How to Be the Healthiest Person

 How to Be the Healthiest Person

These days, it seems like everyone is trying to be the healthiest person they can be. However, taking on this goal requires discipline and focus, and many of us are too busy with our day-to-day lives to really put in the effort needed to achieve optimal health. Here are some great tips for how to be the healthiest person you can be!

Sleep Properly

Sleep plays a big role in how our bodies function and affects us not only physically but mentally. Chronic sleep deprivation has been shown to increase risk of serious health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and poor mental health. Here are some tips on getting your zzz’s: - Before bedtime, limit screen time that causes your body stress—especially right before bed—such as watching TV or browsing social media. Also don’t eat within 2 hours of sleep. - Get out of bed if you can’t fall asleep after 20 minutes; doing so will break up your body’s association between being in bed and staying awake.

Eat Healthy

Add a little zest and variety to your diet by eating more fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. These foods are full of healthy nutrients that will keep you feeling full longer so you won’t reach for an unhealthy snack. This will be a good way for you to drop unwanted pounds because it also requires fewer calories than sugary desserts and less-healthy snacks. You’ll also sleep better when you fill up on nutrient-rich foods. To learn more about keeping yourself healthy in 2018, browse our selection of health tips . . . including many tips that were generated from some of 2018's biggest health stories! You'll get advice on how to stay fit and trim in both body and mind during what is sure to be another great year!

Change Your Mindset

In order to be healthy, it’s important to change your mindset about food. Food is fuel for your body, not a source of comfort or an entertainment outlet. If you eat because you’re bored, nervous or sad, treat yourself in other ways—like exercising—instead of stuffing yourself with foods that are bad for you. When you think differently about food and really pay attention to what you eat, even small changes can have a huge impact on your health. In many cases (diet soda is a great example), natural products aren't actually better for us than their artificial counterparts; instead of labeling things as good or bad, just pay attention to what foods make your body feel good and which ones don't.

Exercise Regularly

Exercise releases endorphins, which can help you maintain a positive outlook. Plus, exercise increases your metabolism, allowing you to burn calories faster. If you struggle with feeling constantly exhausted and out of shape, don’t lose hope—simple changes like getting up 15 minutes earlier every day and walking for 30 minutes every evening can have a huge impact on your health over time. In fact, if you add just three miles of walking each week for four weeks without changing anything else in your routine—you’ll lose about two pounds! Don’t sweat? You will!

Get A Massage

Massages do more than feel good. They help release chemicals in your body that reduce stress and alleviate pain. In addition, they also increase blood flow and improve lymphatic drainage, which is how your body gets rid of toxins and foreign substances that don’t belong there. Stress-related symptoms such as headaches, indigestion and insomnia will start to go away after a few massages. The best way to take advantage of these benefits is through regular massage therapy sessions, but at-home massages are a great alternative if you can’t make it into a spa. Simply rub lotion or oil on sore muscles for instant relief from tension headaches and muscle pain, plus more flexibility throughout your day.

Use A Foam Roller

Foam rollers are simple, safe and effective for helping your body recover from workouts. Whether you use it before or after a workout, foam rolling is one of those health tips that can be used by just about anyone. There are even ways to incorporate foam rolling into your daily routine. Before your morning shower, spend five minutes with a foam roller on areas like your quads and calves. If you exercise regularly, try spending 15 minutes at night rolling out different muscle groups; eventually, regular foam-rolling can help improve flexibility and relieve everyday aches and pains. In short: Foam rollers are cheap, easy-to-use devices that keep popping up in more places around our bodies (and homes) for good reason: They work!

Drink Coffee

Whether you just exercised at home or hit up a class at your local gym, it’s important to stretch after each workout. Post-workout stretching helps muscles relax, prevents soreness and tightness, and speeds up recovery time between workouts. If you’re looking for another reason why you should stretch after each workout, new research shows that flexibility training could also lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. So be sure to remember: stretching is key for a healthier body—and heart! While some people think stretching doesn’t feel as good as working out itself, making an effort can help keep your heart healthy in more ways than one.

Stretch After Each Workout

Studies have shown that following a workout with light stretching is an effective way to reduce muscle soreness. And since sore muscles lead to more downtime, faster recovery makes it more likely you’ll stick with your fitness plan, which increases your chances of reaching—and sticking with—your goals. At least one study has shown that a ten-minute stretch after each workout can reduce delayed onset muscle soreness by nearly 50 percent. The best part: these stretches only take a few minutes and they can be done while you're watching TV or chatting on your phone. Happy stretching! And feel free to share your own health tips in the comments section below!