Six simple steps to ensure a healthier version of you

Let’s be honest, this is not the first time you’ve across the ‘Healthier You’ gospel. You’ve probably encountered one or two people offer you ‘useful tips’ to ensure a ‘healthier version of you’.

They may have mentioned changing your eating habits and exercising but as usual, you may have scoffed at their faces and shut their advice off. After all, what do they know? Right? No, not exactly. You actually need to be concerned about living healthier and taking your health seriously.

Healthy living in simple terms means an individual practice of health-enhancing behaviours in their physical, mental, and spiritual states. This implies a total transformation in the individual’s habit to improve their all-round health.

You may wonder what the fuss is about- why it’s important to substitute certain habits for healthier ones. The answer is simple- health is wealth.

• Take more walks

Sometimes the simple activity of taking a walk might seem almost impossible. We’re always almost too busy attending to work, or domestic matters to find the time to take a walk in the park or around the neighbourhood.

To include this task into your daily routine, remember that ‘small’ is fine. Start small. Schedule five-minute walks in familiar locations such as; in your neighbourhood, around your office, or a mall you frequent.

Substitute your current habits for walking. Substitute driving, hailing a cab, taking the bus after work for instance for walking the short-distance.

• Wash your hands often

No, this has nothing to do with the recent Corona Virus outbreak. Washing the hands often is the global recommended way of preventing diseases and possible infections.

Therefore, make it a habit to always wash your hands with a good quality soap or hand wash after using the restroom, after long hours of work, or after coming in contact with dirt etc.

To make this habit more effective, include a good-quality hand sanitizer to follow your hand-washing routine. Oh, and learn to dry off your hands properly [with a hand dryer or clean cotton towel], and not on your clothes as you do. Yes, you.

• Help Others

Another little step to take in ensuring a healthier life is by helping others. Helping others helps protect mental health; it can kick off depression, provide a sense of purpose, and stimulate one mentally.

Volunteer your time, skill, money, and energy, into activities that reach out to the less privileged as well as others who may be in need of help.

• Breakfasting is Important

This goes out to all the ‘breakfast skippers’: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Remember to always indulge in some breakfast, especially healthy foods such as; fruits and whole grains such as; oatmeal.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day because it breaks the body’s overnight fasting period by replenishing essential nutrients and supply of glucose. If this nutritional jargon is too difficult to comprehend, just think of breakfast as fuel to kick-start your body for the activities of each day.

• Drink More Water

We often overlook the role of water in improving our health however, drinking more water has a lot of benefits. Experts recommend at least 2 litres or half a gallon of water per day.

Drinking the right amount of water daily has been linked to increasing the general energy of a person.

Timing is also important in consuming water. Have a glass of water first thing in the morning and half an hour before meals.

• Say ‘No’ More Often

We most times go against our personal principles or comfort for the people we love because we are scared of hurting their feelings when we say ‘no’ to them. This shouldn’t be the case, however.

As we take steps towards forming healthy habits, it’s important for us to learn to be more open with how comfortable we feel doing things for others, especially, those whom we love.

That being said, saying ‘no’ helps create boundaries in relationships. So learn to say, ‘no’ to requests, commitments, etc from others.