of which are essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Keep a Diary
Journaling, like listening to music, is used more to treat the mind rather than the body. A healthy mentality, however, is important for a healthy physique, and journaling helps you process emotions, improve your own understanding of yourself, and can help you sleep better by detoxing your brain a little.
Take a Hike
You don’t need to be a hiking enthusiast; you just need to enjoy walking. Not only is walking a super easy exercise to get to grips with (just put one step in front of the other), but the benefits are awesome, including improved cardiovascular health and weight loss.
Meditate
When it comes down to it, stress is often the biggest health risk that restricts people from doing most health-related activities. Meditating, that is, taking 10 minutes a day to breathe and practice mindfulness, is probably the most effective way to reduce stress and thus improve your health—all without having to join a gym.
Float Your... Boat
We come from water, spending our first 40 or so weeks in our mothers' bellies in amniotic fluid. So, it's hardly surprising that our brains love water. Grab a pool noodle or floatie, or simply float on your back for a few minutes to disconnect from the world and let your brain reboot.
