HOW TO LIVE AS LONG AS THE JAPANESE

5 Steps to a Healthy Lifestyle

Did you know that Japan ranks second in the world for life expectancy, with the average Japanese citizen living to 85.0 years? The life expectancy for the average female in Japan is 88.1 years and 81.9 years for males, according to Borgen Project.

Did you also know that the average Nigerian is expected to live for 55.44 years, according to Macro Trends?

Everyone desires a healthy lifestyle, one where their health is in good condition and there’s really nothing to worry about. However, many people fail to come to terms with the amount of effort and self-consciousness required to stay healthy. A healthy life will not just become your reality, you have to take responsibility for everything you do, as it all sums up the overall quality of your life. 

The journey to a healthy lifestyle usually varies from one individual to another. Our bodies, abilities, goals, and potential differ and so each individual’s path to a healthy life is unique. What works best for one person might not work for another, so it’s vital for everyone gunning for a healthy lifestyle to understand themselves and understand what works best for them. Despite our differences, there are practices that are beneficial to everyone; we will be considering 5 of them in this article.

1. Drink Water 

One of the best decisions you can make as an individual is choosing to take enough water every day. Getting enough water every day is important for your health. Drinking water can prevent dehydration, a condition that can cause unclear thinking, result in mood change, cause your body to overheat, and lead to constipation and kidney stones. Water has no calories, so it can also help with managing body weight and reducing calorie intake when substituted for drinks with calories, such as sweet tea or regular soda. Keeping hydrated is crucial for health and well-being. 

Water helps the body keep a normal temperature, lubricates and cushions joints, protects the spinal cord and other sensitive tissues, and water helps the body get rid of wastes through urination and perspiration. You can learn more about the benefits of water to the body here.

2. Exercise Regularly

The benefits of regular exercise cannot be overemphasized. Do you want to be healthy, have more energy to go about your daily activities, or do you want to improve your mood? Regular exercise is a sure way to achieve your goals, it is a practice that keeps your body in good shape. Lack of regular physical activities will leave room for a host of chronic diseases. A person who exercises regularly will enjoy benefits like; 

1.  A healthy weight
2. Prevent chronic diseases and health conditions like stroke, high blood pressure, cancer, etc.
3. High energy levels
4. Better sleep, and a lot more benefits.

3. Get Enough Rest

A lot of young people today spend so much attention trying to make a living, and oftentimes forget to make sufficient time for rest. Insufficient sleep is linked with some serious health conditions like; cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and even a weak immune system. Getting quality sleep is a necessity for everyone who wants to make the best out of their time here on earth. 

The reality some people live with is that they struggle to get enough sleep due to conditions beyond their control. If this is you, exercising regularly can play a vital role in helping you get adequate sleep time. Engaging in other stress-relieving activities, like meditation, taking a warm bath, seeing a movie, and the like can help you get more rest time at night. Make out time for rest by properly scheduling your activities and cutting off the excesses, doing less often times helps you to achieve more,

4. Eat Healthily

“You are what you eat”.

Your diet is an important aspect of your life because it determines a lot of things that go on inside your body. This is why eating healthy is a necessity. Eating healthy involves making intentional food choices for the good of your health. To get started with eating healthy, you will have to make detailed research and inquiries from diet professionals. This is to help you know how to navigate the journey to a healthy eating habit, knowing what works for you, and what would not work for you.  

It’s hard to make sweeping changes to our diet, even when we know deep down we should. But that doesn’t mean we should do nothing! We can make simple food swaps that create only minor ripples in our day-to-day world but can make a whole tidal wave of difference to our health. 

Switch out processed food for vegetables in your favourite recipes, for example, or junks for fruits, and sodas for sparkling water and fresh lemon. Take intentional steps, and see how well your health will turn out.

5. Maintain a High Level of Discipline 

Discipline is a virtue that everyone who wants to be successful must have, but sadly it is very scarce, particularly among young people. Many young professionals want to do so little and get so much great results in a short period; this is the height of self-deceit. 

Learning to master self-discipline is hard work, but with intentional steps in the right direction, you will surely get the best out of every effort you make. Do the right things and the right time, and you will have yourself to thank in the long run.

A healthy lifestyle is attainable as long as you keep the right practices. The important thing to note is that nothing will work for you if you do not put in the required amount of work. You will have yourself to thank in the end because a healthy lifestyle leads to a fulfilled life. Till I come your way again, stay healthy, stay fit.