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Essay on Healthy Lifestyle

The top secret of being physically fit is adopting a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle includes regular exercise, a healthy diet, taking good care of self, healthy sleep habits, and having a physically active daily routine. Lifestyle is the most prevailing factor that affects one’s fitness level. A person leading a sedentary lifestyle has a low fitness level whereas living a healthier life not only makes a person fit but also extends life. Good health has a direct impact on our personality. A person with a good and healthy lifestyle is generally more confident, self-assured, sociable, and energetic.

A good and healthy lifestyle allows one to relish and savor all the pleasures in life without any complications. Even all the wealth is less valuable when compared to sound health. Having all the luxuries in the world does not fulfill its purpose when one is continuously ill, depressed, or suffering from a significant health complication. A healthy person has a clear and calm perception of everything without prejudice. His actions and decisions are more practical and logical and are hence more successful in life.

A good habit is a key factor for a healthy lifestyle. To maintain a stable body and mind, one needs to inculcate good habits. Waking up early in the morning, regularly exercising or a good morning walk helps to keep our body energetic and refresh our mind. Maintaining a balanced and nutritious diet throughout the day is vital for maintaining a good lifestyle. Too much indulgence in alcohol or smoking excessively is not at all appropriate for a healthy lifestyle.

Self-Discipline

Self-discipline is important for maintaining a good lifestyle. When we are self-disciplined then we are more organized and regular in maintaining good health. A disciplined life is a regulated life. A man without discipline is a ship without a rudder. Discipline needs self-control. One who cannot control himself can seldom control others. The level of discipline and perseverance largely determines a person’s success. Self-discipline is the act of disciplining one’s own feelings, desires, etc. especially with the intention of improving oneself. It strengthens our willpower. The stronger our will power the positive will be our decision. It enables us to conquer our own self.

Punctuality

Punctuality is the habit of doing things on time. It is the characteristic of every successful person and everyone must observe punctuality in order to win success in life. Punctuality is necessary for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It should become a habit with us. A punctual person is able to fulfill all his responsibilities and hence is treated with respect in society. It is needed in every walk of life.

Diet is an important component for overall fitness and works best in combination with exercise. A balanced diet and exercise regularly help to maintain good health. It is necessary to reduce weight if one is overweight or obese, failing which one cannot be physically fit for long. For people with obesity, more exercise and a strict regime are necessary, preferably under guidance. There are many ways of making the diet healthier.

Use less sugar and salt while cooking food.

Use less oil while cooking. Avoid deep-frying as much as possible. 

Eat more fruits daily. They provide more vitamins and minerals to our bodies.

Add sprouts of gram and moong dal to at least one meal in a day. Add fiber to your diet. Use whole grains instead of polished cereals. Eat lots of salad and yogurt.

Eat fermented food regularly. Fermented food contains many useful bacteria that help in the process of digestion.

Prevention of Lifestyle Diseases

By adopting a healthy lifestyle one can avoid lifestyle diseases. The following are some ways in which we can prevent lifestyle diseases.

Eat a balanced diet that contains important nutrients. One must include more fresh fruits and green vegetables in the diet. Refrain from eating junk food. Stay away from foods that contain large amounts of salt or sugar.

Exercise regularly. Spend more time outdoors and do activities such as walking, running, swimming, and cycling.

One must avoid overindulgence in alcohol, junk food, smoking, and addiction to drugs and medicines.

Avoid spending too much on modern gadgets like mobile phones, laptops, televisions, etc. Spend time on these gadgets for short intervals of time only.

Set a healthy sleeping routine for every day. Waking early in the morning and going to bed early at night should be a daily habit. Lead an active life.

Unhealthy Lifestyle

Bad food habits and an unhealthy lifestyle such as less or no physical activity may lead to several diseases like obesity, high blood pressure or hypertension, diabetes, anemia, and various heart diseases. An unhealthy lifestyle reduces productivity and creativity in a person. It also adversely affects moods and relationships. It leads to depression and anxiety in human beings.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle not only makes a person confident and productive but also drives him to success. A person with a healthy lifestyle will enjoy both personal and social life.

FAQs on Healthy Lifestyle Essay

What Do You Understand about a Healthy Lifestyle?

A healthy lifestyle is a lifestyle that includes regular exercise, a healthy diet, taking good care of self, healthy sleep habits and having a physically active daily routine.

How is Punctuality Important for Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle?

Punctuality is the habit of doing things on time. It is the characteristic of every successful person and everyone must observe punctuality in order to win success in life. It should become a habit with us. A punctual person is able to fulfil all his responsibilities and hence is treated with respect in society. It is needed in every walk of life.

What Happens When One Does Not Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle?

When one does not maintain a healthy lifestyle then several diseases like obesity, high blood pressure or hypertension, diabetes, anaemia and various heart diseases can occur. An unhealthy lifestyle reduces productivity and creativity in a person. It also adversely affects moods and relationships. It leads to depression and anxiety in human beings.

What are the Main Factors that Determine a Good and Healthy Lifestyle?

In order to maintain a good and healthy lifestyle, one must be self-disciplined, self-motivated, maintain punctuality and have good habits like waking early in the morning and maintain a regular fitness regime and a balanced and nutritious diet.

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Why is it important for one to aspire to have a healthy lifestyle?

A healthy lifestyle is an important way for reducing the occurrence and impact of health problems, as well as for recovery, coping with life stressors, and improving the overall quality of life. An increasing collection of scientific data suggests that our habits have a significant impact on our health. Everything we eat and drink, as well as how much exercise we get and whether we smoke or use drugs, has an impact on our health, not just in terms of life expectancy but also in terms of how long we may expect to live without developing chronic illness. A large proportion of fatalities are caused by conditions such as heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, joint disease, and mental illness. A healthy lifestyle can help to avoid or at least delay the onset of many health issues.

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What constitutes a healthy lifestyle?

Healthy life is built on the pillars of a good diet, frequent exercise, and appropriate sleep. A healthy lifestyle keeps people in excellent shape, it also gives you more energy throughout the day, and lowers your chance of developing many diet-related chronic diseases. Healthy living is considered a lifestyle choice that allows you to enjoy more elements of your life. Taking care of one's physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being is part of living a healthy lifestyle.

Good Nutrition, Eating Right and proper diet.

Getting Physically Fit, Beneficial Exercise and working out often.

Adequate rest and uninterrupted sleep.

Proper Stress Management.

Self-Supportive Attitudes.

Positive Thoughts are encouraged.

Positive Self-Image and body image.

Inner Calmness and peace.

Openness to Your Creativity and Self-care.

Trust in Your Inner Knowing and your gut feeling.

Healthy Lifestyle and Eating Essay

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Healthy eating is the process of keeping the body clean, strong, and healthy at all times (Allen, 1926). Healthy living, on the other hand, means that one should be able to eat the right food, get enough exercise, and maintain cleanliness (James, 1907). Unfortunately, many people do not keep track of these requirements. Thus, they end up with serious health problems, which can be difficult to treat. Prevention of these problems can be accomplished through maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Such a lifestyle is achievable by eating the right food and adhering to all the requirements of healthy living.

The human body needs a balanced diet, which includes enough minerals, fats, vitamins, fiber, and carbohydrates (Albrecht, 1932). These substances are required by the body to facilitate the growth and functioning of body tissues. Low energy foods such as vegetables and fruits have small amounts of calories per unit volume of food. Therefore, it is advisable to eat this combination of foods in large volumes as it contains fewer calories, but has nutrients that are essential for optimal body functionality. Incidentally, one should take food that is free from unhealthy fats, but should ensure that whole grains and proteins go alongside fruits and vegetables.

Apart from choosing the best foods for the body, it is also advisable that people should maintain moderate quantities of food intake. For instance, it is prudent to eat less of unhealthy foods such as refined sugar and saturated fats and more of healthy foods such as vegetables and fruits. This pattern of eating has massive health benefits to its adherents. As such, people should strive to develop good eating habits that can sustain them throughout their lives.

