The Basics Of Healthy Living

February is marked as the Healthy Awareness Month and while that’s a great initiate, stepping back and looking at how to best live better lives, it can feel a little daunting. But it doesn’t have to be.

Healthy living doesn’t mean breaking the bank as you shop for exotic vegetables, neither does it mean breaking your back with an expensive gym membership. There are a few things you can do, without breaking a sweat that will see you lead a better life. Here’s a list to help you get started;

 

1. Cut down on sugar
   Sugar tastes great, but it doesn’t always sit that well with your body. This would explain why your older loved ones cut back on sugar as they age. You can beat that clock by limiting your sugar intake from a younger age.
   A great way to do this is reducing the amount of sugar you add onto tea and foods in general. Alternatively, you could use sweeteners in the place of sugar. Options like stevia and honey are readily available at your favorite cafe, at no extra cost. You can also shop for them at local supermarkets and fresh produce markets.To beat down those oh-so-notorious sugar cravings, grab a fruit. The crunch of an apple or the juiciness of an orange sates those cravings, without compromising on your health. The secret? Always have a fruit with you, throw one into your bag as you leave the house.
2. Go easy on the salt
   There’s a reason our mums didn’t favour adding salt to already cooked food. Too much salt increases blood pressure which might lead to heart diseases and/or strokes. You do not have to completely get rid of salt from your diet- it’s a great source of vital iodine- but you can limit your usage to just what’s necessary.A great way to measure the salt that goes into your food, is opting for home cooked meals as opposed to eating out. This way, you are able to weigh in, quite literally, on what goes on your plate and into your body.
3. Limit your alcohol intake
   Alcohol is often hailed as the life of the party, but too much alcohol is not the best thing for your body. For starters, it poses a risk to your liver, an organ that plays an important role in the body’s metabolic processes.
   Heavy drinking can cause chronic diseases such as HBP (High blood pressure), heart disease, stroke and digestive issues. There’s also a risk of alcohol poisoning, which has been known to lead to death.

Excessive drinking also increases your risks of getting cancer and cardiovascular disease.

 

1. Exercise
   The gospel of working out has been preached since time immemorial, we will not bore you with its benefits. After all, we all want great skin, strong bones and muscles, so why repeat these old facts. Instead, we would like to mention easy ways to exercise without breaking the bank.
   Working out at home is the easiest one, with a yoga mat or just a plain old carpet, you are ready to go. There are countless videos online offering guided home workouts, most of them are available for free. Another option is going for a run, there’s something about the clarity of thought after a good run!
2. Regular body checkups
   Sometimes, you need some insight on the workings of your body and there’s no better way or place to get through these than by attending medical checkups. There is a variety of checkups available, depending on what part of your health you are interested in. In fact, at Goodlife, we offer a myriad of tests, here’s (hyperlink) comprehensive list that should help you take care of your body this healthy lifestyle month and throughout the rest of the year.