Common sense for healthy living

Healthy living is an art and science of making right choices in life to stay active and disease free.

Well how do you do it? Life is full of stress and unexpected accidents.....

Yes that is true, but so is the knowledge and practice of healthy living. Human body is a complex structure and many complexities of human mind are yet unknown.....

So, how to practice this art and science of healthy living ? lets start with these tips-

1. Treat your body with respect, you can repair and heal but not replace it....What respect? Well avoid injuring your body with chemical dependency-such as addiction to drugs, Cigarettes and excessive alcohol. You are definitely stronger than that, then why depend on stimulation with a chemical? That harms your lungs, liver and nervous system...

2. Eat healthy food-plenty of fruits and vegetables, white meat-such as fish. Avoid red meat-pork and beef; Avoid sugary stuff-such as donuts and chocolates

3. Replace that soda and bear with fresh cool water and a glass or two of healthy orange juice.

4. Avoid snacking on potato chips, pretzels, heavily buttered pop corns. Eat an apple or an orange instead. or try a banana. Fruits contain essential vitamins and are excellent source of much needed vitamins such as potassium and zinc

A healthy lifestyle involves many choices. Among them, choosing a balanced diet or eating plan. So how do you choose a healthy eating plan? Let's begin by defining what a healthy eating plan is.

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a healthy eating plan:

• Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products
• Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts
• Is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars
• Stays within your daily calorie needs

5. Laugh and smile as often you can, avoid stress by focusing on your life and family. Don't carry that extra load of work place tensions everywhere.

6. Get your regular annual physical exam by your primary care physician. If you feel sick always seek advice from a health care professional.

7. Monitor your blood pressure if you have been diagnosed with hypertension and your blood sugar if diagnosed with diabetes.

8. Stay active-go on long walks, or join a gym. Monitor your weight. You can ask your nurse to calculate your Body Mass index (BMI). BMI is calculated by taking your height and weight into consideration. It is a good indicator of obesity. High BMI may increase your risk for heart disease, So its better to keep it in check.

9. Avoid late nights and insomnia. A normal human body needs at least 6-7 hours of sleep every 24 hours. it's better to sleep during night and stay active and focused during the day to be successful.

10. Stay positive- healthy and happy.