The Hidden Mystery Behind HEALTHY LIFESTYLE TIPS to manage your metro city living.

All About Healthy Lifestyle Tips

Lifestyle is essentially a way of life, an individual aspires to live and conduct his/her day to day routine. It’s the manner of everyday living to his/her taste and fancies and that becomes his/her living culture.

 Every individual is a different entity and has the freedom to choose his day in day out living style. Living life only to fancies has its own flipside as this may lead to undesirable consequences later in life.

I have lived fairly a long time in the happening city of Bangalore and was a resident in an upmarket locality in the city which has a pub every 200 meters. When passing by them during the evening hours, the common sight was a bunch of young adults ( age between 19 to 25 years ) either from PGs or local residents or new entrants in a job, queuing up in front of the outlets and burning their parents/ (self-earned) hard earned money over drinks and tobacco till the midnight.  

 I am neither from the Victorian era nor against going to a pub but everything calls for a  time, events/occasion and some basic discipline for one’s own health and welfare.  “ Healthy lifestyle Tips”  is an effort in that direction to make them aware on the subject. you may consult Wikipedia on healthy lifestyle tips.

 The poor parents of these young generations are either living in a far off places ( having a dream that their children would become something good someday ) or they are busy in their own world ( in case of city residents).

 The moment these young guys and girls reach 30 +years, they are crippled with series of health complications        ( instead of meeting their parent’s dreams) ranging from heart disease, blood sugar, obesity, excess cholesterol, liver problem, weak eyesight … the list is endless.

This blog-post on “ healthy lifestyle tips” will try to address the problems and advise solutions for the benefit of today’s young generation and society.

This is just one real-life example from a cosmopolitan metro city in India where people from all walks of life get together to make their living better.

Life in Metro

The metro city invitation since times immemorial has always been there and people from tier 2 and tier 3 cities migrate there in quest for a better life, better education, transport, amenities, infrastructure and facilities that includes best hospitals, doctors, shopping malls & recreation centres, companies/ employers/career….  are the  so-called ” metro invitation” to a common man.

But more people leads to more competition and expense always. The people living there have to have the knowledge that how big,  good, bad, ugly and beautiful world works in tandem in a metro living and you need to strike a balance in order to live a balanced but healthy life.

The battle of metro life is always on to cling on to the rat race, to survive, to boost one’s ego by possessing the dream apartment in an upmarket locality, a trendy car …. etc. It’s all about “ show off” and ” My lifestyle”.

 Everything we do just to enhance our social image,    ignoring the time to be spent for our own health, friends and relatives (who may contribute to some good ideas on healthy lifestyle tips as your well wisher).

 Another typical feature of “Metro living” is undue stress which always comes complimentary to all of us. In a fast-paced metro city life, relationships are usually based on “give and take” and you are always in a “tag of war” (unwanted corporate pressure where passing the buck down the line is the “corporate mantra”.

Life in Metro

 In addition, there are standard office politics, payment and receivables shortfalls, ambiguous company policies and practices, whimsical bosses, overambitious business mission, job uncertainties and so on   )  all contributing to this and resulting not so welcome idea of day to day “stress”. The post on “healthy living tips” would address them in a plain and simple manner and advise you the way out.

 Pubs, tobacco, discos…  all can give you temporary relief from the “Stress” but would contribute to the long term misery on your life.

 Sedentary behaviour, lifestyle,   technology and its effect on our health

Typical office assignments

Sedentary behaviour is often characterized by activity like sitting or reclining postures in an office environment or recreation set up and includes activities like typical desk jobs, reading,  watching TV, socializing, video games, or using a cell phone/ laptop most of your time during the day. It becomes your lifestyle which involves little/no physical activity resulting no physical energy output from you.

Adopting this kind of lifestyle in everyday life is indeed dangerous as this increases the risks of all kinds of mortality ranging from cardiovascular deficiencies, diabetes, obesity, and raise the chances for colon cancer, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, lipid problems, depression, anxiety and stress.

Technology has made our life easier, comfortable and modern. We tend to look for technology and seek its assistance in all aspect of life.  Technology has reached a point in our life where everything is available at a touch of a button of the cell phone and its application.  

Be it Shopping, learning, working, supermarket provisions, food ordering and entertainment …. Everything accessed from the comfort of our own living room while travelling or sitting in a coffee shop. But all are coming at a price and the most important one is the “HEALTH”

No physical /or least physical activity is a clear-cut example of sedentary behaviour and is the evil side of the technology as it has changed the way we think and live and those who suffer the most is our children and the young generations.

