Our health is central to how we live, but it can either be a byproduct of our lives or our lives can be a byproduct of it. In today’s world, it’s so easy to lose our health in the shuffle of our hectic lives, especially when we’re constantly surrounded by fast food and other harmful temptations.
We all know how to be healthier: eat better, exercise more, and avoid any harmful habits, like smoking and drinking. So why do so many of us lack the motivation to do these things? For many, no matter how simple these changes may seem, they represent disruptive, seismic shifts in their lives that they don’t feel prepared for. Too much change, too fast.
Well, the good news is that, to be healthier, you probably don’t need to make as many changes as you think. If you want to take control and make some changes to feel the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, then here’s a guide to some of the biggest changes you can make.
Boost Your Gut Health
If you improve your gut health, the benefits won’t just be limited to your digestive system. Your microbiome is actually a complex ecosystem, home to trillions of helpful microbes that break down your food and ease digestion. But on top of that, they also help to regulate your mood, take care of your skin, help you have a better night’s sleep, and even bolster your immune system’s defences.
If you think your gut could do with a glow-up, then you’ll be happy to hear that there are all sorts of different ways to give it a health boost. The two most effective, in my opinion, concern some dietary changes. First off: eat more fibre. Only 4% of us eat as much as we should, so chances are, you’re falling short of the 30 grams per day that medical professionals recommend. Fibre itself feeds the beneficial microbes in your microbiome, giving them more energy to break down your food.
It might not come as a huge surprise, but fruit and vegetables are terrific sources of fibre. I’d recommend adding a handful of raspberries to a bowl of oats for breakfast, making your sandwiches with wholemeal or rye bread, and indulging in a hefty portion of broccoli, peas, or corn with dinner.
Aside from injecting some much-needed fibre into your diet, I’d also suggest giving fermented foods a go. They’re packed with probiotics – a strong source of helpful bacteria. If your gut is inflamed and in trouble, then having a probiotic is like calling for reinforcements. They help the ‘good’ bacteria in your microbiome to do their jobs better and rebalance the scales to outnumber the ‘bad’ bacteria present.
My go-to fermented foods include kimchi, kefir, and natural yoghurt – all easy to add to your diet in stir-fries and as healthier snacking alternatives.
Quit Smoking
This point might not apply to everyone reading this, but just in case there are any smokers out there: quit. The damage that cigarettes do to your health honestly can’t be understated. You’re up to 30x more likely to develop lung cancer, 4x more likely to suffer from heart disease or a stroke, and (on average) will live 10 years shorter than your non-smoking peers.
However, we all know that smoking is bad. The problem is that quitting it is often a herculean effort. As a former smoker myself, I hope to offer some helpful tips to help you make the best decision of your life.
Firstly, untangle cigarettes from your routine. If you smoke with a cup of coffee shortly after waking up, smoke on your commute, and smoke on your lunch break, then you need to disassociate those activities from smoking.
The best thing to do is replace them: instead of the morning coffee, cook yourself a different breakfast or go for a walk. Instead of standing outside your office, twiddling your fingers on your lunch break, ask a colleague to grab a bite with you somewhere. The further along you make it, the easier it gets.
Nicotine replacement therapy is an effective counter against cravings. After all, smokers are addicted to nicotine, not the other 7000 harmful chemicals they’re inhaling. The market is bursting with all sorts of different alternatives, like vapes, patches, and pouches – like Killa Nicopods by Nico Charge. If you’re so inclined, I’d advise seeing which one works best for you.
Once you’ve quit, the benefits will come thick and fast: deeper, clearer breathing, improved senses of smell of taste and smell, and – after a year of non-smoking – your risk of a heart attack is reduced by 50%.
Make Time To Move
When I go to work, I sit at a desk all day; when I get home, I sit on the sofa all evening. Humans weren’t built to live such sedentary lives. We were designed to run, leap and lift, but now, nowhere near enough of us are exercising as often as we should.
As of 2023, 64% of UK adults were classed as ‘overweight’. As a result, they’re putting themselves at an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and musculoskeletal issues, like back pain and knee pain, which affect their everyday lives.
If we can do just two and a half hours of moderate exercise per week, we can lose fat, strengthen our muscles, and dramatically reduce our risks of encountering the aforementioned deadly diseases.
Pushing myself in the gym a few times a week and going for a short run fits my lifestyle well, but exercise really is a matter of personal preference. You can play tennis, hockey, go for a swim, or even take a walk. Whatever you’re most likely to stick to is probably the best choice.
Closing Thoughts
Changing your life doesn’t have to be a major decision at a fork in the road. It can be as simple as committing yourself to pursuing healthier choices where possible, even if the occasional pizza slips through the net. You don’t need to be perfect, just make progress, one step at a time.
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