According to a study published in the Journal Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, following these five healthy lifestyle habits during adulthood may increase life expectancy by a decade or more. These five major lifestyle changes include eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, keeping a healthy body weight, not drinking too much alcohol, and not smoking. The researchers looked at 34 years of data from 78,865 women and 27 years of data from 44,354 men participating in, respectively, the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up study.
The researchers looked at how five low-risk lifestyle factors might impact mortality. Compared with those who didn't follow any of the healthy lifestyle habits, those who followed all five were 74 percent less likely to die during the study period. The researchers also found that there was a dose-response relationship between each individual's healthy lifestyle behaviour and a reduced risk of early death, and that the combination of all five healthy behaviours was linked with the most additional years of life.
It is imperative to lead a healthy lifestyle no matter what. Switching to a healthy diet and lifestyle must be your priority.
Here are a few suggestions that you should consider while making your lifestyle better.
1. Do not miss breakfast
Breakfast is important for a bunch of reasons. It not only jump-starts your metabolism, but also stops you from over-eating later. Studies have shown that adults who eat a healthy breakfast do better at work. So eat a plateful of healthy foods for breakfast and never feel dull again.
2. Portion control
Someone has rightly said, eat everything in moderation. Enjoy every food, but always ensure keeping the size of portion in mind. In fact, increase the size of the portion of nutritious food on your plate.
3. Limit alcohol and smoking consumption
We are not asking you to completely cut down on both; but it is okay to do it occasionally. Regular consumption of alcohol not only affects liver, but also increases cholesterol levels that can take a toll on your body.
4. Live a balanced life
It is important to maintain a balance in life. Balance in daily routine, what you eat, what is your activity level, how much you sleep and how much you can eat to help your life turn around for the better.
5. Indulge in exercises
We are not so busy that we cannot take out time for exercise. Take out just 30 minutes of your time for your favourite sport, gym or any outdoor activity. This will help keep your body healthy and fit.
6. Load up on protein
Protein is the building block of life. It is important to eat protein with every meal. Protein not only helps in repairing muscle and fills in for muscle loss but also helps aid weight loss and boost metabolic activity.
7. Eat healthy fats
It is one of the biggest misconceptions that fats shouldn't be included in your daily diet. Healthy fats like ghee and nuts are important to add in your diet for a healthy body.
Make sure you make these changes in your lifestyle. Also, get enough sleep and keep yourself active in every way possible to stay healthy and fit.
With Inputs from ANI