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Do you want to lead a healthy life?

Do you intend to stay productive for the long run?

If your answers to these questions are YES, I have you covered.

A healthy life does not come through wishful thinking alone.
If you desire to lead a healthy and productive life, you need to make consistently healthy choices. And there is no better time to start making healthy choices than now.
If you want to be a healthy, vital older person, begin by being a healthy, vital younger person.
Become intentional about making healthy choices and forming healthy habits that will save you in the days to come. If you ignore your health in your younger days, you will be constrained in many ways as you age.
If you are planning for longevity and vitality, these are ten habits that you should imbibe.

1. Exercise: Our body thrives on movement. When we stop moving, our bodies become stiff and lose muscle mass, range of motion, bone density and balance.

According to NHS, physical activity:
�Decreases the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke by 35%.
�Lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes by 50%
�Reduces the risk of colon cancer by 50%
�Lowers the risk of breast cancer by 20%
�Lowers the risk of early death by 30%
�Lowers the risk the osteoarthritis by 83%
�Lowers the risk of hip fracture by 68%
�Reduces the risk of depression by 30%
�Lowers the risk of dementia by 30%
Exercise is essential if you want to lead a productive and healthy living into old age.

According to WHO, sedentary lifestyles increase all causes of mortality, doubles the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and obesity, and increase the chances of colon cancer, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, lipid disorders, depression and anxiety.
For optimal health, seek to be active daily and ensure that you achieve at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week through several activities.
Action Point: Move Your Body Today!

2. Regular Check-Ups: If you desire to lead a healthy life, regular check-ups are a must. Regular check-ups help you to discover potential health issues before they become complicated.
Some benefits of regular check-ups:
�Early diagnosis helps for effective eradication of the disease.
�Lowers your risk of getting sick.
�Improves health and increases lifespan.
�Helps in detecting potentially life-threatening health conditions or diseases early.
�Reduces the risk of complications.
Therefore, when you engage in regular check-ups, you are taking essential steps towards a longer, healthier life.
Action Point: Get tested.

3. Stay Hydrated:
Drink water!
Our body is made up of 60% of water.
Water is important to your overall health and has immense health benefits.
The importance of water to your health cannot be overemphasized.
�Water helps to maximize your physical performance.
�Water affects energy levels and brain function significantly.
�Water may help prevent and treat headaches (Dehydration can trigger headache and migraine in some people).
�Water can help to relieve constipation.
�Increased water intake can decrease the risk of kidney stone formation.
�Water can help to reduce hangover (A good way to reduce hangover is to drink a glass of water between drinks and have at least one big glass of water before going to bed).
�Water helps to protect your tissues, spinal cord, and joints.
�Water helps to boost your immunity.
�Water helps for detoxification and keeping your gut clean.
Action Point: Drink 2 to 3 litres of water daily.

4. Eat Healthy Meals: Good nutrition is essential to good health. When it comes to healthy feeding, you need to be aware of the nutritional content of your foods to make better choices.
According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015 – 2020, a healthy eating plan:
�Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products
�Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts
�Is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars
�Stays within your daily calorie needs.
A healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy can help to reduce your risk of heart disease by maintaining blood pressure and cholesterol level. Healthy food also helps to prevent other chronic diseases like cancers.
On the other hand, reduce the intake of refined sugar, red and processed meats, and alcohol.

Action Point: Go for healthy food, not “sweet” food.

5. Laugh!
Laughter is said to be the best medicine.
How true is that?
Read along.
Research has shown that laughter can:
�Help to lower blood pressure.
�Reduce stress hormone
�Boost immune system
�Increase the number of antibody producing cells.
Action Point: Laugh, Laugh and Laugh. ���
Remember, a merry heart does good like medicine.

6. Discard Unhealthy Habits: If you have any unhealthy habit that you are indulging in, it is better to let it go. Unhealthy habits like smoking, excessive drinking of alcohol, and binge eating will ultimately lead to health challenges in the long run. If you are battling with any unhealthy habit, please seek for professional help.
Action Point: Ditch that bad habit.

7. Learn something new everyday: When it comes to the brain, it is use it or lose it.
When you learn something new daily, you are improving the brain function and you will prevent the onset of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimers and Parkinson disease.
Action Point: Learn everyday.

8. Sleep: Sleep is important for your body function. Sleep deprivation can leaf to obesity, increased alcohol and tobacco use, hormonal imbalance and higher incidences of diabetes and high blood pressure.
Action Point: Create a sleep schedule and follow it.

9. Practice Gratitude:
Gratitude helps you to see what is working for you and not against you.
Since a lot of sicknesses is connected to the mind, it is important that we have the right mindset.
Gratitude helps you to overcome negative emotions like depression and keep you optimistic.
Action Point: Count your blessings daily.

10. Practice Forgiveness: Forgiveness is also important for healthy living.
Studies have shown that forgiveness can help to lower the risk of heart attack, improve cholesterol levels and sleep, and reduce pain, blood pressure, and levels of anxiety, depression and stress.
Forgiveness is not for the other party; it is for you. So, be quick to forgive.
Action Point: Forgive and let go.

Conclusion
These are 10 major practices that will help you to lead a healthy life. Remember, your daily habits will affect the outcome of your life. So, imbibe these healthy habits and enjoy a healthy, vital and productive life.

WRITTEN BY

Chidimma Chinaka
Writer, Researcher, Health Data Scientist.

Glory to God!