For some people, a healthy life seems far-fetched. A recent study shared alarming statistics about how less than 3 percent of Americans live a healthy lifestyle, and sadly, the news isn’t limited to the United States.
Adapting to drastic lifestyle changes may be what keeps people from becoming healthier. We’re so used to quick fixes that we tend to reject long-term goals, even if there’s proof of amazing results if we stick to them.
If you’re a short-term kind of person, there is good news for you: the following shortlist of small lifestyle changes will improve your health quickly, if you’re willing to put in the work. Read on to find out more.
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Routine checkups, blood tests, hospitalization, appointments. These health-related matters can be inconvenient when you’re short of money. After all, it’s easy to neglect health when it costs a fortune.
It turns out that switching to healthy life changes won’t do much if there’s no medical care involved. Professional assistance will treat existing illnesses and prevent new ones from developing. What’s more, knowing you’re making progress will motivate you to get healthier.
If you’re not insured, your first step is to research health insurance providers and their plans. It’s best to have a free consultation call with a specialist to choose cost-effective plans for you and your family.
Do your best to de-stress
Stress is the culprit behind many physical symptoms, and you may not even realize it. The reason for it is the release of stress hormones which compromise the immune response and lead to health problems.
When combined with a poor diet and bad lifestyle choices, stress is poisonous to the body. Not to mention, there are links between stress, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
Even with the daily stressors we all encounter, there are a couple of easy ways to care for your mental health —all of which you can learn right away. Start by cutting down on caffeine to get quality sleep and practicing deep breathing and mindfulness as a daily activity. Of course, you won’t achieve success overnight, but you can start your practice as early as tonight.
Add the right foods to your plate
The truth is, we shouldn’t diet to lose weight—we should diet to stay healthy. Linking “healthy foods” to restriction is probably what keeps people from eating balanced meals. Therefore, ditching this mindset is your first move to eat nutritious foods without thinking of diets whatsoever.
Carrots, broccoli, and tomatoes are just a few of the world’s healthiest foods, and they’re a drive away from your local grocery store. Besides providing you with essential nutrients, they add a whole lot of flavor to any dish.
Resort to natural treatments
As stated before, we love quick fixes: For stomach aches, we grab a fizzy pill that promises to act fast but brings along several side effects associated with incorrect use. The same goes for any over-the-counter drug out there. The great news is, you can relieve pain and other symptoms fast without any harmful effects.
The next time you have any ache complaints, try consuming or applying natural oils like CBD oil tinctures. These have a vast list of possible benefits ranging from anxiety relief to pain treatment, and they aren’t psychoactive. This means their health benefits are unrelated to the high we get when taking drugs like marijuana. From now on, think twice before popping a generic pill and instead, go the natural route.
If getting rid of old habits was easy, everyone would do it. That’s why starting with small steps and adapting to a healthy lifestyle as you go is the best way to do it.