Further, it is recommended that one should eat a heavy breakfast an hour after waking up. The breakfast needs to consist of carbohydrates, healthy fats, and proteins in balanced proportions. It should then be followed by light meals throughout the day. This requirement is important since breakfast helps to initiate the body’s metabolism. The light and healthy meals thereafter help maintain a high body energy level that keeps one active throughout the day (Allen, 1926). People should avoid eating late at night. Early dinners are advisable followed by an average of 15 hours of no food until breakfast time the next morning. Past studies show that this pattern helps regulate body weight (James, 1907).

People who are diagnosed with lifestyle diseases such as anemia, high blood pressure, and diabetes among others are advised to follow diets that are rich in fruits and vegetable content (Allen, 1926). Depending on the stage of illness, such people should strictly watch what they eat. For example, high blood pressure patients should cut down on sodium, which is mainly found in salt. They should also avoid foods that have high cholesterol and saturated fats since diets of this sort prompt a high risk of artery clogging. Consequently, it increases the risk of heart attacks and blood vessel diseases (Albrecht, 1932). Further, they need to control the amount of carbohydrates they take.

Carbohydrates should only account for 50% of their daily calories (Allen, 1926). Finally, they are discouraged from foods with a high phosphorous content since they may lead to bone diseases (Allen, 1926). Overweight people constitute another special needs group. They should reduce weight to be healthy. Consequently, they need at least 30 minutes of rigorous physical exercise everyday and a lean diet.

In conclusion, all these groups of people should increase their water intake. Water is essential in the human body since it facilitates the regulation of all body functions. As such, it enhances body health. In this regard, people should strive to take at least eight glasses per day. Apparently, healthy living calls for discipline and commitment. If people foster these two values in the lifestyles, the world will be full of healthy people.

Albrecht, Arthur E. (1932). About foods and markets : A teachers’ handbook and consumers’ guide . New York City, NY: Columbia University. Web.

Allen, Ida C. (1926). Your foods and you or the role of diet . Garden City, NY: Doubleday Page & Company. Web.

James F. (1907). How we are fed: A geographical reader . New York, NY: Macmillan. Web.

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Essay on Importance of Healthy Eating Habits

Students are often asked to write an essay on Importance of Healthy Eating Habits in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Importance of Healthy Eating Habits

The necessity of healthy eating.

Healthy eating is crucial for growing bodies. Consuming a balanced diet gives our bodies the nutrients needed to function correctly.

Benefits of Healthy Eating

Eating healthy foods reduces the risk of chronic diseases. It also helps maintain a healthy weight, boosts energy, and improves brain function.

Healthy Eating Habits

Incorporate fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins into your meals. Avoid processed foods and sugary drinks. Remember, moderation is key.

Healthy eating habits are essential for a healthy life. Start today and reap the benefits tomorrow.

250 Words Essay on Importance of Healthy Eating Habits

The vitality of healthy eating habits, nutrition and physical health.

A diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients fuels our bodies, supporting vital functions. It aids in maintaining a healthy weight, reducing the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes. Consuming fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains can significantly improve physical health.

Nutrition and Mental Health

Moreover, our diet directly affects our mental health. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish and nuts, can enhance brain function, improving memory and mood. Simultaneously, a deficiency in certain nutrients can lead to mental health issues like depression and anxiety.

Establishing Healthy Eating Habits

Establishing healthy eating habits involves more than just choosing the right food. It also includes regular meal times, appropriate portion sizes, and mindful eating. It’s about creating a sustainable lifestyle rather than a temporary diet.

In conclusion, healthy eating habits are a cornerstone of overall well-being. They contribute to physical health, mental health, and quality of life. As college students, it is crucial to prioritize these habits to ensure not only academic success but lifelong health. Let’s remember, our food choices today will shape our health tomorrow.

500 Words Essay on Importance of Healthy Eating Habits

Introduction.

The importance of healthy eating habits cannot be overstated, particularly in a world where fast food and processed meals have become the norm. Healthy eating habits are not just about maintaining an ideal weight or avoiding obesity; they are also about ensuring optimal physical and mental health, and enhancing overall quality of life.

The Role of Nutrition in Human Health

The impact of unhealthy eating habits.

On the contrary, unhealthy eating habits such as consuming high amounts of processed foods, sugary snacks, and fatty meals can lead to numerous health issues. These include obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Moreover, poor nutrition can also affect mental health, contributing to conditions like depression and anxiety.

Healthy Eating and Cognitive Function

Healthy eating habits are also crucial for cognitive function. Nutrients like Omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and B vitamins, which are found in foods like fish, nuts, fruits, and vegetables, are essential for brain health. They enhance memory, improve mood, and protect against cognitive decline.

Importance of Healthy Eating Habits in College Students

In conclusion, healthy eating habits are a cornerstone of good health and well-being. They play a critical role in maintaining physical health, supporting mental well-being, and enhancing cognitive function. For college students, they are particularly important for academic success and stress management. Therefore, it is essential to prioritize healthy eating and make it a part of our daily routine. By doing so, we can improve our health, enhance our quality of life, and set ourselves up for long-term success.

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How to Eat for a Long and Healthy Life

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, but certain dietary patterns are more associated with longer lives than others.

By Alice Callahan

If hit podcasts, best-selling books and influencer culture are any indication, millions of people are obsessed with longevity.

But just as important as your life span is your health span, or the number of years you live in good health, said Susan B. Roberts, the senior associate dean for research at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth.

The length and quality of your life will be determined in part by your genetics, she said. But how you live your life is important, too, including how much you exercise and sleep , whether you drink excessively or smoke — and how you eat, Dr. Roberts said.

Eating for longevity isn’t an exact science, of course. It’s unrealistic, and possibly unethical, for researchers to ask people to faithfully follow various diets for decades and then see how their lives turn out, said Dr. Frank Hu, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

But researchers can look for associations between people’s dietary habits and their long-term health, he said.

Here are the best clues we have for how to eat for a long and healthy life.

Prioritize protein, especially from plants.

Research suggests that those who consume more protein tend to live longer and stay stronger and healthier later in life than those who consume less.

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Healthy Eating Habits

Introduction, nutrition and healthy eating, healthy living strategies, works cited.

Proper nutrition and physical activity are important aspects of healthy livings as their contribution to reducing the rates of chronic diseases is a well-established fact. On the other hand, unhealthy eating habits and lack of physical exercise lead to diseases such as diabetes, obesity, stroke, heart diseases, and osteoporosis, which can sometimes be fatal.

The findings of a study conducted in 1990 established that 14% of all deaths in the U.S. could be attributed to poor eating habits and physical inactivity with sedentary lifestyles, a contributor to 23% of disease-related deaths[1]. Healthy eating habits involve the inclusion of fruits, vegetables, and important minerals in the diet and the reduction of saturated fat intake.

Regular physical activity is essential for healthy living as it reduces the chances of developing coronary heart disease. The reduced physical activity and the changes in eating and dieting habits have long-lasting health consequences on the general health of the public, particularly the children and adolescents.

Developing good eating habits for children and adolescents is important for their long-term nutritional well-being. Proper nutrition, together with regular physical activity, enhances proper physical growth, promotes positive self-esteem, and promotes the children’s capacity to learn. In addition, good nutrition and physical activity also prevent diseases such as obesity.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there has been a rapid increase in the rate of children becoming overweight over the past twenty years, attributed to poor nutrition and exercise habits[2]. Proper nutrition and physical exercise habits are important in maintaining a healthy living, and this can be started at an early age.

The parents eating habits influence the children’s feeding practices, and therefore, teaching children healthy eating habits in schools would make them practice healthy behaviors throughout their lives[3]. Increased consumption of vegetables and fruits with a reduction in fat intake coupled with physical activity are among the healthy habits to curb the overweight problems in children.

The consequences of physical inactivity and poor dietary habits in children and adults alike are obesity, which is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of more than 30k/m2.

The prevalence of obesity increased among the population between 1991 and 2000, affecting all the segments of the population in the U.S[4]. Obesity is the major cause of health complications, including diabetes (type II), hypertension, heart diseases, stroke, osteoarthritis, respiratory complications, and some cancers.

The socio-economic consequences of obesity, now an epidemic, are overwhelming. The intervention strategies usually focus on promoting good eating habits, including a reduction in calorie intake and helping people increase their physical activity. In children, breastfeeding prevents excessive weight gain and obesity in early childhood and adolescence and, thus, a good strategy of reducing childhood obesity[5].

