Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Living a Healthier Lifestyle

There are plenty of ways to increase your life expectancy without relying on advances in medical science. People nowadays are living far longer on average than at any other point in history. However, modern lives involve many external factors that can cause illness and debilitating conditions, so it's important to take care of yourself to ensure that you remain fit and healthy well into old age. It's all too tempting to constantly eat junk food or sit down all day in front of a screen, so here are some tips to help maximise your life expectancy without relying on the medical profession.

Food, Drink and Other Substances
What you eat can have a profound effect on your overall wellbeing. If you live on a diet of takeaways and junk food it could take years off your life. Foods such as this can lead to a whole range of health problems such as heart disease, diabetes and strokes so it makes sense to treat your body right. Low-fat foods which are high in vitamins and minerals are easy to prepare and taste delicious. In fact, it can often be quicker to prepare something from scratch yourself than to heat up a pre-prepared ready meal or wait for that takeaway to arrive. Make sure you control your portion sizes and remember that the more you enjoy your food, the more it will benefit your body.

It's not just what you eat. Smoking and taking illegal drugs are absolute no-nos if you wish to live a long and healthy life. Drinking should be done only in moderation, so watch your intake of units and remember that binge drinking is far worse for you than having an occasional glass of wine a couple of times a week. If you apply for health insurance quotes, you will find that many insurers will raise their premiums for smokers and heavy drinkers as these activities have such a profound effect on your life expectancy.

Get Active
One of the best ways to increase your life expectancy is to be active every day. Adults should do at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise each day and children should do an hour a day to help prevent them becoming obese. You don't have to go down to the gym five times a week to be active. Take a walk to the park, play a game of tennis or go swimming with the kids. These are all great ways of getting exercise and having fun as well. Spend as much time as you can out in the fresh air - walk to work rather than driving or at least get off the bus a stop earlier and walk the rest of the way. While being outside is great for your health, try not to spend too much time in the sun to minimise your risk of getting skin cancer.

Be Happy
Happiness is one of the greatest ways to increase your life expectancy. Make time for your friends and family, even if they live a long way away. Being part of a good social network is very important to manage your stress levels and improve your health. Take some time for yourself as well. If you have a hobby you enjoy doing then make sure you get a chance to indulge yourself. It's not selfish to spend time doing the things you love. It's actually one of the best ways to reduce stress and increase your satisfaction with your life. Live well, keep smiling and you will be healthy and happy for longer.

Zoe is an ardent health blogger and experienced freelance writer from the UK, who loves to share her knowledge on health through content on the internet. Tweet your thoughts on this article to @bloggingstyle.

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