Living through all the incidents happening around us, one forgets to take care of himself. However, now more than ever, it’s very important to take care of our Health and Well-being. It’s imperative to fix the quality of our sleep, to have good nutrition, and exercise often.
Sleep
Studies show that consuming saturated fat is linked to decrease in the deep sleep. Scientists also found that people who eat more sugar and simple carbs wake up more at night and have less restorative sleep. Adjusting the type of carbs you eat and including more fiber into your meals, could help you fall asleep easier and stay asleep for better recovery. To improve sleep quality, you need to:
- Expose yourself to sunlight in the morning, do the same at sunset.
- Have a consistent bedtime.
- Try not to eat too late and avoid caffeine before bedtime.
- Limit late-night technology.
- Keep your room cooler
- And don’t forget your Magnesium!
Nutrition
“Du bist was du Isst!” You Are what You Eat!
Consuming ultra-processed foods, can cause depression, anxiety and decline in cognition. But if you combine them with healthy foods (Legume, nuts, fish….) you can reduce the negative effect. The right mix of food can reduce heart disease risk by 25%, therefore it’s important to combine Fiber, Protein and Fat in your daily meals.
The right mix of food can reduce heart disease risk by 25%, therefore it’s important to combine Fiber, Protein and Fat in your daily meals. Including more fruits and vegetables in your daily meals, increases immunity and longevity, and improves your mental health (reduces depression by 20%). Studies showed that 2 servings of fruit per day reduces risk of heart diseases, stroke, cardiovascular disease, cancer and premature death. Including fruits to your healthy diet can help curb craving and assist you in the goal of losing weight.
Furthermore, slightly reducing calories might help you live longer and reduce the risk factors associated with metabolic diseases. It will help lower your weight, which can give you more energy to live your life. The most important is to create a plan that works for you schedule, maintain some of the foods you enjoy and eat healthy 80% of the time.
Importance of Drinking Water:
Staying hydrated is crucial for our overall health and well-being. Drinking water before your meals, increases fullness, shuts down dehydration, boosts digestive metabolism, reduces stress hormone and supports weight loss. Many people are dehydrated and that the other fluids we consume, such as coffee, tea and alcohol, further dehydrate us. Adding Himalayan sea salt to our water, helps to get the water inside our cells.
Why reducing Alcohol intake is necessary:
Chronic alcohol intake, even at low levels, can disrupt the brain. Alcohol affects the release of serotonin in the brain, which is involved in mood and feelings of well-being. It also disrupts the gut microbiome, leading to leaky gut and inflammation. Furthermore, it disrupts the quality and duration of your sleep. Your resting heart rate decreases by 10 beats per minute. Mood, energy and cognitive function are disrupted the next day.
Exercise
Exercise increases our overall health and our sense of well-being, and can act as a stress relief, by triggering the release of endorphins. Regular exercise has numerous benefits for brain health. Physical activity increases blood flow to the brain, delivering essential nutrients and oxygen, which can improve cognitive function and memory, as well as reducing the risk of cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases (such as dementia, Alzheimer…).
Exercise not only promotes better sleep quality but also enhances the brain’s ability to consolidate memories during sleep. Exercise changes immune cells, helps protect against diseases and reduces inflammation. For a high quality of life, you need to take care of your muscle mass. Weight training in particular, reprograms your DNA to bounce back and build muscle faster, after a time off. Building muscle increases natural killer cells.
Regular exercise combined with a healthy diet can aid in weight loss increasing calorie expenditure and promoting fat burning.
Why having a plan is important?
Creating a plan where you don’t have to be perfect, can help you to succeed in your fitness journey. It gives you mental clarity, preventing unwanted behaviors. It increases motivation, and makes the process even more enjoyable. You might not feel like working out at first, and you might not even enjoy it, but if you keep showing up, everything gets better.
Author of the article: Chantal Al Akkary
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