For adults and young people, poor dietary habits and lack of physical activity increase the risk of developing health-related complications. These segments of the population have an increased risk for chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol levels.

By establishing healthier eating habits combined with physical activity, the onset of these diseases would be prevented[6]. Additionally, active lifestyles and healthy eating behaviors help people with chronic diseases to cope with or control the effects of the diseases and prevent deterioration of their physical condition.

In order to promote healthy living and prevent complications arising from poor eating habits such as obesity, various healthy living strategies involving behavior change are important[7]. To reduce health-related complications in the elderly, regular physical exercises and sporting, including jogging and regular visits to the gym, can be very helpful.

Given the immense benefits of physical exercises, social support is one way of motivating people to remain physically fit and live healthy lifestyles. This can be achieved by providing programs that help people incorporate exercises into their daily routines.

Furthermore, increasing community-based programs and facilities would encourage people to exercise and in the process, live healthy lifestyles. Increased consumption of vegetables and fruits with lower calorie intake lowers the incidences of diseases, including cardiovascular diseases and some cancers[8].

Excessive intake of saturated fats is the major cause of cardiovascular diseases and cancers[9]. Therefore, to achieve healthy living, the diet should constitute plenty of fruits and vegetables and less saturated fat. Daily consumption of at least two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables is recommended for healthy living; however, less than 25% of the U.S. population consumes this[10].

For young children and adolescents, school-based physical education (PE) enables students to engage in physical activities to promote their physical well-being and learning. Prolonged television watching among children and adolescents increases overweight incidences among children[11].

This may be because television watching leads to a decline in calorie-burning physical activity and reduces the children’s metabolic rate. Furthermore, television watching may influence the children’s eating habits contributing to an increased risk of obesity.

Physical inactivity and poor eating habits cause health-related complications such as obesity and heart diseases. The intervention methods usually focus on promoting physical exercises and healthier eating habits. Given the current increase in health-related diseases, it is evident that reduced physical activity and unhealthy eating habits have adverse impacts on the general health of the public, more especially the young people.

CDC. Healthy Youth! Childhood Overweight , 2006.

DHHS. Healthy People 2010 . Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 2000.

McGinnis, John, and Foege, Wrights. “Actual causes of death in the United States.”  JAMA 37.2 (1993): 2207-12.

Ness, Amie, and Powles, Jacobs. “Fruit and vegetables and cardiovascular disease: a Review”. Int. J Epidemiol 26.4 (1997): 7-13.

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Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Eating Habits — Nutrition and Diet: Importance of Healthy Eating Habits

Nutrition and Diet: Importance of Healthy Eating Habits

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Published: Feb 12, 2019

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Busy Life, Healthy You: 10 Simple Steps to Prioritize Wellness

A nutritionist—and mom of two—shares her secrets.

What tends to slip when life gets hectic? Our healthy routines . As a mom of two, I get it. Between looming deadlines, piles of laundry, and a full calendar, nourishing habits fall by the wayside. In turn, we throw in the towel—because that’s easier than finding time for our feel-good habits . But we all know that’s not a long-term solution. And it makes it that much harder to re-establish healthy habits down the road. Ultimately, the irony is this: the busier we are, the more we need the rituals that keep us grounded. Fortunately, with the right strategies (and a little self-compassion!) you can master healthy habits when you’re busy. It’s time to reclaim your wellness.

Edie is the founder of nutrition coaching business, Wellness with Edie. With her background and expertise, she specializes in women’s health, including fertility, hormone balance, and postpartum wellness.

How Busyness Derail Our Healthy Habits

If you know, you know: a full to-do list leaves little room for self-care . In turn, our everyday wellness practices feel more like luxuries than necessities. As the focus shifts to immediate demands and pressing tasks, healthy habits slip. It’s inevitable . Unfortunately, we deprioritize foundational activities (like meal planning , exercise, and sufficient sleep ) to try and stay afloat. Tack on the stress of juggling multiple responsibilities, and there goes our patience! As a result, we take nutritional shortcuts and rely on caffeine —all in the name of convenience.

Start Small and Build Momentum

Before you begin weaving wellness into your busy life, take a breather . Literally. Pause your scroll and settle deeper into your chair. Fill your lungs as you count to four, hold for eight counts, then release for seven counts. Do this again. Feel slightly more grounded? When it comes to healthy habits when busy, the key is to start small and build momentum. Begin by taking an honest look at your current habits. Where do you need to make improvements? Where are you overextending yourself? Where do you need better boundaries? Jot this down .

5 Important Steps to Building Sustainable Habits

Once you pinpoint an area or two for improvement (i.e., sleep, hydration, or movement), here are five steps to help you establish habits that stick.

1. Start small

Begin with manageable changes. We can’t stress this enough! Rather than try to overhaul your entire routine , focus on small, incremental steps. This is way easier to maintain and less overwhelming. For example, if you want to start exercising, begin with 10 minutes a day instead of committing to an hour-long workout. Or if you want to quit caffeine , wean yourself off by switching to half-calf beans or one of these coffee alternatives .

2. Be consistent

Consistency is the secret sauce. Aim to perform the habit at the same time each day—or stack it onto an existing routine. For example, if you want to be better about taking your supplements , keep them near your kettle (or another kitchen appliance you use frequently). This consistency helps solidify the habit.

3. Set clear, achievable goals

Define what success looks like for your habit. Clear, specific goals provide direction and motivation. Avoid vague intentions like “eat healthier.” Set a goal like “include a serving of veggies with every lunch.”

4. Track your progress

Keeping track of your progress is motivating. It’ll also help you recognize how far you’ve come. Use a habit tracker , journal, or app to log your daily efforts. Seeing your streak of success builds momentum. It’ll encourage you to keep going.

5. Adjust and adapt as needed

Life is unpredictable, and your habits will evolve as you grow. Be flexible and willing to make adjustments when necessary. If a particular strategy isn’t working, tweak it—rather than abandon the habit altogether. Remember, sustainable habits flow with your life’s changes and challenges.

10 Healthy Habits to Help Reclaim Your Wellbeing

With steady commitment (and a dose of self-discipline), you can effortlessly restore your healthy habits—no matter how busy you are. Again, start small and focus on the basics. Think sipping a large water bottle with electrolytes as you take your kids to school. Or maybe it looks like your sitting desk for a standing one (bonus points for a walking pad beneath it!). Try spending the final 30 seconds of your shower under cold water (improves circulation). Need more ideas? These are a few of our favorite healthy habits when busy:

1. Prioritize Meal Planning

No surprise here. Set aside time each week to plan your meals . Simple, balanced meals that can be quickly assembled are chef’s kiss . ( Sheet pan dinners and overnight oats are easy faves.) At the very least, have protein on hand: tinned fish , bone broth, hard-boiled eggs, cottage cheese, deli turkey, fully-cooked sausages/meatballs, etc.

2. Keep Healthy Snacks at the Ready

Avoid the temptation of low-fiber, high-carb snacks by stocking up on nutritious, portable ingredients. Keep pistachios, dried apricots, apples, baby carrots, and hummus within easy reach. Yes, protein bars (or a scoop of protein powder in a shaker bottle with milk) count!

3. Incorporate Movement into Your Day

You don’t need an hour at the gym to stay active. Look for small pockets of time to move. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk during phone calls, or do a quick 10-minute workout in the morning. Every bit adds up.

4. Stay Hydrated

Forget to drink water on busy days? Us too. Keep a reusable water bottle with you and set reminders to take sips throughout the day. Proper hydration is essential for energy and focus.

5. Practice Mindful Eating

While the goal is to eat without distractions, there are days when we need to chow down during a work task or en route to an appointment. To incorporate a micro-mindfulness moment , take a deep breath before eating and express gratitude. This simple act can help you center yourself.

6. Prioritize Sleep

Sleep often takes a backseat when we’re busy. But it’s crucial for overall health. Make a playlist of calming music (or binaural beats ) that help you relax. Listen to it as you go about your evening routine. This will help your mind recognize it’s time to sleep.

7. Plan for Downtime

Schedule relaxation (just as you would any other appointment). Whether it’s five minutes of deep breathing, a quick walk, or flipping through a magazine, these moments prevent burnout. Time batching your tasks leaves wiggle room for downtime!

