A MANUAL FOR MAINTAINING A HEALTHY WAY OF LIFE.
A healthy lifestyle can be defined as a set of practices that decrease the likelihood of developing severe illnesses or shortening one’s life. While it is not possible to avoid all diseases, adopting specific habits and avoiding others can help prevent several critical conditions.
Lifestyle factors such as obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, and poor diet have a clear association with non-communicable diseases, which are responsible for the majority of deaths globally. In high-income countries, heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer combined are responsible for approximately one-third of annual deaths, with tobacco use being the leading self-inflicted health risk.
In a recent comprehensive meta-analysis, it was found that people who engaged in unhealthy habits such as smoking, tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption, lack of exercise, and an unhealthy diet had a 66% greater chance of mortality compared to individuals who practiced a minimum of four healthy behaviors.
A healthy lifestyle encompasses more than just evading sickness and mortality; it also involves enhancing various facets of social, mental, and physical well-being to relish a greater number of life’s pleasures for an extended period.
WHAT ARE THE KEY ELEMENTS THAT CONSTITUTE A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE?
HEALTHY WAY OF LIFE – A study carried out in the United States on a large cohort of around 120,000 adults over thirty years analyzed their health behaviors to determine the impact of lifestyle factors on life expectancy and the likelihood of dying from non-communicable illnesses like heart disease and cancer. The study identified five traits that promote good health:
A DIET THAT IS GOOD FOR HEALTHY WAY OF LIFE.
Eating a healthy diet involves consuming a variety of foods in appropriate amounts and maintaining a calorie intake that supports a healthy body weight. While this may differ for each individual, it is generally recommended to follow these guidelines:
- Aim for a minimum of five portions of fruits and vegetables daily, which should make up about one-third of your daily food intake. Research has shown that meeting this requirement can lower the risk of developing certain types of cancer and heart disease. One study found that there is a direct relationship between fruit and vegetable intake and disease, with a decrease of 8% in the risk of death from heart disease and a decrease of 3% in cancer risk for each portion consumed daily, up to ten portions.
- Choose starchy foods, especially whole grains that contain more fiber and nutrients compared to white varieties. Whole grains have been proven to lower the risk of various types of cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease, and also promote healthy gut bacteria.
- Prioritize lean proteins such as fish, eggs, and white meat, which are crucial for cellular repair and provide an array of essential vitamins and minerals.
- Include dairy products or non-dairy alternatives in your diet, as they are excellent sources of protein and calcium.
- Limit the intake of unsaturated fats.
ENGAGING IN BODILY MOVEMENT FOR HEALTHY WAY OF LIFE.
The World Health Organization advocates that every adult engages in frequent physical activity, which includes at least thirty minutes of moderate aerobic exercise each day, and a minimum of two sessions of weight-bearing activity per week. Being in good physical shape offers protection against illnesses like cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancers, diabetes mellitus, and osteoporosis. Moreover, it assists in the secondary prevention of these ailments, which refers to minimizing the worsening of symptoms.
AN OPTIMAL PHYSICAL WEIGHT THAT IS CONDUCIVE TO GOOD HEALTHY WAY OF LIFE.
Keeping a healthy body weight is crucial for general well-being and provides protection against various ailments. Body mass index (BMI), a measure of body fat based on height and weight, can serve as a helpful tool to determine if an individual’s body weight is within a healthy range. A BMI score between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered normal, while a score of 25.0 to 29.9 indicates that the person is overweight, and a score of 30 or higher denotes obesity. A higher BMI score is associated with an elevated risk of various diseases, including:
HERE ARE SOME POSSIBLE REPHRASED VERSIONS:
- Diabetes type 2
- Cardiovascular disease
- Hepatic disease
- High blood pressure
- Emotional disorders
- Disorders of the reproductive system
- Increased susceptibility to cancer.
OR ALTERNATIVELY:
- Second type of diabetes
- Disease affecting the heart
- Disease affecting the liver
- High blood pressure condition
- Disorders related to mood
- Disorders affecting reproductive functions
- Higher chances of developing cancer.
Please let me know if you would like me to rephrase them differently or if you have any other questions.
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THE ACT OF USING TOBACCO.
HEALTHY WAY OF LIFE There is no level of tobacco use or smoking that can be considered safe, and the health benefits are greatest when one has never smoked. Smoking-related diseases claim around eight million lives annually, with smoking being the direct cause of around 70% of all lung cancer cases. Besides lung cancer, smoking is also known to cause cancer in various other body parts, such as the esophagus, mouth, throat, pancreas, stomach, and liver. Smoking also harms the heart and circulation, thereby elevating the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, vascular disease, and myocardial infarction. Furthermore, smoking causes damage to the lung tissue, causing chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, pneumonia, and exacerbating respiratory disorder symptoms.
CONSUMING ALCOHOL IN MODERATE AMOUNTS.
Men should limit their alcohol consumption to one to two drinks per day, while women should limit their intake to one drink per day. Excessive consumption of alcohol can result in health problems, such as increased triglycerides in the bloodstream, which can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. It can also cause high blood pressure, cardiomyopathy, and cardiac arrhythmia.
The liver is responsible for neutralizing harmful substances in the body, making it vulnerable to alcohol. Regularly drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can lead to alcohol-related liver diseases, including fatty liver. In severe cases, liver cells can become inflamed and die, leading to cirrhosis of the liver. If left untreated, cirrhosis can eventually result in death.