Come on, no one including you are so busy that you cannot walk down to the nearby grocery /supermarket to pick up your daily provisions or pick up your dinner from a nearby restaurant in your locality or cook your dinner, all by yourself.

It’s all in your mind. Use technology as your servant and never become so dependent on technology for your health and families sake.  “ Healthy lifestyle tips” is an effort to inform and educate the audience in that direction.

How to stay healthy and lead a better life

24 hours of your day ( if you are a working professional/student, but not a retired person ) can broadly be divided into 4 categories.

• Night time: when you sleep (rest) say 10 pm to 5 am.
• Morning time : ( when you wake up) say 5 am to 9.30 am
• Day hours: ( when you are busy in office/university/campus) say 9.30 to 6 pm.
• Evening hours: ( after your days’ hard work) say 6 pm to 10 pm

A few healthy lifestyles Tips

 

• Make a habit of drinking  50% of daily water quota ( preferably lukewarm water with herbs & roots ( like Tulsi(basil) / ginger … etc . please note your body requires minimum 2 litres of fluid intake every day. The fluid includes water, juices, tea, milk  .. etc. Balance 50% of the fluid intake, you may spread it over the rest of your active hours.
• An ideal way to start your day  to have a  30 minutes session of yoga & Pranayam ( breathing exercise)
• This may be followed by 30 minutes walk/ Jogging   & stretching in your close by community park.
•  Please note that there is no place for cell phone or MP3 players when you are on the walking track. Stay healthy and focussed is the motto here.

Stay healthy with yoga & Pranayam

Yoga allows you a balanced and integrated development of the heart, head, mind and body for a healthy life.  It assists you to have a more meaningful and balanced healthy life. It also helps you to face all the challenges with positivity and creativity.

 Once you adopt yoga as a part of your everyday life, you become a different and transformed individual and can live life happily with all the fulfilment.

To learning yoga in depth, you require to have the right guide/guru/ trainer. A guru teaches the right path so that you can travel with clarity and that deepens the connection between yoga and spirituality.

In short, Pranayama is a technique that teaches you how to control your breathing thus enhancing our life force energy. Daily practice of pranayama provides you with the following benefits for a healthy life.

-improves blood circulation & mind concentration.

– Helps to have a healthy heart.

– Provide relaxation always.

           – Relieves all your Stress, depression, anxiety and hypertension.

            – Cure asthmatic tendencies, headache,  migraine, neurological and gastric disorders.              

            -Improves blood circulation.

In case if you are young at age and active individual you may prefer to go to a gymnasium and have an hour workout or go for an aerobic /Zumba classes. Alternately cycling or tennis ( or any outdoor sports) are also good options to start your day.

Stay healthy with Gym/aerobic workout/Zumba session.

Gym workouts and the benefits

• Makes you feel happy.
  • Weight loss and better BMI.
  • Good for your Muscles and Bones.
  • Increase your energy Levels.
  • Reduce the risk of chronic disease.
  • Improves skin health.
  • Enhance sleep quality.

 Stay  healthy with your aerobic classes every day

            Aerobic workout under the guidance of a trained instructor stimulates heart and breathing rate providing your muscle with the required oxygenated blood.

 Oxygen is delivered via blood which is being pumped from the heart through the arteries and come back to your heart through the veins.

 An effective workout in a  studio produce energy in your muscle cell and makes the blood delivery to your cardiovascular system. This helps you to stay energetic and active throughout your day and makes you lead a healthy life.

Zumba: Dance your way to lead a “ Fit” & “ Active life”

Primarily a Latin-style dance class ( a mix of salsa, Cha-cha, samba, hip hop, belly dancing, flamenco and evergreen Bolly wood) … it’s 70% dance and balance are fun.

 It’s a great way to begin the day for those who are little passionate about music and dance. No one is there to judge your steps and it’s all about fun, stay active and lose your calories. In each session, you burn more than 500 calories in a way that motivates you the most.

Stay healthy with your morning walks and jogging.

The concept of waking up early in the morning and taking a walk in the community park is nothing new for us. When combined with a healthy & balanced diet, it keeps the weight under control, burns extra calories and improves the body metabolism.

Jogging ideally falls between “fast walking” and “slow running” and an effective cardiovascular activity and can help lose your weight fast if it’s done on a regular basis and supplemented with a diet plan.

How to be active during your office/campus hour: Follow this healthy lifestyle tips.

