How to be Healthy?

After many years of trying many things, here the best advices.

I also found good tips here: Eating Healthy And Living Simply. Do You Dare?

 

> Meditate

Still not widely practiced in the West, meditation has shown definite benefits, especially in terms of stress reduction/management. And we now know that stress causes a lot of illnesses!

Furthermore, it is now known that mindfulness meditation is as effective as antidepressants in some cases.

It is recommended to meditate as often as possible.

> Laughing

“I have decided to be happy because it is good for my health” said Voltaire. The health benefits of laughter have been recognized since antiquity. Since then, numerous scientific studies have shown that laughter reduces stress and tension, and improves physical and moral health. At the brain level, laughter promotes the production of dopamine, a molecule of pleasure and well-being.

Thus, 1 minute of laughter is equivalent to 45 minutes of relaxation.

 

> Be physically active

Again, this must be something you hear a lot. However, regular exercise is essential for all ages. Physical activity helps maintain the body and mind, and can prevent the onset of certain diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes or overweight. It also helps to fight stress and sleep better.

You don’t have to be a good athlete to exercise. Walking or biking to work every day or avoiding the elevator to climb stairs can help.

> Get enough sleep

Sleep plays a major role in our lives. You must not neglect it! Your sleep time is greatly affected by work, school, family and all the pressures of daily life. This can affect your health. Insufficient sleep can affect your mood, your mental state and your physical state. These are the reasons to adjust your lifestyle to get enough sleep.

> Avoid smoking and limit alcohol consumption

To be healthy, smoking and tobacco are strongly discouraged. Like tobacco, alcohol and sugary drinks should also be limited. The most important thing is to choose healthy foods.

 

> Drink plenty of water

Drinking water helps keep you fit. You need to make sure you drink enough water each day to stay in top shape. Doctors recommend drinking 1.5 to 2 liters a day. This number can be adjusted upward in hot weather or during exercise to keep you well hydrated.

 

> Eat Well

Here the main principles of healthy eating.

1. Vegetables: as much as you like and at every meal

Rich in fiber, each vegetable contains its own micronutrients: vitamins and minerals. They help the body, the immune system, the digestive system and the brain to function properly.

To make the most of their virtues, choose fresh, local, seasonal and preferably organic products. These criteria allow them to preserve their nutritional values until they are consumed. However, if this is not possible, frozen vegetables with no added salt are a good alternative. To preserve their benefits, eat vegetables raw or cooked at low temperature.

Among the most nutrient-rich are:

• Broccoli;
• Garlic;
• Peppers;
• Cabbage.
• Good to know: green vegetables are your best health allies. Available in every season, they are among those that contain the most micronutrients.

2. Fresh fruit: essential for good health

Fruit also provides significant amounts of vitamins and minerals. Eaten every day, they help maintain good health and a balanced diet. Their caloric intake is generally higher than that of vegetables, as is their carbohydrate (sugar) content.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of fruits with high nutritional value:

• Apples ;
• Tomatoes;
• The avocado ;
• The orange ;
• The banana ;
• Blueberries.

It is interesting to eat fruit at the beginning of the day and before any physical or mental effort. Indeed, sugar is the main fuel for the brain. In addition, carbohydrates are directly assimilated by the muscles during physical activity or sports.

3. Legumes

They offer many benefits to their consumers and promote satiety, which helps avoid cravings. You can find them dried or canned.
The most common legumes are :

• Lentils (green, white, coral);
• Chickpeas;
• Beans (red, black, white);
• Split peas;
• Soybeans.

All of these products are excellent sources of fiber, vegetable protein, and vitamins and minerals. You can cook them in salads, soups, side dishes, but also in stews.

4. Fresh eggs

Eating eggs provides many vitamins (A, D, E, K, B2, B5, B6, B8, B12). This condensed micronutrient supports, among other things, the immune system, the fixation of calcium on the bones and the functioning of the brain cells.

Rich in proteins, egg whites are also a good source of iron. The yolk, on the other hand, is composed of fat. Quality eggs contain a balanced intake of omega-3, 6 and 9.

Good to know: the quality of eggs depends directly on the conditions in which the hen is raised. Therefore, it is better to choose eggs from free-range hens, organic or with the blue, white and heart label. The latter indicates that the animals are fed flaxseed, which promotes the presence of omega-3.

5. Oily fish to promote fatty acid balance

Oily fish contains a significant amount of omega-3. Omega-3, 6 and 9 are the fatty acids present in lipids. A balance of these fatty acids helps maintain a healthy body and brain. In the West, the usual diet contains too much omega 6. Eating fatty fish allows us to rebalance the ratio between these fatty acids.

Here are some species of this family of fish:

• Mackerel;
• Sardines;
• Herring;
• Tuna;
• Salmon.

In addition to lipids, these fish are an excellent source of proteins, vitamins of the B group as well as D. They also provide an important quantity of phosphorus, iron and selenium. This sum of micronutrients contributes to the maintenance of a good cardiovascular health. It also prevents cognitive and degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

6. Dried fruits and nuts

To increase your daily fiber intake, you can eat some dried fruits. These can easily be added to breakfast, muesli or porridge. Easy to take with you, they allow you to have a healthy snack at hand. The dried fruits to be favored are :

• Bananas;
• Figs;
• Dates;
• Prunes.

As for nuts, they contain an important quantity of essential fatty acids. Among those with the most nutritional value are:

• Nuts;
• Almonds;
• Hazelnuts.

7. Seeds

Embellishing your dishes, salads or cereals with certain seeds can easily increase your intake of vitamins and minerals.

The seeds that have the best nutritional contributions are those of :

• Flax ;
• Chia ;
• Sunflower ;
• Squash ;
• Millet.

These seeds are rich in fiber, vegetable proteins and omega-3 and 6. Sold dry, these foods also have the advantage of being able to be stored for a long time.

A nutritionist is a specialized general practitioner. He or she can help you in this process of rebalancing your diet. The service of this expert is reimbursable by the social security and your mutual insurance company. He intervenes for people suffering from eating disorders, obesity, anorexia, etc.

In order to rebalance your diet and in the absence of illness, you can consult a dietician.