We all want to live long and happy lives. Unfortunately, a magic pill for all diseases has not yet been invented. However, scientists know ways to reduce the risks of developing various diseases and live long and happy lives. Here are five proven ways to stay healthy that all scientists agree with.
1. Manage Stress
Chronic stress can take a toll on both physical and mental health. Worries need to be brought under control. Several habits and techniques will help with this.
- Allow yourself to express emotions. If something annoys or upsets you, talk it out and don’t deceive yourself that everything is fine.
- Don’t focus on what makes you nervous; rather, figure out how to adapt your life and behaviour to it.
- Some things will always be out of your control. But your attitude towards them is completely in your control. Don’t worry about things you can’t control. Focus on what you can do.
- Make time for hobbies. Scrolling through social media feeds is not a hobby. You won’t remember what you were reading for the last hour when you close the app. Keep yourself busy with something real: cook a new dish, draw, or learn how to record music. If you like to bet with bookmakers not registered with GameStop, that’s also fine. Just remember to gamble responsibly.
- Leave the unhealthy stimulants. Alcohol is a depressant that will temporarily distract you from your problems, but then only make the condition worse. Drugs or energy drinks will only further weaken the nervous system.
- Listen to yourself. Don’t force yourself to do things regularly that cause internal protest. Do not plan new achievements during periods of increased workload. Give yourself rest when your body asks for it.
- Monitor your stress levels. This will help you understand exactly what factors influence its performance and how much.
2. Add Vegetables and Fruits to Your Diet
Unhealthy diets and resulting overweight and obesity are risk factors for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. To stay healthy you should regularly eat vegetables, fruits and fish. It is recommended to eat five servings of vegetables and fruits every day – they can be fresh, dried, canned, or frozen. There should be at least two portions of fish per week, of which you should choose fatty ones, such as mackerel or herring.
Reduce your intake of foods containing saturated fat, sugar and salt. It is recommended to eat no more than 6 g (about a teaspoon) of salt per day. It is worth considering that salt and sugar are also included in the products you buy. You can rely on the information on the packaging: a total sugar content of more than 22.5 g per 100 g means that the food contains a lot of it; an excess of salt exists if there is more than 1.5 g per 100 g.
And do not forget to drink at least 2 litres of water per day.
3. Get Vaccinated Against HPV (Human Papillomavirus) Infection
Human Papillomavirus infection is a viral infection caused by the human papillomavirus. HPV group of viruses includes more than 200 different types. Most HPV infections don’t cause any symptoms and are cleared by the body’s immune system within a couple of years. However, some HPV infections persist and can lead to cancers.
The largest number of cases of disease occurs in the 16th and 18th subtypes of the virus. According to the World Health Organization, HPV caused 620,000 cancer cases among women and 70,000 among men in 2019. Luckily there are vaccines to prevent infection with the most common cancer-causing types of HPV. These vaccines are usually given in childhood or adolescence, but adults are also advised to receive them. One more thing to do is regular screenings like Pap tests. They can find HPV-related problems early when they’re easier to treat.
Vaccination is not just for women. According to research, almost every third man in the world is infected with at least one type of HPV and about every fifth is infected with one or more oncogenic varieties. Vaccination will help interrupt transmission of the virus.
4. Quit Smoking and Alcohol
Tobacco smoking, including passive smoking, increases the risk of developing many diseases. For example, it causes 7 out of 10 cases of lung cancer and can cause other types of cancer. Smoking also often leads to atherosclerosis, in which plaque accumulates in the arteries – the walls of the blood vessels thicken, the channel narrows, and blood flow decreases, increasing the risk of blood clots.
There is no safe dose of alcohol. Different countries offer their recommendations regarding the conditional norm. Drinking alcohol even in small and “moderate” quantities – less than 20 g of ethanol per day, which is approximately 1.5 litres of wine, has been associated with 23,000 new cancer cases in 2017 in Europe. Alcohol can cause mental disorders and injuries, lead to cirrhosis of the liver and increase the risk of many other diseases.
5. Stay Active
The World Health Organization defines physical activity as any movement that requires energy expenditure. Regular physical activity has a positive effect on health: it reduces the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer. WHO experts recommend that adults get 150–300 minutes a week of moderate physical activity. This includes cycling, walking, and dancing. And they also should have 75–150 minutes per week of intense exercise. These include running, swimming, climbing stairs., etc.
6. Protect Yourself From the Sun
Dress in garments that cover most of your body when you are outside, wear a hat, use SPF cream and do not go to the solarium. Exposure to ultraviolet radiation and sunburn damage cells, which increases the risk of developing skin cancer. The most dangerous among them is melanoma, an aggressive type of cancer that can spread to other organs.
Avoid being in the sun during hours when ultraviolet radiation is strongest (usually from 10:00 to 16:00). The weather apps on smartphones contain information about the UV index: the higher it is, the more dangerous it is to be in direct sunlight. Doctors recommend using sun protection with a UV index of 3 or higher. The SPF sun protection filter should be 30 or higher. Apply the cream to dry skin 15 minutes before going outside. Do this even in cloudy weather. Reapply the protective layer every two hours, and also immediately after swimming.
Just follow these 6 tips and your life will surely become more happy and longer.
