There are dozens, if not hundreds, of websites that give a wide variety of health tips. Yet, in most cases, being healthy is a matter of making smart choices and using your common sense.
Here are three ways you can do it.
Listen to Your Body
The only part of your body that can speak is your mouth. At least that is where the sounds, words, phrases, and sentences are coming out from. But that doesn’t mean the other areas in your physiology cannot communicate and will not send signals to your brain in times of danger and need. It doesn’t mean they will not show you, either visually or through pain, when something is not working well.
The problem is not that the signs are not there. The issue lies in our inability or unwillingness to listen to them and respond accordingly. Of course, the body cannot function perfectly at all times, and you don’t need to visit your local doctor every time you feel minor afflictions, suffer a small cut, or get a headache. One of the greatest gifts we humans were bestowed with is common sense. Still, there are certain things it would be in your best interest not to ignore.
For instance, if you start noticing that you are oftentimes fatigued, you are unable to lose weight regardless of how much you exercise and how healthy you eat, your muscles are overtly weak, or you experience pain and stiffness in the joints, you might have thyroid issues that if left unchecked, could have grave consequences for your health and well-being. The same goes for brain-related conditions such as depression and anxiety.
Remember, going to the doctor is not about being weak. It’s about taking the necessary steps to ensure a better quality of life.
Manage Your Stress Levels
Worrying will get you nowhere. Whether you find yourself in financial difficulty, there is an upcoming deadline you are sure to miss, or the result of an important exam will determine your future, stressing about it does not generate solutions. It does not provide a clear path of action to fix what needs to be fixed. Instead, it oftentimes creates more problems and negatively impacts your health.
Sadly, there is no easy way to control stress. If there were, everybody would be happy all the time, sleep well, and have a positive mindset regardless of the circumstances.
But it is not impossible either, and there are certain things you can do. One of them is doing what you can in the situation you are currently in. As former United States President Barack Obama once said, “The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill yourself with hope.”
When you are doing something, especially something you enjoy or are good at, your mind is filled with optimism, leading to better rationalization and creativity. And when you can think rationally and with an open mind, you often realize that many of your problems are not that great, and if they are, they are not impossible to conquer.
Engage in Physical Activity
The great American swimmer Michael Phelps won a total of 65 gold medals during his celebrated career. Along with the Olympics in Australia, Beijing, and London, he also succeeded in other prestigious international championships across the globe. Most argue that his astounding level of victory will never be matched.
But how did he do it? How was he able to differentiate himself from others in such a hyper-competitive sport? While there are different answers to these questions, legend has it that along with a God-given natural talent, Phelps would swim an average of seven hours a day, five days a week. No wonder he had to eat twelve thousand calories a day only to keep his weight.
Of course, this is not something you should do. Unless you are a professional athlete in your late teens or early twenties and aiming for Olympic glory, engaging in such high levels of physical activity is both dangerous and counterproductive. Rather than helping you lose weight and stay in shape, it will exhaust your body and weaken your immune system, leaving it ripe for disease.
But you can create an exercise plan that fits your schedule, age, gender, and physical needs. The important thing is to stay moving.
If you want to be healthy, the best things you can do are listening to your body, managing the amount of stress in your life, and engaging in physical activity. Aside from visiting the doctor less often, they will give you a longer, happier, more fruitful life.