8. Use Technology to Your Advantage

From meditation apps to fitness trackers, use technology to simplify your routines and keep yourself accountable.

9. Make Health a Family Affair

Involve your family in your healthy habits. Cook meals together, go for family walks, or have a no-screens policy during meals. This supports your wellness goals and sets a positive example for your kids.

10. Practice Self-Compassion

Finally, be kind to yourself. Focus on progress, not perfection. Celebrate small victories along the way.

It’s Not Sexy to Be Busy

When we’re perpetually rushed and overcommitted, our bodies remain in a state of chronic stress. This leads to a cascade of negative health effects: weakened immune function , disrupted sleep patterns, digestive woes , and increased risk of heart disease. No, thanks.

Let’s be real—there’s nothing sexy about being perpetually stressed, exhausted, and running on fumes! Constantly telling everyone how busy you are doesn’t make you look important. It makes you sound like you can’t manage your time effectively. Today’s the day to start valuing the ability to live a well-balanced, fulfilling life.

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Essay on Good Habits – 10 Lines, Short and Long Essay for Children

Key Points To Remember When Writing An Essay on Good Habits For Lower Primary Classes

10 lines on good habits for kids, short essay on good habits in english for children, long essay on good habits for kids, importance of good habits in life, list of good habits for successful life, what will your child learn from an essay on good habits.

Essay writing is an important skill for kids because it helps them think deeply about a topic and conclude. It also helps with sentence structure, vocabulary, coming up with ideas, and presenting them in words. In the lower primary classes, students are taught the importance of good habits. One way in which the teachers focus on this topic is by assigning it for essay writing. An essay on Good Habits for classes 1, 2 & 3 can give kids many ideas for writing about their good practices as they learn how to write short and long compositions.

‘Healthy Habits’ is a great essay topic as ample knowledge on this helps kids grow up happy and healthy. We all need good habits in our daily lives. These are mostly taught to us when we are young and stay with us until the end. Let us guide your child with some essential points for writing a good essay on habits.

A broad topic like good habits for an essay can be complicated for young students to understand, and that’s why kids need a lot of practice and exposure to language to learn how to write well. If you’re also unsure how to write an essay on good habits for children, consider a few points.

• Everything you write should back up the central point.
• Write a sentence that sums up what you want to say. Lastly, use facts and examples to back up your point.
• There should be an introduction, the body (one to three paragraphs), and the end. Each paragraph should have about three to four sentences, which can change depending on your writing.
• Start your essay by saying what the main point is, and at the end of your essay, you should restate your main point.

Having good habits is like having wisdom. If you keep up the good habits, you will move ahead in life and get more admiration. You can use these 10 points in an essay on good habits for classes 1 and 2.

• Being a good person comes from having good habits.
• Successful people have good habits that help them grow in life.
• Everyone respects people with good habits.
• If you have good habits, everyone will look up to you.
• Good habits help you learn how to control yourself.
• An excellent social reputation depends on good habits.
• Having good habits can make your life better.
• Healthy habits help you stay healthy.
• A happy life is built on good habits.
• Good habits will attract friends and company.

Good habits are vital for good health. It is possible to develop a variety of healthy habits that are helpful to one’s health. Children will learn to write a paragraph by reading this small essay on good habits.

Good habits are essential for having good education and behaviour. It is the foundation for the growth of everyone. We need time and determination to develop good practice. We need to be disciplined as it’s difficult to leave bad habits behind. Having good manners is a stepping stone. We need to practice all positive values such as hard work, punctuality, honesty and more until it becomes a routine. Everyone loves and looks up to someone with good habits. If we have clean habits, maintain good hygiene, appear well-groomed and remain tidy, people will find us attractive and will want to be our friends. Right from children to elders, we all should have good habits to be better people.

Good habits have a great impact on a person’s lifestyle and progress in their work. Writing an essay on good habits will allow kids to know more about this crucial asset of life and they will feel encouraged to embrace some good habits in their disposition. Here is a template for your reference:

Healthy living needs a healthy body as it is the base of progress and happiness. For our body and mind to stay healthy, we must follow some good habits. We can have a healthy lifestyle by taking essential steps as follows.

Structured Timetable

Keeping a good schedule every day is very important. We should try to eat three to four healthy meals a day, drink a lot of water, and maintain a fitness routine like walking, jogging, or running. This regime keeps the body healthy and balanced, which is the key to keeping the mind healthy.

Sincerity And Honesty

Being honest is an essential good habit because it shapes our overall disposition. We can show honesty in many ways, such as by telling the truth, admitting mistakes, recognising and fixing errors, not slandering other people, and analysing and improving ourselves.

To succeed in all aspects of life in today’s world, we must be honest and work hard. The goal should be to do the best work that benefits us and the people we are with. Work ethic and honesty are the best traits to develop for school or a job.

Punctuality

Being on time is one of the best habits to succeed in life and is an essential aspect of life. Being on time gives us confidence because it creates a good impression and shows how interested and honest we are in our work.

Whether old or young, we need to learn to value other people. What we offer always comes back to us. People will respect us if we treat them with respect. We should always be respectful enough to say “thank you” and “I’m sorry” when appropriate.

Cleanliness

We need to keep our surroundings clean. We need to make sure that our habits are good for the environment, and don’t cause any damage to it. Small acts like not littering, reducing the use of plastic and using dustbins will help us keep our environment clean. We need to maintain the same habit of keeping everything neat and tidy at home. When things go wrong, it’s hard to find anything if the place is messy.

Sharing is one of the most important values that helps us show love and care towards others. It develops the feeling of compassion, empathy, and togetherness.

Here are some reasons why good habita are important:

• To help you reach your goals and dreams.
• To make lifelong friends.
• Family, friends, and people, in general, will respect you more.
• Having good habits makes your life better.
• You will achieve more success.
• People will be willing to help you when you need it.

These good habits will help you succees in life:

• Wake up, and go to bed early
• Always be kind and polite to other people
• Respect your friends, teachers, and elders
• Have fun with good people
• Read and learn all the time
• Have a plan to study

Writing a composition on good habits will teach your youngster to organise their thoughts. In this way, they will learn how to structure their thoughts and ideas into the paragraphs that make up the body of their essay. They will feel motivated to absorb some good habits in their routine too.

Good habits take time to form and need discipline. Children need to learn good habits from an early age. We can live a healthy life if we keep up with good habits.

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Exploring what works, what doesn’t, and why.

Is alcohol good or bad for you? Yes.

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It’s hard to escape the message these days that every sip of wine, every swig of beer is bad for your health. The truth, however, is far more nuanced.

We have been researching the health effects of alcohol for a combined 60 years. Our work, and that of others, has shown that even modest alcohol consumption likely raises the risk for certain diseases, such as breast and esophageal cancer. And heavy drinking is unequivocally harmful to health . But after countless studies, the data do not justify sweeping statements about the effects of moderate alcohol consumption on human health.

Yet we continue to see reductive narratives, in the media and even in science journals, that alcohol in any amount is dangerous. Earlier this month, for instance, the media reported on a new study that found even small amounts of alcohol might be harmful. But the stories failed to give enough context or probe deeply enough to understand the study’s limitations—including that it cherry-picked subgroups of a larger study previously used by researchers, including one of us, who concluded that limited drinking in a recommended pattern correlated with lower mortality risk.

Those who try to correct this simplistic view are disparaged as pawns of the industry, even when no financial conflicts of interest exist. Meanwhile, some authors of studies suggesting alcohol is unhealthy have received money from anti-alcohol organizations.

We believe it’s worth trying, again , to set the record straight. We need more high-quality evidence to assess the health impacts of moderate alcohol consumption. And we need the media to treat the subject with the nuance it requires. Newer studies are not necessarily better than older research.

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It’s important to keep in mind that alcohol affects many body systems—not just the liver and the brain, as many people imagine. That means how alcohol affects health is not a single question but the sum of many individual questions: How does it affect the heart? The immune system? The gut? The bones?

