Follow our five tips to help you live a longer and healthier life?
1. Improve your mental health and reduce stress
Scientific research has shown that happiness has real medical implications. There is proof that happiness has a physiological effect on conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. “People who are happier heal more quickly, have stronger immune systems and, on average, live longer”.
So being happy can help you to lower the risk of disease and live longer. And the good news for pessimists is that you can learn to think positively.
Think positively and try to be happy
2. Increase your physical activity
Being physically active can boost good mental health and help you manage stress, anxiety and even depression. The pressures of home and family life can make you feel that there is little or no time for exercise but there is a lot to gain from exercise and it can make a huge difference to staying healthy.
Every morning your brain tells you to exercise but your body laughs at the idea. In order to overcome this short spell of laziness put on your exercise attire before going to bed and wear your shoes as soon as you get up!
Make physical activity part of your daily routine
3. Maintain a healthy weight
Overweight and obesity tend to run in families. Research shows that genes can play a role in obesity. Families also share eating habits that can affect how, when, and what we eat. Many people eat when they are bored, sad, angry, or stressed, even when they are not hungry.
Although you may not be able to control all the factors that lead to being overweight, making small changes to your eating and physical activity habits may improve your health. Don’t ever go ‘on’ a diet because then there are chances of you going ‘off’ the diet!
Follow a healthy, balanced eating plan and enjoy the things you love, in moderation
4. Introduce a fitness culture to your family
Instead of going to malls and trying every new restaurant in the city, try going for a trek or playing a cricket match with your family.
Make physical activity part of your family’s lifestyle
5. Stay socially active
We all know that friends are important for a happy life, but it has recently been discovered that friendship could actually help us live longer. Don’t forget the elders, loneliness is the “hidden killer” of the elderly.
