How to Be Healthier in Everyday Life

 The vast majority of us want to be healthier, but often it feels like we don’t have the time or the knowledge, but there are so many simple things we can all do to improve our health in everyday life. I've gathered together a list of some of some of the best ways to improve your health and wellbeing…

Cook your own (healthy) meals

Instead of opting for ready meals, which are often loaded with salt, sugar and fat, or going for a takeaway, which has the same problem, make a commitment to cook at least 80percent of your own meals. That way, you will be in control of your calorific intake, and the nutrients you do or do not put into your body. Think you don’t have time? You can cook a wide range of healthy meals in as little as 15 minutes, so you really can fit it into your day, and doing so will benefit you immensely.

Make activity a regular part of your life

You don’t have to set up your own fitness website and become a personal trainer to make activity a regular part of your life, although working in the fitness industry is a good easy to stay in shape if you’re serious about it, but following along to an online fitness video for 30 minutes a day will help you to be much healthier. If that isn’t your thing, going for an hours walk with a friend or the dog each day, practising yoga or a daily run are all good alternatives. Basically, make sure you build activity into your daily routine if you want to be as fit and healthy as possible.

Drink more water

Drinking more water is just about the simplest thing you can do to improve your health right now. Most of us are not nearly hydrated enough and that can cause a number of problems including headaches, poor skin, brain fog and poor performance. Simply buy a 1 litre refillable water bottle and sip on it throughout the day. This, combined with a few cups of tea or coffee should see you getting the minimum 2 litres you need to stay hydrated, but feel free to drink more if you want to or feel you may need to, too.

Spend time outdoors

Spending time outdoors is a great way to get more fresh air in your lungs. If you can go to a beauty spot such as a park, lake or forest, then you will get even more health benefits because it has been proven that time spent in nature can lower your heart rate, boost your mood, release muscle tension, and reduce your blood pressure amongst other things. No matter what the weather, you should be spending some of each day outdoors - it really is that simple.

Make sleep a priority

When you sleep, your body rejuvenates and your brain sorts out the jumble of thoughts and emotions that could be causing you to feel stressed or depressed. If you don’t get enough, your chances of developing a range of illnesses including depression, obesity and diabetes increase significantly. So, it’s pretty sensible to adopt a good sleep routine of going to bed and getting up at the same time each evening, making sure you get a good 8 hours of shut-eye.

Stand more

Instead of sitting when you’re working at your computer, watching the latest binge-worthy series, reading a book or whatever stand. Why? Because sitting is bad for your posture, burns fewer calories and could even shorten your life. When you stand, your bones and muscles will be in better alignment, you’ll feel better (once you’re used to it), aches and pains will disappear, you’ll burn more calories, and you might just live longer. It’s a big change to make, but one that’s really worthwhile.

Meditate

You can meditate in as little as 10 minutes each day (although longer is better) and doing so, if you make it a habit, could completely transform your life by giving you more peace, lowering your stress levels, helping you to better regulate your emotions, and even boosting your heart health! It’s easy to learn and once you’ve got the hang of it, you can easily slot it into daily life.

Add any of these habits to your daily life and you will improve your health by a little, add them all, and your health could improve a whole lot!