If you have a desk job in the office, you cannot do much about it unless you are in field sales / outdoor assignment or a floor supervisor. You got to find a way out so that you never become a victim of sedentary behaviour and lifestyle in spite of having a  ( 9 -6)desk job.  An active lifestyle is more achievable than you think. It’s all in our mind.

We must make every effort to move more and sit less, besides getting in your 180 minutes of morning walks each week. You may   follow a few of these tips and live a more active and healthy lifestyle:

• Use a standing desk at work
• Desk exercise while you are at  work
•  Walk for five minutes each hour during the workday
• Go outside of your room more
• Walk around while talking on the phone
• Initiate a walking club at your office
• Stand while eating lunch
• Take the stairs .and avoid taking the elevators.
• Get up and move during Tiffin breaks
• Do light stretches for a few minutes every hour.

Follow the tips and move away from sedentary behaviour. Start educating yourself and others on the health benefits of  “active lifestyle”  and start moving forward.

Your evening hours and tips on the closing of the day.

Once you are back home after putting a hard day ( in office /college campus), get ready for the closure. We should learn from the westerners the concept of an early dinner (which is always endorsed by the medical professionals globally). Dinner by 7.30 pm is an absolute scientific way to live healthy forever.

Somehow in our country, our dinner schedule starts from 9.00 pm onward and goes up to 12 midnight and a gross mistake we commit and pay the hefty return with interest at a later stage of our life. It is an absolute NO, no forever, if we like to lead a healthy life.

Once you are through with your dinner by 7.30 pm, there comes the old saying . “ After the dinner, walk a mile” … not a bad idea to take a walk for 30 minutes or a game of badminton at the neighbourhood court. This supports your digestion system and your metabolism.

 

A game of badminton – Make it a part of your regular “healthy lifestyle tips”

 

An excellent cardiovascular exercise which is good for the heart and reduces bad cholesterol. It improves your flexibility, stamina, strength and the rate of metabolism. It sharpens your mind and helps in getting a good night sleep.

Back home from the game and have a  little chit chat with your all family members, watch the prime time TV program in your favourite channel over a cup of green tea. Latest by 10.00 pm, go to your bed with a magazine/novel /newspaper editorial and stage is set for a perfect closure. Follow these tips for a  healthy life and your tomorrow would always be a better and brighter.

Plan your weekends and mini holidays well – “ Always be with nature”

Weekends are the major attraction for everyone… and especially for the people living in metro cities. Weekends are the perfect gateway to take out our stress and rejuvenate for the coming week.

 Unfortunately, a standard practice in the weekends again is “ late night”parties, drinks and wake up the following day during the lunch hour and order your food through your ” food delivery apps” … what a gross wastage by our well qualified, tech-savvy but misled generation.

Be an out of the box individual… Plan your weekend in advance. Depending upon your economic means visit the nearby hillside, forest or the beach side and spend the time with your family and near and dear ones and live by nature. 

This would be your perfect gateway to take out all your stress. Least you can do is to drive out of the city and go and spend your time in the countryside village and enjoy the “green”, open sky, river banks and have a breath of fresh air to add longevity.

“ Be with nature”: staying healthy for a better tomorrow

–  Researches have shown that after being exposed to a stressful situation, being in nature can assist you in lowering the physiological effects of stress like heartbeats, muscle tension, and improve pulse readings.

–   Nature and Outdoor gives you energy

 Research has also shown that we always elicit positive psychological responses to nature,   that includes feelings of pleasure, sustained interest, and a decline of negative emotions such as anger and anxiety.  All of these extremely beneficial for working professional and students as well.

– Nature   helps you to  “clear your mind.”
 when a person is in the midst of nature, the brain functions better. It can relieve itself of excess activity and nervous system activation is reduced, making us feel relaxed.

– Nature helps you to recover from mental fatigue

 After hours of sitting desk jobs, you always feel drained and tired. However, research has shown that interaction with nature can help you a sense of natural fascination and curiosity, and enhances creativity and help you to bring forth a positive mindset.

Your eating habits: An essence of “Healthy Lifestyle Tips”

Your eating habits are always important that works wonders for a better tomorrow.  Healthy eating habits mean making good choices most of the time and enjoying a treat throughout life.  Certain guidelines and healthy lifestyle tips by the doctors are as follows.

• watch your portions.
• Always chew mindfully.
• Balance your diet with a mix of protein and fibre.
• Never skip your breakfast.
• Carry always packed lunches. from home.
• Snack smarter and stay smart.
• Always stay hydrated.

