Tips To Stay Healthy

Some lifestyle choices can make a big difference when it comes to your mental and physical well-being and the quality of your life.

There are also many factors that you can control — many of which play a key role in keeping you healthy and helping you live a long, productive life.

• Get moving

If you want to feel healthier, more energized, or in a better mood, get moving. Regular exercise can benefit both your physical and mental health in a multitude of ways. And, you don’t need to run a half-marathon or sweat it out at the gym for hours every day to reap the rewards.

Regular physical activity can positively impact your health in many ways. For instance, it can:

• Improve your heart health: Exercise benefits your heart health, and having a stronger heart can help lower your risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Boost your brain health: Regular exercise may help improve your cognition and reduce the risk of dementia.
• Improve your mood: Physical activity has also been shown to reduce the risk of depression and anxiety.
• Help with weight management: When you move your body, you burn more calories than you would if you were inactive. Burning more calories each day can make it easier to lose weight and keep weight off.
• Strengthen your bones and muscles: Being physically active can keep your bones and muscles strong and make it easier to move around easily, even as you age.
• Reduce the risk of chronic diseases: Staying active may help lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and several types of cancer.

• Quit Smoking

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. According to the CDC, tobacco use accounts for nearly 1 in 5 deaths in the U.S. each year. In fact, it’s estimated that smokers, on average, die about 10 years earlier than nonsmokers.

Smoking can damage nearly every organ in your body and significantly increases your risk of:

• Heart disease: According to scientific evidence, tobacco is the leading cause of premature death from cardiovascular disease.
• Stroke: Smoking damages your blood vessels, making them stiffer and narrower. This not only increases your risk of a heart attack but can put you at a higher risk of a stroke, too.
• Respiratory diseases: The damage caused by smoking to the airways and air sacs in your lungs greatly increases your risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• Lung cancer and other cancers: Approximately 80% of lung cancers can be attributed to tobacco use. According to the American Cancer Society, smoking can also increase your risk of many other types of cancer, including cancer of the bladder, mouth, stomach, pancreas, and colon, among others.

• Stay hydrated

Drinking enough water each day is key to good health. Your body needs water for many important functions, like maintaining your body temperature, aiding digestion, keeping your organs working properly, and delivering nutrients to all your cells.

Staying hydrated also keeps your brain working well. When you don’t take in enough fluid, you may feel tired, have trouble concentrating or focusing, and experience headaches and mood changes.

You’ll typically need to increase your water intake if you:

• exercise or exert yourself.
• live in a hot, dry climate.
• spend time outdoors in the sun, especially in warmer weather.
• have a fever or lose fluids through vomiting or diarrhea.
• are pregnant, breastfeeding, or chestfeeding.

Tip: Make water your go-to beverage. Avoid sodas and energy drinks which typically contain a lot of added sugars and extra calories.