As an example, a highly cited study of one million women in the United Kingdom found that moderate alcohol consumption—calculated as no more than one drink a day for a woman—increased overall cancer rates. That was an important finding. But the increase was driven nearly entirely by breast cancer. The same study showed that greater alcohol consumption was associated with lower rates of thyroid cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and renal cell carcinoma. That doesn’t mean drinking a lot of alcohol is good for you—but it does suggest that the science around alcohol and health is complex.

One major challenge in this field is the lack of large, long-term, high-quality studies. Moderate alcohol consumption has been studied in dozens of randomized controlled trials , but those trials have never tracked more than about 200 people for more than two years . Longer and larger experimental trials have been used to test full diets, like the Mediterranean diet , and are routinely conducted to test new pharmaceuticals (or new uses for existing medications), but they’ve never been done to analyze alcohol consumption. 

Instead, much alcohol research is observational, meaning it follows large groups of drinkers and abstainers over time. But observational studies cannot prove cause-and-effect because moderate drinkers differ in many ways from non-drinkers and heavy drinkers—in diet, exercise, and smoking habits, for instance. Observational studies can still yield useful information, but they also require researchers to gather data about when and how the alcohol is consumed, since alcohol’s effect on health depends heavily on drinking patterns.  

For example, in an analysis of over 300,000 drinkers in the U.K., one of us found that the same total amount of alcohol appeared to increase the chances of dying prematurely if consumed on fewer occasions during the week and outside of meals, but to decrease mortality if spaced out across the week and consumed with meals. Such nuance is rarely captured in broader conversations about alcohol research—or even in observational studies, as researchers don’t always ask about drinking patterns, focusing instead on total consumption. To get a clearer picture of the health effects of alcohol, researchers and journalists must be far more attuned to the nuances of this highly complex issue. 

One way to improve our collective understanding of the issue is to look at both observational and experimental data together whenever possible. When the data from both types of studies point in the same direction, we can have more confidence in the conclusion. For example, randomized controlled trials show that alcohol consumption raises levels of sex steroid hormones in the blood. Observational trials suggest that alcohol consumption also raises the risk of specific subtypes of breast cancer that respond to these hormones. Together, that evidence is highly persuasive that alcohol increases the chances of breast cancer.    

Similarly, in randomized trials, alcohol consumption lowers average blood sugar levels . In observational trials, it also appears to lower the risk of diabetes . Again, that evidence is persuasive in combination. 

As these examples illustrate, drinking alcohol may raise the risk of some conditions but not others. What does that mean for individuals? Patients should work with their clinicians to understand their personal risks and make informed decisions about drinking. 

Medicine and public health would benefit greatly if better data were available to offer more conclusive guidance about alcohol. But that would require a major investment. Large, long-term, gold-standard studies are expensive. To date, federal agencies like the National Institutes of Health have shown no interest in exclusively funding these studies on alcohol.

Alcohol manufacturers have previously expressed some willingness to finance the studies—similar to the way pharmaceutical companies finance most drug testing—but that has often led to criticism. This happened to us, even though external experts found our proposal scientifically sound . In 2018, the National Institutes of Health ended our trial to study the health effects of alcohol. The NIH found that officials at one of its institutes had solicited funding from alcohol manufacturers, violating federal policy.

It’s tempting to assume that because heavy alcohol consumption is very bad, lesser amounts must be at least a little bad. But the science isn’t there, in part because critics of the alcohol industry have deliberately engineered a state of ignorance. They have preemptively discredited any research, even indirectly, by the alcohol industry—even though medicine relies on industry financing to support the large, gold-standard studies that provide conclusive data about drugs and devices that hundreds of millions of Americans take or use daily.

Scientific evidence about drinking alcohol goes back nearly 100 years—and includes plenty of variability in alcohol’s health effects. In the 1980s and 1990s, for instance, alcohol in moderation, and especially red wine, was touted as healthful. Now the pendulum has swung so far in the opposite direction that contemporary narratives suggest every ounce of alcohol is dangerous. Until gold-standard experiments are performed, we won’t truly know. In the meantime, we must acknowledge the complexity of existing evidence—and take care not to reduce it to a single, misleading conclusion.