Eliminate the “Calories”   from your menu & stay healthy. The very basics of “Healthy Lifestyle Tips”

• Always eat real food over processed on as the real foods contain only one ingredient which is the food itself. Pick up your grocery/real food from the local market brought by the local village vendors.
• Go for unrefined over refined foods. Unrefined foods are those that have no refining. Pick up the whole grains and reduce white flour, beans or legumes are always better and a complete no to processed meats as your protein source.
• Meals should be balanced and include carbohydrates, fats, and protein. Protein always helps with better appetite control.
• A big “no “  “no” to poor quality fats, added salt, and sugar in your diet.
• Get into the habit of eating  5 to 6 small meals per day. Snacks should be a part of healthy mini-meals and stay away from the chip or cookie bag.
• The simplest way to eliminate calories from your diet is not to take calories. The average person drinks around 400 calories. No diet drinks but drinks fresh fruit juices, herb teas, simple black coffee, or water.

Fruit & Vegetables are your best friends

Vitamins A, C & K, folate, magnesium, potassium, to name a few are available in galore in all farm fresh produce. The fruit and vegetables are rich in fibre. All these nutrients and fibres play a major role to keep your digestive system healthy.

Farm fresh produce is also rich in antioxidants and reduces the inflammation and the risk for cardiovascular disease and cancer. They also slow down the ageing process. Being low in calories they help you with natural weight loss process.

Recommended fruits, vegetables, roots and herbs: Healthy Lifestyle Tips.

Make it part of your daily life and stay healthy

  Apple : An apple a day:

• Rich in important antioxidants, flavonoids, and dietary fibres.,  Phytonutrients and antioxidants present in apples help reduce the risk of developing cancer, hypertension, diabetes and heart disease.

Strawberry

• Another rich source of antioxidants. Strawberries can protect you against free radicals; support the immune system help with blood sugar regulation and improve heart health. It also helps in weight management.

Banana

• Bananas are vital sources of vitamin C, Manganese present in it is good for your skin.

Potassium present in bananas is good for heart health and blood pressure. Bananas assist in digestion and help beat gastrointestinal issues. It also gives you energy without the fats and cholesterol.

Blueberries

• Blueberries are Low in Calories and high in nutrients.  Filled with antioxidants, it reduces DNA Damage and helps you fight against ageing and cancer. It also protects you from rising cholesterol in your blood and lowers blood pressure.

Blackberry

• They’re packed with vitamin C, vitamin K and high in and manganese. It boosts the health of the brain and supports good oral health.

Grapes

• Filled with rich nutrients ( like Vitamins C and K.) and its high antioxidant contents prevent chronic diseases. Its plant compounds protect you against certain types of cancer.

It’s also beneficial for your overall heart’s health and extends protection against diabetes.

Guavas

• It helps you to Lower blood sugar levels. , boost the overall health of your heart and help relieve painful symptoms of menstruation( for women )and extend a lot of benefits to your digestive system. 

It also helps in weight loss and has an anticancer effect.

Papaya

• It lowers your cholesterol level and also is rich in fibre, Vitamin C antioxidants which prevent cholesterol build up in your arteries.

It helps in weight loss, boosts your immunity and provides effective prevention against diabetics. It is also great for your eyes. Protects against arthritis and Improves the digestion.

Orange

• High in Vitamin C and support your immune system. It prevents skin damage, keeps blood pressure under control and lowers cholesterol.  It also controls blood sugar level and lowers the risk of cancer.

Lemon

• It is a citrus fruit that promotes hydration and a constant source of vitamin c. supporting you in a natural weight loss process. It improves your digestion process, skin quality and prevents the formation of kidney stone.

Watermelon

• It contains several nutrients and other beneficial plant compounds that help to prevent cancer, lowers inflammation and oxidative stress, relieves muscle soreness and improves your heart.  It also helps to maintain the body hydration level.

Amla/Gooseberries

Rich in vitamin C, it extends a good antioxidant activity in the body and resulting benefits that includes antidiabetic, anticancer and anti-inflammatory effects.

Pineapple

• Pineapples are the magic fruit that helps you to reduce the risk of macular degeneration, a disease that affects the eyes with the passage of time and age in one’s life.

It also provides support for digestion, increases bone strength and extends anti-inflammatory benefits.

 Assorted Dry Fruits

• Cashew nuts are a rich source of vitamins E and B6.
• Walnuts are filled with  Omega-3 fatty acids.
• Pistachios fight diabetes and boost immunity.
• Dates are a rich source of vitamins, proteins, minerals and natural sugar.
• Apricots are loaded with vitamin E and protect cells from damage caused by free radicals.

