Most people don’t live a healthy life, but not because they don’t want to be healthy. It’s because they think it’s time-consuming. But, is it really? What you might not know is that it doesn’t take much to improve your life.
Eat Primally
Did you know that eating healthy isn’t really that difficult? There is some new research that shows that eating a diet comprised of whole foods is one of the healthiest ways to eat. Common sense dictates that we should be eating foods that we (as humans) have eaten for most of our history on earth. This means foods we’ve evolved to eat. Studies show that foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, organ meats, some muscle meats, fish, and eggs are best for our health.
Fortunately, most of these types of foods are easy to find, and they’re relatively inexpensive.
Stay Hydrated
Water is essential for life, but most people don’t get enough of it. It makes up two-thirds of the body and it is responsible for a variety of functions throughout the body. It’s a solvent, carrier for nutrients, helps regulate body temperature, and helps detox the body of harmful substances. Maintaining hydration can have a profound effect on your health and energy levels.
Make sure that you drink enough water to keep your urine a pale yellow (straw yellow) color. And, make sure you’re taking in enough electrolytes throughout the day to keep your body’s energy levels up and your body hydrated. Most people don’t realize that they need at least 64 ounces of water each day, 4 to 5 grams of potassium, 400mg of magnesium, 2 to 2.3 grams of chloride, 2400 mg of sodium, and other vital nutrients to make sure that you stay hydrated.
Get Plenty Of Sunlight
Most people don’t get enough sunlight. We live in a culture that’s afraid of it. We believe we’ll increase our risk of cancer by going out in the sun. But, that’s simply not true. There is a risk of cancer if you get a sunburn. But, your body has multiple defense mechanisms that minimize this risk.
When you expose your skin to the sun, your body makes more melanin, which is a natural pigment in your body. The sun’s UVA rays then oxidizes this pigment, which is what results in a darker tan. UVB rays also help you tan, but their function is to convert cholesterol in your skin into vitamin D. During this process, sulphur is also oxidized. Combined, your body makes vitamin D3-sulfate.
This vitamin D helps your body in a variety of different ways. Not only is vitamin D important for calcium transport, it helps protect your body against a variety of diseases by modulating both the innate and adaptive immune systems.
It is responsible for helping build the protective mucosal barrier in your gut, which helps decrease the risk of an infection and controls pathogenic bacteria in your gut. Finally, vitamin D helps protect you against vitamin A toxicity.
While it’s relatively easy to get sun in the summer, you should try to get it in the winter, too. If you’re chronically low in vitamin D, you may be more susceptible to illness and disease. Companies, like SPERTI, sell UVB lamps, which can help you supplement your vitamin D intake during winter months.
Vitamin D oral supplements might help, but no commercial preparation contains the natural vitamin D3-sulfate form, which only occurs when UV rays oxidize sulphur in your skin.
Most people who stay indoors all day long, or have sedentary jobs, don’t get enough sunlight. For people who are moving, or in the process of moving, it might make sense to view Entwistle Green properties and make sure that they buy or rent a new place that gets a lot of sun or has easy access to the outdoors.
Get More Sleep
Getting more sleep is important. Sleep has the ability to balance out hormone levels, restore physical and mental energy, and getting optimal sleep can even help you lose weight and is linked to a reduced risk of chronic disease and improved longevity.
If you’re not getting at least 8 hours of sleep a night, start by going to bed earlier. Stop working and using the computer when the sun goes down, or at least minimize electronics use at night. If you can’t, or won’t, do this, you can buy blue-blocking sunglasses to wear at night. Blue light, like the kind emitted from electronic LED screens, has been shown to suppress melatonin levels — a hormone responsible for letting you fall asleep.
Alejandro Park is an energetic individual who is living life to the fullest, and encouraging others to do the same in his articles which appear around the web.
I get a good 10 hours of sleep every night. I can’t function without a lot of sleep 🙂
These are great tips. We all know about drinking enough water by now, but I’m sure not many of us think about getting enough sunlight.
This is great information. I need to work on drinking more water and getting more sleep.
Thanks so much for sharing this great information! Healthy eating is so important, and most of it is actually a lot less expensive that people think.
Ooh, I never consider sunlight when I’m thinking about healthy habits but you have some great points. I’m probably not getting enough water either.
All sounds good to me. I need more sleep. I don’t get enough at all, so I find if I am especially lacking I feel really crummy.
I have been working on staying hydrated. I am doing well eating a healthy diet. These are great tips.
A solid 8 hours of sleep sounds heavenly. There are so many sad side effects that befall me if I don’t get enough sleep.
This is a great article and we are following some of its tips. My husband and I increased our sleep. We also eat more ancient seed foods, like chia seeds.
This is such a great post and i’m glad someone shared it. I must read it everytime i’m not even in the mood and currently facing some struggles in life or sometimes being depressed.
Thank you for this great post and tips! This would be helpful. My friends and family need to know this. Thanks!
So many are deficient in vitamin D (me included). I’m so grateful for the warmth ahead and spending more time with the kids outdoors to soak it all in! Now to work on that sleep!
Yes, I’m all about being happier and healthier. Great tips, I cant wait to use some of them.
I do great with all but sleep. I never get enough sleep!
I do great with all but sleep. I never get enough sleep!
This is all great advice. Most people are deficient in Vitamin D now so the sun exposure with appropriate sunscreen is a especially a good tip.
This is some great information. I learned something new. I definitely need to drink more water and eat better.
Sleep is definitely my biggest downfall to my health. Never fails that I start getting sick when I’m sleep deprived