A health trait is any action that is related to disease prevention, health maintenance, health improvement, or the restoration of health. These traits can be either voluntary or involuntary and can be undertaken explicitly for health purposes, as a matter of habit, or to comply with a law or requirement.
Ensuring good health doesn’t happen overnight for most of us, especially if we have less than fantastic eating and lifestyle habits. We often wonder why certain people are healthy while others seem to continually experience sickness. To find the answer, let’s look at these common traits healthy people share with each other. When these traits are implemented in your own life, you can set yourself on a path to living a longer, healthier, and happier life in a decade to come. Let’s take a look!
A Good Diet
One of the main keys to a healthy lifestyle is a healthy diet. A balanced diet includes healthy food choices from all of the food groups. Just remember to “eat a rainbow”. That is, choose vegetables and fruits of all colors: orange, red, yellow, green, purple. The more colors your diet includes, the healthier it is.
Regular Exercise
Check with your doctor or another health professional for the exercise that is right for you, but one of the keys to a healthy lifestyle is to get moving and keep moving. Exercise isn’t just for those who want to lose weight. It keeps our joints moving well and our heart pumping stronger and longer.
According to the CDC, “getting at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity” can reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. A physically active lifestyle also lowers your risk for colon and breast cancer.
Healthy Weight
Healthy individuals maintain an ideal weight through proper nutrition and exercise. The World Health Organisation reports that being overweight increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, and several cancers. Losing weight obviously isn’t a simple task, and many struggles to reach a healthy weight. Talking to your doctor about options and committing to a healthy diet and exercise plan can be beneficial first steps.
The “Big” Habits {Smoking/Drinking}
It’s a known fact that non-smokers enjoy a healthier life throughout. Although, trying to stop smoking is difficult but doing it has huge benefits to your life. Smoking, as we know, causes lung cancer; It is a killer, and you can immediately reduce your chances of developing it the day you quit smoking. It really is a matter of life and death. Also, if you are a regular or heavy drinker, limiting your drinking will impact your health in many positive ways.
Image source: Selfinformedyou.com
Balance and Stress
In our society, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to lead full of what we think of as “full” lives. But balance is important too. The stress that pops up in various areas of our lives as we try to do it all can really add up and can lead to heart disease and other serious health issues. Doing what you can to eliminate the stress in your life, or at least better managing the stress you do have, will have a very beneficial impact on your health and your life in the long run.
Embrace Yourself
Accepting and loving ourselves just as we are, complete with faults and shortcomings, is another of those essential traits to an overall healthy lifestyle. Too many of us learn this later in life, having spent many years beating ourselves up about our looks, weight, career or relationships. Doing our best is the most any of us can ask of ourselves.
Love your work
Don’t you admire those people who manage to make a living at doing what they love? I always have. If you do have a passion, make sure you include it in your life on a regular basis. If you want to and are able to turn it into your work, all the better. People who are happy in their work have been shown to be more satisfied with their lives overall and consider themselves happy & healthy individuals.
Have Fun
Have you noticed how much better you feel when you smile or laugh? Having a positive outlook and making sure you take time out to have fun can actually have a positive effect on your health too. Taking time to have fun and enjoying your life is just as important as the other traits to ensuring better health.
Conclusion:
The Healthier Lifestyle Choices You Make, the Better
The researchers found that having three or four healthy lifestyles, compared to none, was associated with significantly better cardiovascular risk biomarkers. Having at least one or two healthy lifestyle characteristics – compared to none – was also associated with better health.
Remember – balance is the key in pretty much everything we do. Also, remember that you don’t have to change your life overnight. A step in the right direction, taken every day, will get you where you want to go.
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