Healthy habits are important for a healthy life. If you want to avoid disease, prolong your life, and live more happily, you need to grow a habit of healthy. But in the chaos of a woman’s daily life, healthy living may take back seat to chores, work, busy schedules, and more.
But if the women can take some simple steps, they will be able to go toward a longer, healthier life.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death. Exercise is one of the best ways to prevent heart disease and keep your ticker strong. It’s also beneficial for your mental and bone health.
Aim for 30 minutes of movement at least four days per week. Aerobic, or cardio, exercise like walking, jogging, dancing, swimming is the best.
Mix routines up and keep your exercise plans exciting by trying different activities. Invite a friend to join you for accountability and encouragement.
Cardio alone isn’t enough for optimal health and fitness. You should combine it with some type of strength training. Strength training builds muscle, boosts metabolism, and helps you maintain stronger bones. This is especially important in postmenopausal women.
Eat a balanced diet
A nourishing diet is the foundation of a healthy lifestyle. Beyond weight loss and maintenance, eating a balanced diet is crucial to a woman’s overall health. Good foods provide vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that are important for growth, well-being, and development.
Eating a balanced diet starts with avoiding unhealthy foods. Packaged and processed foods are often full of sugar, salt, unhealthy fats, and calories. Avoid the fake stuff, and opt for the good stuff, such as: fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains. fiber-rich foods such as beans and leafy greens, fresh fish, lean cuts of meat and poultry, healthy fats such as nuts, seeds, and olive oil, low-fat dairy
Here’s a grocery shopping tip: Shop the perimeter of the store. This is where you’ll find fresh foods. Try to avoid the inside aisles, where most of the boxed and processed foods reside.
Also, be sure to make a list and stick to it, and don’t shop hungry. You’re more likely to make unhealthy choices and pick up foods you don’t need when your tummy is rumbling.
Additionally, a balanced diet is a cornerstone of weight loss. Carrying around extra weight can increase your risk of several conditions, including cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. These 26 evidence-based weight loss tips may help you shed pounds once and for all.
Women’s vitamins
You can take a daily multivitamin but eating vitamin-rich foods serves up the extra benefits of healthy fiber and minerals. Eat a variety of foods in a variety of colors and you should meet your vitamin, mineral, and fiber requirements without the need for a supplement.
Healthy aging
Aging is part of growing older and wiser, but that doesn’t mean you have to take the inevitable aches and pains lying down.
For women, healthy aging depends largely on healthy living. That’s great news because so much of what you can do to be healthy today will prevent you from feeling beyond your years tomorrow. That includes eating a healthy diet, staying active, and having regular health screenings.
Healthy aging also emphasizes things you shouldn’t do, such as using tobacco products and drinking excess alcohol. You can also help slow aging by learning to manage stress and cope with mental health issues that will naturally arise throughout your life.
Aging isn’t just how your body feels, however. It’s also how it looks. You can prevent little spots and dots that make our skin look older than we feel. The skin-related choices you make in your 20s, such as tanning beds and long days at the pool, will rear their ugly heads as you age.
To protect against wrinkles, age spots, and even cancer, slather on sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. Wear protective clothing and sunglasses and try to avoid the sun entirely in the middle of the day. If you spot any changes in freckles or new or unusual spots, see your dermatologist.
A healthy sex life
Sexual health is a lifelong issue for women. A woman’s sexual health needs span decades and encompass a variety of issues, from preventing unintended pregnancy to boosting a sagging libido.
A healthy sex life carries many rewards, and it’s not just about the calories burned between the sheets. Women with a healthy sex life may have a lower risk of cardiovascular events – high blood pressure and heart attacks – than men. Women can – and should – reap the reward of a robust sex life throughout their years.
Breast health
Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. If you have a family or personal history of breast cancer, your risk for developing this condition is higher.
Your doctor may recommend you start earlier if you have a family history of breast cancer. Likewise, these medical professionals also encourage women to conduct self-exams on a monthly basis starting at age 20. Learn more about breast cancer, your risks, and what you can do to prevent a diagnosis.
Deal with stress
Many women are swimming in stress and responsibilities, which can manifest more than just gray hairs. Excessive stress can translate to: high blood pressure. upset stomach or other gastrointestinal issues, back pain, relationships conflicts, sleeping difficulties, abdominal weight gain, You ca manage stress with relaxation techniques such as therapy, prayer, meditation, yoga or tai chi and exercise.
Visit the doctor
Other than breast exams and gynecological visits, you should make sure to visit your doctor regularly for checkups and screening exams. You should have blood work, biometric data such as blood pressure and weight, and other preventive testing measures done at your yearly physical. These tests can nip potential issues in the bud.❐
