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A healthy lifestyle and mental wellbeing are two sides of the same coin. Over the years, we
have heard nutritionists and fitness enthusiasts promote new diets, follow trends, and
present their latest ideas on a platform that can often be misleading. So, we decided to take
matters into our own hands. We break down the essentials of what you can do to live a
healthy life, and how you can change your mindset to suit the new you.
The five benchmarks of a healthy lifestyle
The NHS (National Health Survey) in the United Kingdom conducted a study which showed
5 areas that one should focus on if they wanted to live a healthy life
(https://www.nhs.uk/news/lifestyle-and-exercise/5-healthy-habits-could-add-more-decade-
your-life/) . The results showed that following a healthy lifestyle makes a big difference, not
just to people’s general wellbeing, but also leads to a longer lifespan. By incorporating even
one of these habits into your lifestyle, you can be happier, have fewer health problems, and
bring balance to your life. The 5 areas are:
1. A healthy diet
A healthy diet involves eating balanced meals that feature ingredients from all five food
groups. Your diet largely contributes to your internal health and inner strength. It is based
on a calculation of your reported intake of foods from these given groups, along with
unhealthy foods which include processed foods, artificially sweetened foods, trans fats, and
sodium. The five food groups are defined below.
Vegetables, legumes, and beans – this food group mostly included raw or cooked
vegetables which is an essential part of a balanced diet. Salads, stir-fries, dips like hummus, or grated veggies mixed with meat sauce are great ways to add them to your meals without
realizing you’re eating them.
Fruits – we all know the saying, ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away’. While you might
not want to eat an apple every day, fruits are great and fillings snacks, and a good way to
satisfy sugar cravings. Fresh fruits are always considered better than processed juices or
dried fruits. Try having fresh berries with yogurt in the morning or grabbing a banana when
you’re on the run.
Grains – carbs get such a bad rap and are often shunned because people associate them
with weight gain. The Ketogenic diet is one such example as it looks at consuming just
proteins and fats, eliminating carbs from your diet completely. Grains like rice, pasta, or
noodles are an important part of a balanced diet as they provide fiber, which aids digestion.
If you’re worried about the carbohydrates you’re consuming, stick to wholegrain and
unprocessed alternatives like black rice, rye flour etc.
Proteins and healthy fats – these foods are fillings and provide various nutrients to the
body. They include eggs, poultry, tofu, fish, seeds like pepitas, sesame seeds, nuts like
almonds, cashews, walnuts, and more.
Dairy alternatives – dairy is an important part of your diet, especially for growing
children as it provides calcium and proteins. Most adults tend to become slightly lactose
intolerant as they grow older. If you can’t consume dairy, try and look for alternatives like
coconut or nut-based yogurts which are just as good.
2. Be physically active
There is a huge emphasis placed on the relationship between a healthy mind and physical
exercise. One of the best health tips to prevent any sort of ailment, disease or illness is to
incorporate some sort of physical activity into your daily routine. Exercise benefits not just
your heart and metabolism but is linked to releasing feel-good endorphins that alleviate
stress, reduce depression and anxiety. You don’t have to be involved in a vigorous workout
routine to be fit. Daily walks, yoga, playing sports, or riding a bike are great ways to get your
body moving.
3. Healthy body weight
A good way to see if you’re the right body weight for your age and height is to calculate BMI
or body mass index. BMI between 18.5 to 24.9 is considered normal and healthy. 25.0 and
above are considered unhealthy. Try making changes to your diet and include some form of
physical exercise in your routine to maintain your weight and BMI.
4. Put that cigarette down!
There’s no nice way to say it – smoking kills. Contributing to cancer, loss of senses of taste
and smell, tooth decay, and eye cataracts (among many other side effects), any form of
smoking (first or second hand) is considered unhealthy. Of course, many people find
themselves addicted, and it takes time and effort to wean away from it. A strong mindset
and desire to change your lifestyle will encourage you to quit smoking and work on your
inner health.
5. Monitor your alcohol intake
Moderate alcohol intake is measured at a maximum of 15 grams per day for women, and
30 grams per day for men. Of course, we don’t mean you should be drinking that amount
every time you go outside and socialize, but if you can’t do without a drink on a daily basis,
try and stick to the limit, so you are able to control the amount you consume. If you do it
purely for the taste, consider switching to non-alcoholic wines or beers and mocktails
instead of cocktails.
So that’s a wrap on the 5 tips you should try and incorporate if you’re looking at adopting a
healthier lifestyle. While we can give you all the healthy lifestyle tips you’re looking for, your
health care and a healthy mind comes before everything else.
A good support network
might be an important step of this journey for you, as sharing experiences, ups, and downs
with others can be helpful. A trainer, nutritionist, or therapist should always be consulted
prior to trying anything new. Book yourself in for regular check-ups to make sure everything
in your body is as it should be, and listen to professional advice on how to work on internal
health. At the end of the day, it’s all about having a balance in your life. Don’t forget to
remind yourself of your importance and the fact that your needs come before everyone
else’s.
