It is often said that ‘health is wealth’ and there is so much truth in that statement. There is no point of accumulating material wealth when you are too sick or unable to enjoy it. Similarly, your retirement years are among the best of your life, with all your responsibilities towards your children behind you, and all your work commitments completed. These are the years to reap the rewards of a lifetime of hard work, enjoy time with your grandchildren, travel the world, spend time with hobbies and things you love and relax with your other half. However, if you are too sick or weak, or worse still bed-ridden or in and out of hospitals, none of the above would be possible. Old age would be a pain rather than a boon.
But good health doesn’t come instantly; it takes effort, commitment and dedication throughout your lifetime. This doesn’t need to be as harsh as it sounds – you don’t need to be on constant diets or run miles and miles everyday. You can live a healthy, full life while enjoying life’s guilty pleasures. A few lifestyle changes to your day-to-day routine and it will become second nature to you. Below are a few tried-and-tested tips for a healthier you!
Eyes – The Window To The World
We don’t realise the value of our eyesight until we need additional help in order to see! Our eyes are indeed the window to the world, the window to everything, in fact. Imagine how dreary (and difficult) life would be without eyesight. A few changes precautions can help us maintain 20/20 vision:
- This is something most of us fail to consider. Or even think is a problem. When reading or writing, make sure there is good light falling on the page as opposed to on your face.
- This is common knowledge – minimize screen-time (tough in today’s world when most of what we do is on an electronic device), but where possible, make it a point. Read a book instead of an e-book. Let your child play a board game instead of a video game.
And if it isn’t possible to do so, make sure you take regular breaks in between to give your eyes a rest. - Wear sunglasses when it’s too sunny to protect your eyes from the sun’s UV rays.
- Use safety eyewear when working with hazardous materials, either at home or if your work requires it.
Ears – ‘Ear’ To Help You!
Hearing loss can be prevented (or at least delayed) with a few precautions and care.
- This is a no-brainer – don’t listen to loud music or sounds for long periods of time, especially when listening with headphones.
- Yoga is known to be extremely beneficial for your overall health and well-being, but did you know it also aids with your hearing? Certain yoga poses increase circulation in your ear and brain which helps improve nerve functions and removes waste and toxins.
- Maintain good ear hygiene and treat infections immediately. Untreated infections can lead to eventual hearing loss.
And should you suffer from hearing loss, there are a range of hearing restoration aids available in the market now. You don’t need to suffer in silence and block yourself out – check out the best option for you and tune back in!
Heart – Keep The Love Flowing, Not The Fat!
Heart attacks and major heart operations used to be something only elderly people suffered; however, with today’s fast-paced, stressful and unhealthy lifestyle, even 40-year-olds are having heart attacks! This is serious and it’s important we keep our heart’s health in mind.
- Eating healthy is the number one thing we can do for our hearts – cut down on salt and saturated fats as both contribute to heart blockages.
- Quit smoking (or if you can’t at least reduce the amount you smoke daily). Chain smokers are almost twice as likely to have a heart attack than those who don’t smoke.
- Keep your weight and BMI in check. Obesity leads to high blood pressure and high cholesterol, both of which are major contributing factors to heart problems.
Diabetes – Not So Sweet, Is It?
And just as you must keep your salt and saturated fats in check, so must you limit your sugar and unhealthy carbohydrates intake. Diabetes leads to a number of complications affecting various parts of the body.
Stress – The Silent Killer
Stress is more than just a feeling of uneasiness and anxiety. It affects the smooth functioning of your body’s systems, reducing their efficiency over time. It is thus known as the silent killer. Meditation and mindfulness help reduce stress levels and keep one calm and focused.