Ten ways to be Healthy

Health is the most important thing we have as it enables us to do everything else. I know through periods of illness myself and major surgery that not having your health changes everything and makes you aware that without it your life wont function as you want it to. So here's ten ways be healthy-

1- Sleep regularly for 8 hours a night. Don't stay up when you know you are tired, discipline yourself to sleep when you need it.

2- Have some kind of routine. This can be flexible to an extent, but your body thrives off routine. It helps you stabilise your organs and like exercise keeps all your bodily functions working optimally.

3- Eat when you are hungry. Don't put off eating, thinking it will make you thinner or healthier, it just means when you eat your body will pile on the fat content or sugar content of the foods you do eat because your body stores these things more when you starve it, because without regular food it wonders where the next meal is coming from so stores more fat, sugar etc than it would otherwise do so.

4- Enjoy fatty foods, but don't eat large amounts in one day. Spread out your treats so you can have one everyday. Denying yourself nice food will mean you binge on them later and will put on weight. This is not healthy.

5- Walk everyday for at least an hour. Get your cardiovascular system working. Its like pushing a car. Once you get it moving, its easier to keep it moving. If you get your muscles and endorphines going they will serve you through the day. This is why daily exercise is so important because it promotes 'happy chemicals' that if topped up daily will serve you well later on. Health brings more health.

6- Don't neglect your brain. Stimulate your mind as well as your body to be healthy. Having a healthy mindset and positive influences on your life will help you be more active.

7- Have a strong social life. Social contact has been proven to lower stress levels over time and promotes health. People who feel part of a community are more likely to live longer than loners. 

8- Remember to top up your vitamins with vegetables with your meal and starting the day with an orange before breakfast or even a tangerine will help you regulate your blood sugar levels.

9- Eat a big breakfast. Eating fatty foods in the morning means you are less likely to binge later and you have more time to burn it off during the day. Eating a large breakfast also gives you more energy to exercise during the day. Remember to top up during the day though. Keep eating small regular top ups to avoid troughs in energy levels that can be dangerous.

10- Do some strenuous activity twice a week like cycling or running or even cleaning the house or a hobby such as DIY. Just make sure you push yourself. If you aint sweatin' your aint gettin' healthy. So in conclusion, a balance of moderate exercise and strenuous bursts will help build muscle strength and keep your heart and lungs strong.

Hope this helps, any suggestions people? Any healthy routines that you swear by? would love to know.