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Republish this article

<h1>Is alcohol good or bad for you? Yes.</h1> <p>It's all more nuanced than headlines (including this one) suggest.</p> <p>Written by Kenneth Mukamal and Eric B. Rimm</p> <p>This <a rel="canonical" href="https://harvardpublichealth.org/policy-practice/is-alcohol-bad-for-you-or-is-alcohol-good-for-you-yes/">article</a> originally appeared in<a href="https://harvardpublichealth.org/">Harvard Public Health magazine</a>. Subscribe to their <a href="https://harvardpublichealth.org/subscribe/">newsletter</a>.</p> <p class="has-drop-cap">It’s hard to escape the message these days that every sip of wine, every swig of beer is bad for your health. The truth, however, is far more nuanced.</p> <p></p> <p>We have been researching the health effects of alcohol for a combined 60 years. Our work, and that of others, has shown that even modest alcohol consumption <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__ajph.aphapublications.org_doi_10.2105_AJPH.2016.303336&amp;d=DwMGaQ&amp;c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&amp;r=2zkJ8D52AYMOeX3KEv5kbt7m_QxlCTvEvHyl46VYiOI&amp;m=eilPAVQaSqlISsukCLsGsFa06wlMg0Wnjjvl3k8EqHDYCso9ap_-9P0OleWWWTp-&amp;s=RS_QMrqSsY2aR6rXjWbjJonqN8We1nnaTfaE5tqMA0M&amp;e=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">likely raises the risk</a> for certain diseases, such as breast and esophageal cancer. And heavy drinking is unequivocally <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__jamanetwork.com_journals_jamainternalmedicine_fullarticle_1105638&amp;d=DwMGaQ&amp;c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&amp;r=2zkJ8D52AYMOeX3KEv5kbt7m_QxlCTvEvHyl46VYiOI&amp;m=eilPAVQaSqlISsukCLsGsFa06wlMg0Wnjjvl3k8EqHDYCso9ap_-9P0OleWWWTp-&amp;s=p8q9BO8MMoP_IJFCJBScU1xxwMwTS96NfD-G5YM7e40&amp;e=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">harmful to health</a>. But after countless studies, the data do not justify sweeping statements about the effects of moderate alcohol consumption on human health.</p> <p>Yet we continue to see reductive narratives, in the media and even in science journals, that alcohol in any amount is dangerous. Earlier this month, for instance, the media reported on a new <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2822215#google_vignette" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> that found even small amounts of alcohol might be harmful. But the stories failed to give enough context or probe deeply enough to understand the study’s limitations—including that it cherry-picked subgroups of a larger study previously used by researchers, including one of us, who concluded that limited drinking in a recommended pattern correlated with lower mortality risk.</p> <p>Those who try to correct this simplistic view are disparaged as pawns of the industry, even when no financial conflicts of interest exist. Meanwhile, some authors of studies suggesting alcohol is unhealthy have received money from anti-alcohol organizations.</p> <p>We believe it’s worth trying, <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov_32529652_&amp;d=DwMGaQ&amp;c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&amp;r=2zkJ8D52AYMOeX3KEv5kbt7m_QxlCTvEvHyl46VYiOI&amp;m=eilPAVQaSqlISsukCLsGsFa06wlMg0Wnjjvl3k8EqHDYCso9ap_-9P0OleWWWTp-&amp;s=GmRhmL9tQ--7NUE3SFfP7yaHw-C8LWNtj8ejl0MYitk&amp;e=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">again</a>, to set the record straight. We need more high-quality evidence to assess the health impacts of moderate alcohol consumption. And we need the media to treat the subject with the nuance it requires. Newer studies are not necessarily better than older research.</p> <p>It's important to keep in mind that alcohol affects many body systems—not just the liver and the brain, as many people imagine. That means how alcohol affects health is not a single question but the sum of many individual questions: How does it affect the heart? The immune system? The gut? The bones?</p> <p>As an example, a <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov_19244173_&amp;d=DwMGaQ&amp;c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&amp;r=2zkJ8D52AYMOeX3KEv5kbt7m_QxlCTvEvHyl46VYiOI&amp;m=eilPAVQaSqlISsukCLsGsFa06wlMg0Wnjjvl3k8EqHDYCso9ap_-9P0OleWWWTp-&amp;s=D33T6pOTUVxtnVO5muWahuacHfmeY352iSMbnSb3Dj8&amp;e=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">highly cited study</a> of one million women in the United Kingdom found that moderate alcohol consumption—calculated as no more than one drink a day for a woman—increased overall cancer rates. That was an important finding. But the increase was driven nearly entirely by breast cancer. The same study showed that greater alcohol consumption was associated with <em>lower </em>rates of thyroid cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and renal cell carcinoma. That doesn't mean drinking a lot of alcohol is good for you—but it does suggest that the science around alcohol and health is complex.</p> <p>One major challenge in this field is the lack of large, long-term, high-quality studies. Moderate alcohol consumption has been studied in <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.bmj.com_content_342_bmj.d636&amp;d=DwMGaQ&amp;c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&amp;r=2zkJ8D52AYMOeX3KEv5kbt7m_QxlCTvEvHyl46VYiOI&amp;m=eilPAVQaSqlISsukCLsGsFa06wlMg0Wnjjvl3k8EqHDYCso9ap_-9P0OleWWWTp-&amp;s=518n4Gjd8W3sJgio65gYGRCP68gkx9PNCh69NELHMD8&amp;e=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dozens of randomized controlled trials</a>, but those trials have never tracked more than <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov_26458258_&amp;d=DwMGaQ&amp;c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&amp;r=2zkJ8D52AYMOeX3KEv5kbt7m_QxlCTvEvHyl46VYiOI&amp;m=eilPAVQaSqlISsukCLsGsFa06wlMg0Wnjjvl3k8EqHDYCso9ap_-9P0OleWWWTp-&amp;s=afktNlgJoPup3MPS32SuQahBzJrGxpHxM2fkZfmed8w&amp;e=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">about 200 people for more than two years</a>. Longer and larger experimental trials have been used to test full diets, like the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29897866/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mediterranean diet</a>, and are routinely conducted to test new pharmaceuticals (or new uses for existing medications), but they've never been done to analyze alcohol consumption.&nbsp;</p> <p>Instead, much alcohol research is observational, meaning it follows large groups of drinkers and <a href="https://harvardpublichealth.org/policy-practice/can-the-sober-curious-trend-change-u-s-alcohol-consumption/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">abstainers</a> over time. But observational studies cannot prove cause-and-effect because moderate drinkers differ in many ways from non-drinkers and heavy drinkers—in diet, exercise, and smoking habits, for instance. Observational studies can still yield useful information, but they also require researchers to gather data about when and how the alcohol is consumed, since alcohol's effect on health depends heavily on drinking patterns.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>For example, in an <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov_34218856_&amp;d=DwMGaQ&amp;c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&amp;r=2zkJ8D52AYMOeX3KEv5kbt7m_QxlCTvEvHyl46VYiOI&amp;m=eilPAVQaSqlISsukCLsGsFa06wlMg0Wnjjvl3k8EqHDYCso9ap_-9P0OleWWWTp-&amp;s=V-N4UwmqLm0cNJTedTlcZK3YvWHyc0A2qCi-2H6YZbY&amp;e=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analysis of over 300,000 drinkers</a> in the U.K., one of us found that the same total amount of alcohol appeared to <em>increase </em>the chances of dying prematurely if consumed on fewer occasions during the week and outside of meals, but to <em>decrease</em> mortality if spaced out across the week and consumed with meals. Such nuance is rarely captured in broader conversations about alcohol research—or even in observational studies, as researchers don’t always ask about drinking patterns, focusing instead on total consumption. To get a clearer picture of the health effects of alcohol, researchers and journalists must be far more attuned to the nuances of this highly complex issue.&nbsp;</p> <p>One way to improve our collective understanding of the issue is to look at both observational and experimental data together whenever possible. When the data from both types of studies point in the same direction, we can have more confidence in the conclusion. For example, randomized controlled trials show that alcohol consumption <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov_pmc_articles_PMC517945_&amp;d=DwMGaQ&amp;c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&amp;r=2zkJ8D52AYMOeX3KEv5kbt7m_QxlCTvEvHyl46VYiOI&amp;m=eilPAVQaSqlISsukCLsGsFa06wlMg0Wnjjvl3k8EqHDYCso9ap_-9P0OleWWWTp-&amp;s=32SmDbu5RFmmnSTw-gHzqn4FVMsN9HKeaSLSzs4uYxs&amp;e=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">raises levels of sex steroid hormones</a> in the blood. Observational trials suggest that alcohol consumption also <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov_18067133_&amp;d=DwMGaQ&amp;c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&amp;r=2zkJ8D52AYMOeX3KEv5kbt7m_QxlCTvEvHyl46VYiOI&amp;m=eilPAVQaSqlISsukCLsGsFa06wlMg0Wnjjvl3k8EqHDYCso9ap_-9P0OleWWWTp-&amp;s=ORNq6MiHRkVBmQC_wZ0RJ6IH574wmDwIIXRuTWlUXSY&amp;e=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">raises the risk</a> of specific subtypes of breast cancer that respond to these hormones. Together, that evidence is highly persuasive that alcohol increases the chances of breast cancer. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Similarly, in randomized trials, alcohol consumption <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov_25805864_&amp;d=DwMGaQ&amp;c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&amp;r=2zkJ8D52AYMOeX3KEv5kbt7m_QxlCTvEvHyl46VYiOI&amp;m=eilPAVQaSqlISsukCLsGsFa06wlMg0Wnjjvl3k8EqHDYCso9ap_-9P0OleWWWTp-&amp;s=Th5BlrJLBGevw5kL1nS4dHxe_XhT0Hq1yRJUOplZdas&amp;e=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lowers average blood sugar levels</a>. In observational trials, it also appears to <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov_26843157_&amp;d=DwMGaQ&amp;c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&amp;r=2zkJ8D52AYMOeX3KEv5kbt7m_QxlCTvEvHyl46VYiOI&amp;m=eilPAVQaSqlISsukCLsGsFa06wlMg0Wnjjvl3k8EqHDYCso9ap_-9P0OleWWWTp-&amp;s=LwFfrxJ8IhPKEBn80dZAMSRGS8K_VMsN99-ZZHNjEQw&amp;e=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lower the risk of diabetes</a>. Again, that evidence is persuasive in combination.&nbsp;</p> <p>As these examples illustrate, drinking alcohol may raise the risk of some conditions but not others. What does that mean for individuals? Patients should work with their clinicians to understand their personal risks and make informed decisions about drinking.&nbsp;</p> <p>Medicine and public health would benefit greatly if better data were available to offer more conclusive guidance about alcohol. But that would require a major investment. Large, long-term, gold-standard studies are expensive. To date, federal agencies like the National Institutes of Health have shown no interest in exclusively funding these studies on alcohol.</p> <p>Alcohol manufacturers have previously expressed some willingness to finance the studies—similar to the way pharmaceutical companies finance most drug testing—but that has often led to criticism. This happened to us, even though <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__academic.oup.com_eurjpc_article_28_14_e23_6145624&amp;d=DwMGaQ&amp;c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&amp;r=2zkJ8D52AYMOeX3KEv5kbt7m_QxlCTvEvHyl46VYiOI&amp;m=eilPAVQaSqlISsukCLsGsFa06wlMg0Wnjjvl3k8EqHDYCso9ap_-9P0OleWWWTp-&amp;s=4ByM2Dejsn0vmp5IosjtAz7fNA54PbLJz6OD91tKC-Y&amp;e=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">external experts</a> found our proposal <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov_32250171_&amp;d=DwMGaQ&amp;c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&amp;r=2zkJ8D52AYMOeX3KEv5kbt7m_QxlCTvEvHyl46VYiOI&amp;m=eilPAVQaSqlISsukCLsGsFa06wlMg0Wnjjvl3k8EqHDYCso9ap_-9P0OleWWWTp-&amp;s=afq0ZuUayTFMDZoq_wDCqc9eYnsJXqZi1QbR3s3rG4o&amp;e=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">scientifically sound</a>. In 2018, the National Institutes of Health ended our trial to study the health effects of alcohol. The NIH found that officials at one of its institutes had solicited funding from alcohol manufacturers, violating federal policy.</p> <p>It's tempting to assume that because heavy alcohol consumption is very bad, lesser amounts must be at least a little bad. But the science isn't there, in part because critics of the alcohol industry have deliberately engineered a state of ignorance. They have preemptively discredited any research, even indirectly, by the alcohol industry—even though medicine relies on industry financing to support the large, gold-standard studies that provide conclusive data about drugs and devices that hundreds of millions of Americans take or use daily.</p> <p class=" t-has-endmark t-has-endmark">Scientific evidence about drinking alcohol goes back nearly 100 years—and includes plenty of variability in alcohol's health effects. In the 1980s and 1990s, for instance, alcohol in moderation, and especially red wine, was touted as healthful. Now the pendulum has swung so far in the opposite direction that contemporary narratives suggest every ounce of alcohol is dangerous. Until gold-standard experiments are performed, we won’t truly know. In the meantime, we must acknowledge the complexity of existing evidence—and take care not to reduce it to a single, misleading conclusion.</p> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-S1L5BS4DJN"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (typeof gtag !== "function") {function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-S1L5BS4DJN'); </script> Copied! Copy HTML

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20 Simple Health Habits You Can Start Practicing Today

When it comes to getting and staying healthy, people assume that they need to do fancy workouts or get on a rigid diet.

