Hey steemit, health and fitness are a big part of my life and I wanted to share with you the 3 most important things to remember when you are looking to live a healthier life. There are many diets and fads that people jump on but often they do not see the results they want or it is so involved they can't manage to stay with it for long enough to get anything out of it. Most of the time it seems people are ready to invest in things that seem complex but forget to start with the basics.
First and number 1 rule: Are you drinking enough water?
I mean it only makes up 70% of your body, how important can it really be? It is the game changer that people are looking for! Water is necessary for almost every cellular process in the body. It is involved in energy creation, energy transfer, waste removal and so much more! Adequate hydration can be the difference between a good day and a bad one. When you are drinking enough water your body is able to carry out bodily functions with ease and will result in you having more energy and recovering faster. Research shows that just proper hydration alone can increase your hormonal response 1, help you get better sleep, and improve your mood 2. Proper hydration results in your cells having more surface area which means it can support higher levels of activity which can increase your metabolic rate and help you lose weight. Not to mention often when we are feeling hungry we are actually thirsty and by drinking enough water you will end up eating less food. This is another factor which can help you with maintaining a healthy weight.
Number 2: Are you sleeping well?
Sleep is responsible for a number of factors that control your well being, from repairing the body to enhancing your mood, it is critical. The reason I say “sleeping well” is because quantity is not necessarily enough, the quality of your sleep is also very important. Entering REM sleep is the most important part of the sleep cycle. It triggers the release of growth hormone which causes your body to heal at an accelerated rate and releases a slew of secondary hormones that regulate bodily function. This is going to impact weight loss, muscle growth, and general body repair as well as your general mood. In addition to these physical impacts it is also crucial for your mind to be able to process everything you experienced during the day. In today's society many people have sleeping issues and there are a few tricks you can try to help improve the overall quality and duration of your sleep. A big factor can be screens as they release a wide and intense spectrum of light that can trigger the brains natural response to daylight. Try avoiding screens for at least an hour before bed time, this will give your brain time to cool down and prepare for sleep. Newer phones and computer monitors have the option to remove the blue light spectrum from the display which is the primary trigger for this response in your brain. Another trick is stop over caffeinating during the day or even at night. Often we rely on caffeine for energy and it can be a hard cycle to break but with proper hydration and sleep you will notice your body's ability to generate the energy you need (especially by adopting tip 3). Trying cutting your caffeine consumption down by 20%-40% per week until you no longer need it and of course avoid it 4 hours prior to bed time. Next is using supplements to help induce sleep like melatonin and magnesium. Personally I find that melatonin is more than I need to help me sleep but for many they have great success with it. Every person is different and will respond differently to each supplement, thankfully melatonin is very safe and typically does not leave you feeling groggy in the morning. Magnesium is something I use very regularly, I definitely notice that my quality of sleep goes up and even when I don't get the chance for a full 8 hours I feel well rested. A side effect of magnesium supplementation is more vivid dreams which I really enjoy. If you are into dream recall and lucid dreaming this supplement can help you out on that journey.
Number 3: How is your diet?
What you put into your body is what you are going to get out of it. Of course we can get away with quite terrible diets for a little while but eventually it will begin to catch up with you. We can find ourselves in situations that make it hard to eat healthy meals but there are ways to deal with that. The food you eat becomes the building blocks of every cell in your body so giving it good ingredients will make a big impact. Eating healthy food results in your body receiving proper nutrition which means your cells have everything they need to keep your body in tip top shape. Supplementation can never really make up for a poor diet so getting your nutrients from food should be a priority. Eating fresh food is really what the doctor ordered especially fresh fruits and vegetables. You dont have to go raw or eat a salad every day to have a healthy diet, there are many easy and tasty ways to work them into your diet. Two of my favorite ways to consume vegetables is through steaming them either with or without rice and making stir fry. Both options are not only easy but preserve the majority of the nutrients and allow you to flavor the dish as you wish. Controlling the quality of the meat you eat is also very important. Factory farming has become the number one way we raise and process meat and it is incredibly unhealthy not only to us but to the earth as well. Stopping your support of these industries can have a positive impact on our culture and the planet as a whole. The more people that consciously choose healthier ways of living the louder our collective voice gets. Seeing the word “natural” on a product means very little and you should instead look for designations such as cage free, grass fed, open range, no antibiotics, etc. If you are vegetarian or vegan there are also important choices for you to make such as limiting your intake of soy and soy products. Most soy is a genetically modified and patented crop that is doused in round up and other chemicals. While there is still much debate about the safety of GMO foods there is plenty of research showing that the chemicals are not good for. In addition to this soy contains large amounts of phyto-estrogens which can negatively impact the human body if eating a lot of it regularly, try switching it up with other plants. Beans, peas, eggs, some fruits like avocado, quinoa, and many more plants contain adequate amounts of protein to maintain the body even if you are active. Opt for these choices more often and you may notice yourself feeling better. For those of you with time constraints I will share 2 options that I enjoy using and work well for most people's schedules. First up is the ever popular trend call meal prepping. This is where you cook a very large amount of food once or twice a week and portion it out into tupperwear and refrigerate or freeze until you are ready to eat it. This gives you the option to cook meals your really enjoy and have it ready when you need it. You can control what you eat and how much so it fits with your lifestyle accordingly. Another option which is a favorite of mine is using a rice cooker to make your meals. Newer rice cookers have a variety of features including the ability to steam vegetables with your rice, you can use them as crock pots for soups and stews and they also have a timer function. This way you can prepare your lunch or dinner and set the timer so it starts cooking at the perfect time to have it ready when you arrive. This way you arrive home to a freshly cooked meal without having to tend to it or worry about it.
I hope these tips help you out on your journey to becoming healthy. Each person will find that they need to customize their habits and patterns to find what really works for them but these three things are the foundation that you should be laying all your other efforts on top of. The lowest hanging fruit can often be all you need so before you run off and buy expensive diets or supplements make sure you have these three things down. If you have any questions feel free to reach out and I will do my best to help you out!
Best of luck on your journeys steemians!
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