Eat right
A healthy regime isn’t just about choosing to eat an apple over a generous serving of chips—it’s more about assessing when, how often, and how much you’re eating. Consider starting your day with a small breakfast to wake up your metabolism and fuel your body for the day. Eating healthily might not always be simple—sometimes it can prove to be expensive as well—but getting your five-a-day, eating whole grains and drinking plenty of water is some of the most essential health tips you can receive. It will do wonders for your body and also work towards building a more effective immune and illness response system.
A good night’s sleep
One in three people suffer from poor sleep, according to NHS Choices, and the price we pay for it might be more than just feeling grumpy and lacking in concentration—poor sleeping patterns can deteriorate physical health too. Getting solid night’s sleep (which can be anywhere between six and eight hours a night) is one of the most essential health tips for life—without it, we are putting ourselves at higher risk of developing conditions such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes.
Manage your addictions
Evidence of all the diseases and life-changing conditions that smoking can exacerbate is too widespread to ignore. Quitting your tobacco addiction is always the best course of action, but cutting down can prove to be beneficial and a conscious step forward on the road to giving up for good. There has been a lot of research done on the effects of alcohol on the body, and—just like smoking—it now appears there isn’t a safe amount of alcohol you can consume that would ultimately cut down the risk of harming your health. Managing your addictions is one of the most practical and essential health tips to improve your well-being; as well as saving a lot of money you would also be doing your body a lot of good.
See also: A Mediterranean Diet Can Help Beat Depression
Visit your doctor
Prevention is certainly much better—and simpler—than cure, therefore it’s vital to attend regular health checks and appropriate screening tests for your specific age. Most people don’t visit their GP until they are ill, so more often than not, diagnosis trumps early detection. The NHS Health Check (predominantly aimed at people aged 40-74) is a check-up designed to spot early signs of stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes and dementia. Adults in the specified age group can expect a letter from their GP inviting them for a free check every five years. Once the results are analysed, a doctor will discuss advice and relevant prevention strategies.
Meditation and goal setting
Working on physical health is one of the many essential health tips to keep in mind, but it certainly cannot stop there—good mental health is also key—as humans have spiritual and emotional needs as well. Stress is harmful and can drain energy levels, so making the effort to relax and take a break to meditate regularly can only have positive effects on your health. If you have any goals or aspirations you want to achieve, note them down on paper and prioritise them. It’s important to always be realistic when setting targets: set yourself up for success rather than failure, as the latter increases stress and depletes productivity levels.
See also: Vitamin Supplements
NHS Flu jab
The flu shot is the best chance we have at protecting ourselves from the flu and its potentially serious complications—like pneumonia. Free on the NHS annually if you’re a child at risk (from six months to two years old), pregnant, over 65 or particularly likely to develop the flu, the jab is available in pharmacies, GP surgeries and local midwifery services. According to NHS Choices, even though the vaccine doesn’t guarantee complete protection against the flu, people who have it done tend to experience milder symptoms of the seasonal illness—if any at all.
Exercise
A recent study of 64,000 people over 40 carried out in England and Scotland revealed that 150 minutes of exercise a week is enough to cut down the risk of an early death by at least one third (source: JAMA Internal Medicine). Taking a brisk ten-minute walk is an essential health tip to try—or choosing another type of exercise that boosts your heart rate—three times a day, five times a week can provide enough exercise for those who cannot commit to a gym membership. This can be done as an activity with your partner after work, during the morning commute and even on the way home.
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