Leading a healthy life has become fashionable, but the truth is that it is seriously, closely, and bindingly related to a way of life that includes the regular practice of physical activity, accompanied by a healthy diet and sleeping well in a healthy balance.
A well-balanced diet, physical activity, and adequate nightly rest are effective in slowing down health problems when they are a regular part of the routine; the proper intake of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and proteins is essential for the normal functioning of the body and the organism.
The Value of a Balanced Diet
Following a balanced diet, that is, a balanced and varied diet to lead the healthiest life possible, should be part of this routine of healthy habits. This implies including most nutrients such as proteins, minerals like calcium, and vitamins C and D, which are key for maintaining good muscle, bone, and joint health.
Maintaining a balanced diet involves establishing a series of habits, including setting and respecting appropriate meal times, good hydration, and consuming a variety of foods in the correct portions and quantities. In short, a healthy diet is based on meeting the nutritional and caloric needs of each person according to their requirements and daily activity.
This means that a healthy and adequate diet should be rather personalized and tailored to the individual requirements of each person; healthy eating habits include, as already mentioned, the establishment of meal times and strict adherence to those times, the inclusion of different nutritional groups in the diet, as well as good hydration.
Importance of Sleeping Well
It is interesting how the functions of sleep can also be regulated by following a routine of night rest that includes setting a time, a light dinner, a comfortable pajama, and favorable environmental conditions to naturally stimulate sleep until the body gets used to the fact that it is time to sleep.
Heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure rise and fall during the night, which is a very important process for cardiovascular health. Additionally, the body releases a series of hormones that aid in cell repair.
There are many factors that can interrupt and affect sleep; stimulants such as caffeine or certain medications. Other physical agents like the noise from electronic devices or the light from televisions, the uncontrolled use of cell phones, among others, can make it difficult to fall asleep.
A Question of Habits
It is important to build healthy habits, as otherwise there is a risk of health problems that can become chronic. It can be somewhat difficult and even uphill to change wrong habits that are already well established, especially if they are behaviors that have been adopted for a long time. The best way to improve quality of life is to start creating the habit gradually rather than adhering to a completely strict discipline.
Imbalances in Quality of Life
Malnutrition, overwork, and lack of physical exercise can occur due to either a deficit or excess of calories consumed, as well as an imbalance in the intake of different nutrients. A healthy diet is not only governed by the number of calories it contains but also by the content of the foods and the needs of each individual.
A diet that does not meet each of the basic requirements can promote the onset of diseases of all kinds, which can be acute or chronic. An insufficient and completely incomplete diet, that is, one that does not cover the daily caloric needs that an individual demands, can be a cause of malnutrition.
On the other hand, in case of a significant deficiency of any nutrient, associated pathologies could arise, such as anemia due to low consumption of iron-rich foods. Excessive caffeine intake affects sleep, and lack of exercise and a sedentary lifestyle contribute to overweight.
Importance of Schedules
Referring to habits, and for a good understanding of the topic, it is about a series of repetitive ways of behaving day by day, aimed at building routines that help regulate daily activity in an orderly manner, denoting order and structure as well as greater physical and emotional security and stability (Hidalgo, 2007). Therefore, including appropriate routines and habits even from childhood helps to delineate appropriate behaviors in connection with educational strategies in space and time, through the repetition of actions and tasks (Cabría, 2012).
It is of utmost importance, then, for various authors and researchers in the field, the adoption of routine schemes not only for the proper education of the child, as a socializing factor and a building block of learning, but also for the formation of appropriate behaviors from the structure. In summary, the design of routines and good habits starts from determining plans and schedules of voluntary but strict compliance that allow for the proper ordering and structuring of the same, framed within an awareness of self-discipline in the adult.
Following a diet and rest periods that respect both meal times and nighttime rest is of great importance, as it prevents periods of hunger and insomnia from becoming chronic, which results in disorder and imbalance in health. The task is to ensure food intake every three to four hours, in portions that do not exceed the individual's requirements, as well as hours of sleep according to particular conditions.
The consumption of food during meal times is well recommended, as it keeps the metabolism working continuously, which contributes to an active movement of the body, due to the utilization of calories and nutrients provided, and thus maintains stable levels of glycemia and cholesterol.
Routines have become an inherent part of modern life, and indeed they are, as they do not require extensive formal knowledge in their construction. From an early age, parents at home teach and establish daily habits for their children, being significant figures that contribute to developing emotional bonds, protective behaviors, and modeled conduct as authority figures in the dynamics of each of these family units. This means that it is not so difficult; it only requires willpower and discipline.
Some Recommendations
Finally, to achieve a truly healthy and wholesome life that promotes good health, it is recommended to first establish schedules and adhere to them. Regarding good nutrition, the ideal is to build a diet based on a good selection of foods to consume. Maintaining a complete and sufficient diet is essential, containing all food groups and promoting the consumption of fruits, vegetables, lean meats, low-fat dairy, legumes, and whole grains.
We live in a modern society, where the trend towards leisure and sedentary behavior is dangerously increasing; it is very common to spend a lot of time sitting, even leisure hours are limited to watching television or playing video games, and in most cases working in front of a computer, and little by little we have been relegating activities that promote our health such as dancing, walking, or doing any sports activity we enjoy. Choosing and dedicating time to a physical activity provides great health benefits, even helping to sleep better accompanied by a comfortable pajama. We invite you to visit our website El Búho Nocturno where we are sure you will find it.