Honey

Honey is an all natural energy drink and helps you to fight against allergies. It prevents cough and cold and acts as a sleep aid. It has a natural cure for dandruff and heals wounds and burns.

Recommended Herbs

 Holy Tulsi/basil

 It  offers a variety of benefits including fighting acne, diabetes, cancer

It also balances hormones, lowers stress and relieves fever. Basil also helps improve respiratory disorders and improve dental care.

Cure it of the roots.

Roots ( Onion, ginger, garlic & turmeric)

• Onion has an antioxidant that acts like an antihistamine which is an anti-inflammatory agent .and effectively fight against asthma, cancer, tooth decay and heart disease.
• Ginger contains gingerol which has powerful medicinal properties. It can treat many forms of nausea like morning Sickness and reduce muscle pain and soreness.
• Garlic containing compounds with potent medicinal properties. It Is nutritious and has only a few calories, combat sickness like the common cold and reduce blood pressure. It Improves cholesterol levels thus Lower the risk of heart disease.

• Turmeric is rich with compound curcumin which has many scientifically-proven health benefits, It has the potential to prevent heart disease, Alzheimer’s and cancer. It’s a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant help in improving the symptoms of depression and arthritis.

• Beetroots boast an impressive nutritional profile. It helps you to keep blood pressure in check. , improve stamina, fight Inflammation and Improve digestive health. It also helps support your brain health and may have some anti-cancer properties.

Go Vegan

“Veganism is not a sacrifice. It is a joy.” -Gary L. Francione

Broccoli

• Broccoli is a great source of vitamins K and C, a good source of folic acid. It also provides potassium, fibre. Vitamin C – builds collagen, which forms body tissue and bone, and helps cuts and wounds heal.

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and protects the body from damaging free radicals

Sweet corn

• Filled with nutrients, it reduces the risk of anaemia.

Vitamin B 12, iron and folic acid help the production of red cells. It also enhances your physical energy, lowers blood sugar and cholesterol level.

Carrot

• Carrots are rich with vitamin A, and antioxidants.

It can help reduce the risks of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Carrots are also rich in vitamins, minerals, and fibre.

Pumpkins

• The vegetable is highly nutritious and rich in vitamin A.  Its high antioxidant content reduces the risk of chronic diseases, boost Immunity, protect your eyesight and promote weight loss.

Cauliflower

• The nutrition profile of cauliflower is very impressive.

High in fibre,  antioxidants, choline, it helps you losing the weight and easy to add to your regular diet.

Cabbage

• The vegetable Is packed with nutrients and keeps inflammation always under check.

Vitamin C improves your digestion and helps the heart to keep healthy. It lowers the blood pressure and cholesterol levels and an excellent source for vitamin K.

Green Leafy vegetables

• Green leafy vegetables like collards and kale are rich in calcium, ensuring the strong teeth and bones.

Presence of antioxidants such as vitamin C, lutein, and zeaxanthin reduce the risk of cataracts and muscular degeneration and provides healthy skin and hair.

Cucumber

• Always advised by the doctors to add it in your daily diets, it is high in nutrients and low in calories and contains a host of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

It promotes hydration in the body, lower the blood sugar and helps you in weight loss.

Okara/ Indian ladies finger

Rich and filled in with vitamin A, B & C along with zinc and calcium. Its contents also having fibre and folic acid and act as an antidote to constipation, prevents a birth defect. It also helps to manage blood sugar in type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Summing Up for your better tomorrow

“Health is wealth” ..an old saying which we have learnt from our grandparents, parents and teachers and holds good not only for today but for the times to come.  They are the ones who guided us by imparting the basic knowledge of healthy lifestyle tips.

 A person possessing good health can well afford to challenge all the hardship relating to his/her life and profession and can always come out successful with flying colours.

Healthy living is a combination of few things, that includes good nutrition, daily exercise, a positive attitude, the willpower to undertake all the challenges and a disciplined and determined approach to lead a healthy lifestyle explained in detail in the above post.

Taking care of your body and feeling pride in your accomplishments can improve both your physical and mental health. The end bottom line moral of the post is to lead a successful healthy life in the metro city, you live in and set a living example to the next generation in your neighbourhood and social circle. Be an example to others and educate your near and dear ones on “ Healthy Lifestyle Tips”.

The images used in the blog posts are essentially free to use images, picked up from various sites like pixabay,pexels and unsplash . Due image courtesy has been provided to the ones which were from the third-party website. The images are used only to provide an interesting reading experience to the readers and not for any commercial purposes. These images are not owned by us and we do not claim any ownership on them.

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