Those help.

However, staying healthy boils down to your daily habits. Working out heavily for two weeks and then returning to heavy snacking in between meals has never done anyone any good.

In this post, you will find 20 simple health habits you can incorporate into your day – starting right now – that will help you live an overall healthy and happy life. From sleep to diet and exercise, there are sure to be some that you can adopt.

20 Simple Health Habits

• Drink a gallon of water every day. Drinking more water has too many health benefits to fit into this blog post. Know however that your decision to drink more water can impact brain health, heart health , and body weight in positive ways.
• Walk for 30 minutes every day. The American Heart Association recommends that you engage in moderate exercise for at least 150 minutes per week. One way to remember this is for you to participate in physical activity for 30 minutes 5 days per week. And it does not have to be running if you hate running. You can derive just as much benefit from walking for 30 minutes for 5 days a week. Take a day trip to a fun location – it’s likely you will do a good amount of walking.
• Do 25-50 lunges daily.  
• Do 50 heel raises.  
• Do 25 sit ups.  
• Eat one piece of fruit. Say no to the secret menu at In-N-Out and yes to fruit. When it comes to vitamins and minerals , people turn to supplements. And while supplements are great, fruits are a healthy natural source. Fruits also add roughage to your system and help with bowel movements. Constipation gone!
• Make sure your plate consists of equal proportions of protein, a source of minerals and vitamins (vegetables), and carbs.  
• Develop the 2-minute walking rule for every hour you sit. Research has linked sitting for a long period with multiple health issues. As an employee, chances are that you are sitting in one spot for a long time on a daily basis. Set a timer to do a 2-minute walk for every hour you sit.  
• Step counting.  Wear a step-tracking device and shoot for 10,000 steps per day . Even doing half of this goal is phenomenal!
• Read five pages from a book. Reading the right books makes us smarter and keeps our brains sharp. But we all don’t like to read, do we? To make things easier, pick a book and read just five pages at a specific time every day. You will knock out quite the library if you keep the habit up.
• Journal. Keeping a journal is great for your mental health. Journaling your feelings about specific events helps you “talk it out” with yourself and helps you come to better conclusions as to how to resolve them.
• Drink a fruit smoothie after your morning walk to get your daily serving of fruits (and vegetables). We learned about eating a fruit a day from point number 6 on this list. But what if you don’t like eating raw fruits and vegetables? Turn it into a smoothie you drink after your 30-minute morning walk.
• Plan your meals each week. Planning your meals each week means you will put a lot of thought into what you will have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day. This means you are less likely to purchase items that are not healthy for you and focus on foods that give you the nutrients you need. Planning your meals also means you are less likely to spend money on expensive food places when lunchtime comes around at work. So you get a two-for-one win: you’re keeping both your body and wallet healthy.
• Make your own single-serve snack packs. Need a snack? Resist the urge to go to the vending machine by making your own single-serve snack packs. Beat those in-between meals hunger pangs and save money as well.
• Eat fruit instead of eating a candy bar. You can apply this rule to any junk food item: replace it with a healthier food choice. This is one of those simple health habits that everyone can easily adopt.
• Eat your last meal at least 3 hours before you go to bed. Apart from the obvious fact that eating and immediately going to bed can cause indigestion, recent research shows that your body has a circadian rhythm that is regulated by daylight and the time of day you choose to eat. If you eat too close to your bedtime, you are feeding false information to your body which in turn can lead to health problems along the line.
• Avoid screens in your bedroom. Want to get better sleep? Avoid screens in your bedroom. Keep the TV, tablets, and cell phones out of your room for better sleep.
• Get sleep. Make an effort to get between 6-8 hours of sleep at the very least. Because nobody enjoys a tired, cranky co-worker.
• Have a bedtime routine. Tell your body it is time to go to bed by engaging in simple bedtime routines like showering, turning off all lights, and listening to soft music before.
• If you have trouble sleep, avoid caffeine in the late afternoons. Caffeine is our favorite stimulant for when we want to stay productive. And it can interrupt your sleep when it’s time for bed. Avoiding caffeine in the late afternoons will allow your body to get rid of caffeine so that it doesn’t interfere with your sleep.

And there you have it! Twenty simple health habits you can incorporate into your everyday life to help you live a healthier and happier life.

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​ 7 Bad Health Habits and How to Break Them

Usher out your old ways and welcome in some new, healthier routines.

Michelle Crouch,

We all have bad habits we would like to change. Whether it’s snacking too much or skimping on sleep, vices can be hard to kick once they become routines hardwired into our brains.

Identifying a bad habit is the first step toward improving your health and well-being, experts say, but motivation alone is not always enough.  Research reveals  that you’re most likely to be successful in changing your habits if you set small but specific goals, redesign your environment and replace a bad habit with a better-for-you substitute.

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What does that look like for a specific habit you want to break? Here are some common bad habits and advice from experts on each:

1. Bad habit: Sitting too much

Why it’s dangerous : Research shows that prolonged sitting increases your risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer and other health problems.

The more time you spend sitting, the higher your risk of an early death. A  2017 study  that tracked the activity levels of 7,985 adults over age 45 found that those who had the greatest amount of sedentary time had almost double the mortality risk of those who spent less time sitting.

Surveys show the amount of time Americans spend sitting has been increasing, and older adults sit for an average of  six hours a day .

How to stop:

• Set a timer:  Set an alarm on your cellphone as a reminder to get up and move every half-hour or hour, suggests Catherine Jankowski, an exercise physiologist and associate professor in the college of nursing at the University of Colorado. When you’re watching TV, make it a point to march in place or do a few squats during commercial breaks. A  study published in 2015  found that trading two minutes of sitting for two minutes of light activity each hour lowered the risk of death by about 33 percent.
• Try a fitness tracker:  A smart watch  is a good tool because it tracks all your activity over the course of a day, whether you’re walking from a distant parking spot or moving inside your house. Trackers can also be motivating because you can work toward specific goals such as steps per day, Jankowski says.
• Tie physical activity to something you enjoy:  Listen to a podcast or audiobook while you walk, or invite a friend to join you for a daily stroll. If you like volunteering, look for an opportunity that includes movement, whether it’s pushing the book cart at a hospital, walking dogs at the animal shelter or picking up trash along roads.

2. Bad habit: Snacking nonstop

Why it’s dangerous:  Snacking in and of itself is not necessarily bad for your health, says nutritionist Sandra Arévalo, a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. It depends how often you snack, how much you eat and  what you’re snacking on .

Unfortunately, a  2021 survey  found that most Americans choose sugar- or salt-laden snacks, the most popular choices being potato chips (56 percent), chocolate (55 percent) and candy (45 percent). The average number of snacks consumed per day has doubled in the past 30 years. Studies show the more snacks you eat, the higher your calorie consumption.

