A healthy lifestyle (HL)

is a comprehensive approach. It is a common misconception that it consists only of ‘proper nutrition’ and/or sports.
In fact, a healthy lifestyle is a set of certain skills that can help a person maintain a high level of physical and intellectual activity. Today, we are surrounded by a lot of contradictory information from various doctors, nutritionists, biohackers, and people who call themselves experts in healthy lifestyles. How can we avoid getting lost in all this and how can we improve our health today? We will try to answer these questions below.
The first and golden rule that could be highlighted is healthy sleep. If you don’t know where to start, start getting enough sleep. This seemingly easy advice can make a huge difference to your life. It’s no secret that the human body has its own biorhythms, which in turn are associated with the production of certain hormones at certain times. So, for the harmonious functioning of the nervous, immune, digestive, endocrine and cardiovascular systems, a person needs an average of 7-9 hours of sleep (adolescents aged 14-17 years – up to 10 hours, children aged 6-13 years – up to 11 hours a day). It is noteworthy that not only the duration but also the quality of sleep is important. Experts recommend giving up gadgets, watching films, and exhausting workouts 1-1.5 hours before bedtime, as this negatively affects melatonin production. Before going to bed, it’s better to read a book, take a warm bath, go for a walk in the fresh air, pray – do those things that help you relax and calm down. The bedroom should be comfortable, quiet, and cool.
Also, try to stick to your sleep schedule – fall asleep and wake up at the same time.

The second equally important rule is healthy eating. This is a varied and balanced diet that includes proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and other nutrients that help provide the body with the necessary substances for its proper functioning. The main problem with modern nutrition is the fast, uncontrolled and chaotic consumption of fast food, sweets and processed foods, foods with a lot of trans fats, foods with a lot of salt and sugar. Remember that it is impossible to have a healthy body without a healthy gut. A few simple tips will help you make your diet better:

1. Try to include as much seasonal food as possible in your meals.
2. Eat as many greens, berries, vegetables, cruciferous vegetables and legumes as possible. These foods improve the microflora, strengthen your immune system, and contain a large amount of vegetable protein. Experiment with different recipes, don’t be afraid to try new things. Introduce foods that are new to you gradually.
3. Try to exclude confectionery and sweets from your daily diet. Try to replace them with nuts and dried fruits that are dried without syrups or sugar. Eat only high-quality chocolate that contains cocoa butter and no additional vegetable or milk fat or cocoa powder. Fruit is also a dessert.
4. Stick to your diet. Try to have 3-4 full meals, without additional snacks. Do not skip breakfast.
5. Do not forget to drink enough water.

The third is physical activity, which should be moderate and enjoyable. If you have the time and the mood, choose the stairs over the lift. Try to spend more time outdoors, take more walks, and try to alternate regular walking with brisk walking – this is very good for strengthening the heart muscle. Find a hobby that you like: whether it’s dancing, cycling, going to the gym or group Pilates or aerobics classes – whatever it is, it will help you keep fit physically and also has a very good effect on your psycho-emotional state.

And the fourth is taking care of your mental and emotional health. In the context of a full-scale invasion, it is important to take care of ourselves and the people around us. Don’t close yourself off and don’t be afraid to ask for help if you really need it. Seek professional help if you feel you cannot cope with anxiety or obsessive thoughts on your own.
Take care of your information hygiene. Choose 2-3 sources you trust and don’t scroll through your news feed every 15 minutes. Try to approach information critically, and if in doubt, it is better to check it for fakes. Spend more time with your family, friends, and people close to you. Allow yourself to rest every day to avoid emotional burnout.

In general, schedules and regimes are something that our brain (its emotional part) does not like very much, but our body likes very much. Therefore, for our body to work better, we should stick to a diet and drinking regime, a daily routine: a balance of work and rest, and a sleep schedule. Discipline is more important than motivation and works in the long run, so if you really want positive changes in your life, you can learn to gradually acquire the above skills. You shouldn’t try to embrace everything at once: it’s better to gradually change your life without stress, try and try to understand what works for you.