A healthier lifestyle is directly proportional to your improved physical and mental health. The Covid-19 pandemic has affected the entire world and forced people to stay at their homes. Unpredictable lockdowns, social distancing protocols, and related things have elevated depression levels in society.
As you stay home and are stuck with food in your fridge or pantry for a while, you live a sedentary lifestyle with a lack of exercise, excessive eating, and sitting, leading to a wide range of physical and mental health conditions. Many people have gained weight during the Covid-19 pandemic, increasing the risk of hypertension, Type-2 diabetes, stroke, heart attack, and other health problems.
Maintaining a healthier lifestyle can help prevent acute and chronic health conditions. When you feel good about yourself and take care of your physical and mental wellbeing, you boost your self-image, self-confidence, and self-esteem. In today’s article, we will give you four steps to implement in your daily regimen to achieve a healthier lifestyle.
Step 1: Regular Exercise
Regular exercise is the first thing you need to implement in your daily regimen. Researchers and health professionals recommend at least 30 minutes of exercise daily for 5-6 days a week. Daily workout offers a wide range of health benefits. It is an integral part of a healthier lifestyle.
The most recommended exercises for a healthy body are brisk walking, jogging, running, swimming, dancing, and other aerobic workouts. Some of the key benefits of regular exercise are:
- Increased metabolic rates to burn calories by increasing oxidation of fat
- Improved blood glucose control, reducing the risk of Type-2 diabetes
- Improved immune system function to combat external pathogens
- Reduced risk of cancer, including colon cancer and breast cancer
- Lowered risks of endometriosis by 50% in women
- New blood vessels develop in your heart and muscles
- Increased aerobic capacity and hemoglobin levels
- Decreased blood pressure levels and increase HDL (good) cholesterol levels
- Strengthened muscles, toned body, and increased body endurance
- Increased bone strength to prevent bone loss and osteoporosis
- Increased joint cartilage thickness, leading to a better range of motion
- Increased blood flow to the skin for new cells development and rejuvenation
- Improved sleep patterns to prevent insomnia and other sleep disorders
- Decreased risks of cognitive decline and neurological disorders
- Reduced risks of stress, depression, and anxiety by increasing serotonin levels
Step 2: Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are rich sources of essential nutrients, including vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals that play crucial roles in your body. Eating more fruits and veggies is an integral part of a healthier lifestyle. These food items contain more fiber that makes you feel full on fewer calories.
Therefore, a healthy diet includes consuming veggies and fruits every day. You can eat various fruits and veggies, including carrots, spinach, okra, cauliflower, cucumbers, sweet bell peppers, zucchini, bean sprouts, peaches, apples, melons, tomatoes, oranges, bananas, and mangoes.
Avoid processed foods because they contain higher sodium levels, increasing the risk of numerous health conditions. Even if you want to buy canned fruits, make sure you look for fruits in their own juices instead of syrups. In addition, choose canned veggies with no salt added or low sodium levels.
Whole fruits, such as peaches, papaya, persimmons, guava, pears, watermelons, mango, lychees, and pomegranates, are much better than drinking juices. Remember, whole fruits offer more fiber, allowing you to feel fuller. Thus, eating fruits and vegetables can help you lose weight and maintain a healthier lifestyle.
Step 3: Hydrate Your Body by Drinking Water.
Most people in the U.S consume more calories now than ever before. More than 50% of these calories come from sugary drinks, such as juice, soda, sports drinks, sweetened coffee, and teas. Research shows that a 20-ounce soda bottle contains 250 calories and over 16 teaspoons of sugar.
So, consuming sugary drinks can negatively affect your body, leading to weight gain and increased risk of Type-2 diabetes and blood pressure. Sugary drinks can also cause cavities in children and adults. Therefore, it is wise to drink water instead of consuming sugary beverages. Even if you want to drink other liquids, make sure you replace:
- Full-fat yogurt with low-fat yogurt
- Tea (whole milk) with skim milk
- Soda with sparkling water
- Bubble tea with green tea
- Aloe drinks with water flavored with fresh fruit
Step 4: Cut Calories using an Air Fryer
Deep-fried foods are higher in fat content than food items prepared using an air fryer. For instance, if you fry a chicken breast using a deep fryer, you will consume 30% more fat than a chicken breast roasted in an air fryer. Besides, air fryers have gained more popularity in recent years because these appliances use less oil than their traditional counterparts.
Research shows that an air fryer can cut fried foods’ fat content and calories by 75%. While many recipes for deep-fried dishes require up to 3-5 cups of oil, air-fried foods require only one or two tablespoons of oil. Here are a few reasons why you should have an air fryer in your kitchen. Continue reading!
Cut Down on overall Fat Content
An air fryer uses 50 times less oil than a traditional deep fryer. While the food does not absorb all the oil, an air fryer can cut down on overall fat content. Research highlights that French fries cooked in a deep fryer have more oil and less moisture content. On the other hand, French fries cooked with an air fryer have less fat and balanced moisture content.
Protection against Acrylamide
Frying food can cause the risk of dangerous compounds like acrylamide. Research studies conclude that acrylamide can increase the risk of cancer because it is a carcinogenic substance. So, if you are using a deep fryer, you are at risk.
On the other hand, you can avoid cancers in your kidney, ovary, colon, and other body organs by reducing the risk of exposing yourself to acrylamide. So, a healthier lifestyle requires you to eat healthy food, and you can make this possible with an air fryer.
Final Words
A healthier lifestyle requires people to follow a holistic health approach, focusing on regular exercise, a balanced diet, hydration, and using cooking methods that reduce the risk of chronic health conditions. An air fryer is an excellent choice for people who want to achieve and maintain a healthier lifestyle.
