2020 Vision in Good Health
It's the start of a new year and everyone, I mean everyone's new years' resolution is to become healthier or fitter! I have a solution to that problem that's inexpensive and is easy to do! Here are 7 simple but effective ways you can achieve good health this year! (Good health doesn't always mean going to the gym and trying to get ripped)7 - Walk More!
This one is quite self-explanatory, but it's true, instead of paying that extra £5 to park in front of your office, save that and take a bus and walk! It's much better for the environment and its healthier too, its a win-win. You also get an excuse to explore your local area and visit places you've never been to in your town/city. In this study, it shows that walking actually reduces stress, anxiety, anger-hostility, depression and confusion! There are many benefits to walking to get out and do it more often!
6 - Eat healthier foods!
Now, this one may sound contradictory to having good health, but, eating healthier can actually help cut down on fat! For a start, you can eat more fish, they're rich in omega-3 and from this study it shows that omega-3 actually reduces your chance of getting cardiovascular-related diseases. You can also look into eating more Eggs as well, they're known for their high cholesterol value but if taken in moderation they can reduce body fat percentage, weight and some other improvements as well. You can read about it here. In this 2006 study, it shows that eating grapefruit can also help with weight loss! The group ate half a grapefruit 3 times a day for 12 weeks and lost 1.5kg.
Image by Couleur from Pixabay
5 - SLEEP!
Sleep is very important, I understand I'm not the only one to say this but it backs my point,. We all need rest, there are many benefits to sleeping well such as Boosted Immune System activity, enhanced memory, enhanced learning and contributions to emotional health. When you don't get enough sleep, you may see a bit of depression or anxiety both of which are quite are increasingly more common in young adults and adults today, getting better rest can reduce/eliminate these disorders. In the study by Harvard health publications, it was also found that children with ADHD could find it difficult to fall asleep making them prone to the effects listed before. There are numerous ways to help you fall asleep, and achieve better rest, here are a few:Meditation, regular exercise (30minutes minimum), maintain good sleep hygiene (only using the bedroom for sleep/sex, Having the room be free of distractions, your phone, tv, consoles etc, always having the room dark so you can fall asleep easier).
4 - Meditation
This one's a big one, I believe that one of the best ways to get really good health is through spending time 5+ mins per day just clearing your head! Personally, I meditate daily I find it a really good way to clear my head from the full-on effects of real life. And, I'm a strong believer in saying that anyone can do too, the effects don't come in your first time to doing meditation as with everyone else but its the small things that add up over time. One of the most known effects of meditation is that it releases stress, and this is good because a build-up of stress can promote weight, loss of hair, decreased sex drive and increased memory loss! You can read in more detail here. Overall, I think this one is a biggie, meditate daily and free yourself.Which you can do with SoundsTrue, they're a company willing to help everybody meditate better, they have many free options if you don't have the money to spend but also paid versions as well! I strongly recommend checking them out, I've used their 'Mindfulness-based stress reduction' and it always works for me, and I'm sure they'll work really well for you too! Here is exactly what it offers:
"Complete Online Training Curriculum.
The course schedule consists of eight weekly classes and one day-long class including 16 hours of downloadable video and audio instruction on mindfulness meditation, stretching, mindful yoga, and guidance for enhancing awareness in everyday life.
You'll receive weekly e-mails with practice suggestions to help you live more mindfully all year. A Self-Guided Retreat—A Day of Mindfulness.
The intensive nature of this six-hour-plus session is intended to assist you in firmly and effectively establishing the use of MBSR skills across multiple situations in your life, while simultaneously preparing you to utilize these methods far beyond the conclusion of the program.
Online Workbook and Journal. Online journal to record and reflect on your experiences. A Certificate of Completion and three Bonus Programs."
This is because they use Doctors trained in meditation who have a PhD as well and know what works best for you!
3 - Get more exercise
No seriously, get lots of exercises! It's great for losing weight and is a great way to keep your mind off of those negative thoughts. It's proven time and time again that doing exercise releases dopamine into the brain (dopamine is a happy stimulus).
"Bodyweight, shape and body image were assessed in 16 males and 18 females before and after both 6 x 40 mins exercise and 6 x 40 mins reading. Over both conditions, body weight and shape did not change. Various aspects of body image, however, improved after exercise compared to before, while no changes were found over reading. These findings have implications for exercise promotion where a possible role for body image in exercise adherence is suggested, and confirm current theories of body image, where changes in body image are mediated by body perceptions as opposed to actual body indices."
As we can see from Sage Journals all you need is small amounts over a long period of time. Start now, you won't regret it I promise!
2 - Be more thankful
This seems like such a simple point, but it is so commonly overlooked, a simple thank you for that person that held the door open is a small thing that time and time again people forget to do! It's amazing how many times doing a small task for someone or them doing a small task for you makes you forget about manners. Even in this Publication from PubMed, it shows that just finding that time to be thankful may actually make you happier and it may have interpersonal benefits too.
1 - Get a hobby!
Filling your spare time is a good way to always stay happy, find something you enjoy and in your spare time do it! Yes, playing games is a hobby and if you find joy in playing them you can do that, just do it in moderation and don't get carried away. Also having a hobby can allow you to have better conversations with people,, talking is a good way to be happy, it is even backed scientifically! Read it here. Having a hobby is also a stress reliever, as I said before if you do something you enjoy then spending time to do it can help you destress, for free and without medication needed! Getting a hobby is also really good, because if you have an addiction of some sort, having a hobby takes your mind away from that addiction, boosting how quick you may recover from that addiction. Therefore making you a healthier person :). There are multiple activities that you can make your hobby, here are a few:1. Yoga - It's simple, effective, it burns calories and is really good for your muscles, body and mind.
2. Playing Games - It's really simple to do and learn, many tutorials on YouTube
3. Reading - This is really good, it helps expand vocabulary and there are lots of people who read, it will serve as a great conversation starter! Reading is also a great way to learn new vocabulary and a great stress reliever
4. Gardening - Gardening is simple, it makes your house beautiful and is a skill most people lack in our world today. Personally, I think I'm going to add that to my new years' resolution!
Conclusion
So there you have it, there are 5 simple ways of having a healthier 2020! I hope that all is well for you and that your 2020 will be the best year yet for you and your loved ones. Enjoy the rest of your day, and If you want to receive updates to your email when I post, you can follow this blog using the subscribe button at the top or you can donate to the blog using the button below! All donations will be used in making the blog a more user-friendly place and getting better posts.
Now that you've read this also check out "how to reduce your monthly expenses"