Health is the greatest gift of all. As long as we are healthy, we have everything. That’s why we should try to maintain our health. Some people do that by following a healthy diet, eating healthy foods, and taking detox supplements. Others, change their entire lifestyle and include physical activity as part of their life. Regardless of which way you want to go, there are some things you should avoid if you want to be healthy.
Fast Food
This is probably the first thing that comes to our mind when we mention healthy living. It’s because fast food is prepared using a lot of oil that is mostly fried many times before changed, doesn’t have nutritional value, and contains highly-processed products, such as mayonnaise, ketchup, sausages or other processed meats, and similar. Instead, cook your own meals are home or choose healthy, whole or low-processed meals, such as a vegan hamburger.
Highly-processed Products
Since we already mentioned this type of product, let’s look at it a bit more closely. Highly-processed products, such as chips, cakes, biscuits, bacon, sausage, candies, and sugary drinks are harmful to your body. It’s because they contain too much salt, sugar, fat, flavors, and preservatives to prevent their spoilage and keep them “fresh”. Due to containing these ingredients, highly-processed products are associated with obesity and cardiovascular problems.
Saturated Fats
Fat is undoubtedly one of the macronutrients we need to stay healthy. However, not all fats are the same. There are healthy, unsaturated fats and unhealthy, saturated fats. Eating foods that are rich in saturated fats can increase cholesterol levels, which can lead to developing heart disease. In order to prevent that, you shouldn’t eat more than 30g of saturated fat per day. You can do that by consuming foods that are rich in unsaturated fats, such as fish, vegetable oils and spreads, avocados, ghee, nuts and seeds, and nut butter.
Sugary Foods and Drinks
Sugar is responsible for gaining weight and increasing the risk of obesity. It also increases the risk of tooth decay, which leads to bad breath and teeth loss due to their premature extraction. In order to prevent this, you should cut the consumption of added sugar. You can do this by replacing packaged foods and drinks, such as cakes, biscuits, alcoholic drinks, chocolate, and sugary soft drink, with natural juices, fruits, smoothies, and foods that have natural sweeteners instead of sugar. Nonetheless, you can still enjoy sugary drinks and foods, but only occasionally and in moderation.
Salty Foods
Consuming foods that are high in added salt can increase your blood pressure, thus increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Therefore, you should cut the consumption of salty foods and limit your sodium intake to a maximum of 6g per day. You can do this by buying products that have low sodium content, not adding salt to your food, and replacing salt with other spices.
Dehydration
Water is the healthiest drink on earth. It’s because it’s natural, there’s nothing added in it, and it contains some minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, selenium, and potassium. According to the World Health organization, water contributes to the total dietary intake of minerals and electrolytes.
Having in mind that two-thirds of our bodies are made of water, it’s logical that we need it in order to function properly. Lack of water results in toxins accumulation, slower metabolism, weight gain, and developing certain skin conditions, such as acne among the others. That’s why you should drink plenty of water, around 2 or 3 liters per day.
Lack of Physical Activity
Physical activity is another very important factor when it comes to our health. It’s because it helps us maintain a healthy weight, promotes weight loss, improves our focus, boosts our energy, improves our heart health, increases muscle mass, and reduces the risk of developing serious health conditions. On the other hand, lack of physical activity mostly leads to obesity, which can lead to several health conditions, such as diabetes type 2, heart disease, and even stroke.
The best thing about exercising is that you don’t have to go to the gym everyday or exercise for 3 hours per day. All you need is a long walk, at least 15 minutes of cardio exercises (if possible in terms of age and physical condition), and constant motion. One easy way to keep you fit is to replace your elevator ride by taking the stairs.