• Watch your portions:  If you tend to mindlessly grab handfuls of chips from a family-size bag or box, you’re probably eating more than you realize, Arévalo says. Measure out one serving at a time into a small container and put the rest away. Try to be mindful as you eat, focusing on the flavor, taste and quality of the snack.
• Make it easy to grab a healthy substitute:  Have preportioned bags of nuts, yogurt, cheese sticks and cut-up veggies or fruit within easy reach. Keep unhealthy snacks out of the house, or put them on a high shelf or in the back of the pantry where they are harder to get to.
• Drink a glass of water first:  People often confuse thirst with hunger, so challenge yourself to down a glass of water before consuming any snack.
• Distract yourself:  Are you really hungry or just bored or stressed? Instead of eating, try taking a quick walk, journaling or doing your nails. “Get busy with something,” Arévalo says. “Once you do that, the need to eat may go away.”

3. Bad habit: Eating too much sugar

Why it’s dangerous:  A high-sugar diet is associated with a higher risk of heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, cancer and diabetes. Newer research shows a link to mental health and brain function, says Uma Naidoo, a nutritional psychiatrist at Harvard and author of  This is Your Brain on Food .

The American Heart Association recommends no more than 9 teaspoons of added sugar per day for men and 6 teaspoons per day for women. The average U.S. adult eats about  17 teaspoons of sugar each day , almost double the limit for men and triple the limit for women.  

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  How to stop:

• Watch for hidden sugars:  Check the grams of added sugar on nutrition labels and track how much sugar you eat in a day, Naidoo says. Women should aim for no more than 24 grams (6 teaspoons). For men, it’s 36 grams (9 teaspoons). Sugar is often added to savory foods you wouldn’t expect, such as ketchup, salad dressings, pasta sauces, crackers and pizza.
• Reach for fruit:   The next time you have a sweet tooth, go for a mandarin orange, mango or pineapple before you grab a sugar-sweetened treat, Arévalo suggests. “Fruit still tastes sweet, but it provides some vitamins and fiber,” she says. 
• Sweeten foods yourself:  Flavored foods such as oatmeal and yogurt are loaded with sugar. Instead, buy plain yogurt or oatmeal, and add fresh or frozen fruit, unsweetened applesauce or even a drizzle of honey or pure maple syrup. Flavored coffee drinks can also pack a sugar load; a better option is to start with an unsweetened latte and add your favorite sweetener.

4. Bad habit: Drinking too much

Why it’s dangerous:  Although most experts say it’s fine to enjoy a glass of wine with dinner, excessive drinking is tied to health conditions including high blood pressure, heart and liver disease, stroke and  cancer . Too much alcohol can cause depression, anxiety and sleeplessness, and it weakens your immune system. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines “ heavy drinking ” as eight or more drinks per week for women and 15 or more per week for men.

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• Set specific limits:  Try designating one or two alcohol-free days, or set a goal to drink only on weekends. Limit yourself to a specific number of drinks  per day. Write your goals down and track how well you’re meeting them, Arévalo says. If you find yourself constantly making excuses to drink anyway, ask a friend, family member or health professional for support.
• Pace yourself:  Sip your drink slowly, and have a glass of water or sparkling water after each alcoholic drink, Naidoo advises. That will help keep you from getting dehydrated and slow you down so you’re not drinking continuously. You can also choose lower-alcohol alternatives or drinks that are more diluted. Never drink on an empty stomach.
• Change your routine:  Many people drink when they’re bored, stressed or sad, Naidoo says. Before you reach for a drink, reflect on what’s prompting the urge. Then consider whether another activity could be a healthier alternative, whether it’s meditation, taking a brisk walk or calling a friend for support.

5. Bad habit: Not getting enough sleep

Why it’s dangerous:  Lack of sleep has been linked to a raft of health problems, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, poor mental health and early death. Some studies have shown people who get less sleep are at greater risk of cognitive decline .

The biological changes that come with age can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep, but older adults should aim for seven to nine hours of sleep per night, says Michael Breus, a clinical psychologist and sleep specialist.

• Refrain from napping, especially late in the day:  A nap burns off the chemicals in your brain that tell you to go to sleep, says Bradley Vaughn, a sleep expert and professor of neurology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. “An occasional nap here and there for 10 or 15 minutes is OK, but if you’re having trouble sleeping at night, get up and go for a walk during the time when you normally nap,” he suggests.
• Consider your medications:  Ask your doctor if a medication could be disrupting your sleep. “Try to make sure medicines that may be sedating are more loaded toward nighttime and medicines that are more alerting are more loaded toward the morning,” Vaughn says. “So many people take their water pill at night, and then they’re up seven times to pee. Of course they can’t sleep.”
• If you can’t sleep, get out of bed:  If you wake during the night, don’t lie there feeling anxious. Instead, Breus recommends getting out of bed and writing in a journal or walking quietly around the house, keeping the lights dim. “Some light movement can help get you ready for sleep without giving you too much energy,” he says.
• Maintain a consistent sleep schedule:  If you’re retired, you may not have a lot of structure to your day, but it’s still important to wake up and go to bed at the same time every day — even on weekends, Breus says. Avoid large meals, caffeine and alcohol within four hours of bedtime. If you still suffer from insomnia, Breus recommends trying behavioral cognitive therapy before turning to a sleep medication.

6. Bad habit: You take too many medications

Why it’s dangerous:  Although medications are designed to help us, the use of five or more drugs at a time , called polypharmacy, can be dangerous for older adults. Polypharmacy increases the risk of drug interactions and side effects, including falls and cognitive impairment, according to the National Institute on Aging.

Among the most concerning drugs are opioids such as oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet) and hydrocodone (Vicodin), especially if they’re used long-term for chronic pain, says Padma Gulur, M.D., a pain medicine specialist at the Duke Pain Medicine Clinic in Durham, North Carolina.

Anti-anxiety drugs and sleep aids can also be risky, Gulur says, especially benzodiazepines (Xanax, Klonopin), which have been linked to car accidents and falls in older adults. Even over-the-counter drugs such as Benadryl, Advil and Tylenol can cause problems over time, Gulur says.

“Some people do need these drugs, but the goal should be the lowest effective dose for the shortest effective time,” Gulur says.

• Ask your doctor to review your medications. Many older adults take the same drugs for decades without question, Gulur says. Instead, sit down with your primary care doctor or pharmacist at least once a year (or ideally, even more frequently) and talk about each of your medications — why you’re taking it, whether there are safer ways to manage your symptoms and if it’s worth trying to go without.
• Try nondrug alternatives. Consider whether there’s a nonmedication way to try to treat your problem. Acupuncture, spinal manipulation, yoga, tai chi and progressive muscle relaxation have all been shown to help with chronic back pain. Or if you have anxiety, meditation, yoga or psychotherapy could help.  
• Read the medication guide or insert. Whether you’re taking a prescription or an over-the-counter drug, pay special attention to harmful interactions and side effects, keeping in mind that they may not affect you right away.

7. Bad habit: You worry too much

Why it’s dangerous: Worrying all the time puts your body in constant fight-or-flight mode, spiking your heart rate, raising your blood pressure and creating inflammation, says Amy Morin, a psychotherapist and author of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do.

Over the long term, chronic stress has been linked to migraines, sleep problems, immune system suppression and a higher risk of stroke and heart attack.

• Schedule time to worry: Give yourself 15 minutes each day to think about all the things you’re worried about, Morin suggests. Maybe put it on the calendar. Anytime you start to feel stressed outside that time period, tell yourself it’s not the right time to worry. “It sounds absolutely ridiculous, but there is research that shows you can train your brain, and it works,” Morin says.
• Distract yourself. Ask yourself if what you’re worrying about is something you can control or something you can’t. If it’s something you can’t control (most often the case), remind yourself of that, then find something else to engage your mind. Maybe you write out the grocery list or start a crossword puzzle. Or make a call to a long-distance friend or family member.
• Consider professional help. If worrying affects your daily functioning or ability to enjoy life, consider finding a therapist, Morin says. Keep in mind that it doesn’t have to be a long-term commitment. Some patients just need one or two appointments to get some reassurance or an objective opinion, she says. Start your search for a therapist by asking friends for referrals and your health insurer for a list of in-network providers.

​ Michelle Crouch is a contributing writer who has covered health and personal finance for some of the nation’s top consumer publications. Her work has appeared in  Reader’s Digest, Real Simple, Prevention, The Washington Post  and  The New York Times .

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