Photo by Ella Olsson on Unsplash
Written by: Mitch De Guzman
Aside from the importance of getting a reliable internet connection, another one of the most important lessons we learned from the pandemic was the importance of taking excellent care of our bodies and mental health. We now ask how to be healthy. It made us understand even more how important good health and physical fitness are as our first line of defense against serious health problems such as heart disease, breast cancer, lung cancer, and other various types of cancers.
We have learned that even the healthiest individual can become infected with Covid. However, one’s state of good health is still somewhat of an advantage, as it gives one a higher survival rate than those who are unhealthy. This is thanks to a well-functioning immune system that makes one generally free from other health conditions that may be conducive to hosting, or made worse by, the virus.
Despite the government’s vigorous vaccination efforts, we see no end to the pandemic yet. So, we remain susceptible to the virus until a significant supermajority is immunized. With a population like ours, it will take some time—two years at the minimum—to vaccinate the entire nation. And while we all look forward to that, the onus is on us to keep ourselves in top shape.
Thanks to technology and the gift of fiber internet, we now have access to a full range of health information. We can keep abreast with the latest news to help further guard ourselves against the threats of the Covid-19 virus.
While we’re at it, let’s go through some of the most effective ways to keep healthy and fit amid this crisis.
1. Maintain Proper Hydration
According to science, humans can survive for extended periods without food than they can without water, because the latter is the source of energy for our cells. Water also lowers our blood pressure. This is why keeping our bodies hydrated is of paramount importance.
Most individuals, however, tend to forget this because of their lifestyle, certain diet fads, and the appeal of ready-to-eat meals and junk food. Many fail to maintain a healthy body primarily because of a mix of these factors—too much blood sugar and trans fats entering the body but less hydration and vitamins, the latter because a lot of people do not necessarily like vegetables.
More so, drinking too little reduces the efficacy of vital bodily activities. This include digestion and absorption. Adults should consume two or more liters of water every day. However, at least eight glasses would be ideal for both adults and children to gain optimum health benefits.
Some Other Advantages
Some argue that drinking hot or warm water is preferable because it stimulates the digestive system and aids in removing toxins from the body. On the other hand, drinking cold water does not make hydration any less effective. It is even advised by health care professionals to drink cold water on hot summer days to keep the body temperature down. In principle, the water temperature doesn’t matter—so, take whatever suits you.
Furthermore, water can help you lose weight by combating hunger symptoms and the desire for sugary drinks or snacks. Studies show that people who drink water before meals are less hungry than those who do not. It could be due to an increase in metabolism caused by drinking water or that their stomach feels full after consuming fluids rather than food.
Avoid drinking sodas as much as possible, and of course, alcohol abuse especially in a pandemic condition. They are heavy in sugar and, in some cases, artificial sweeteners. Diabetes and heart disease can be caused by consuming too much of them. Juices made from fresh fruits and vegetables are a better option. But water is still an excellent drink for staying hydrated and satisfied, so make sure you include it in your regimen!
2. Eat a Healthy and Balanced Diet to Avoid Heart Disease and Other Illnesses
Maintaining optimal health through good nutrition is a key to promoting overall well being.
Part of it is by ensuring that your body receives all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals required to function well. Plan your meals and snacks to contain nutrient-dense, low-calorie items. A healthy and balanced diet consists of nutritional food, which are vital since they are the best way to keep our immune systems healthy and strong.
Here’s a balanced diet checklist to use as a reference and reminder when shopping for food.
Beans and lentils are good sources of protein.
They are low in saturated fat but high in fiber and protein which is crucial for muscle growth.
Include fruits and vegetables in your diet.
They are an excellent source of vitamins and fiber, both of which will keep you satisfied. First, fiber is beneficial to the digestive tract. You just have to restrict high-sugar fruits such as grapes, bananas, oranges, and pineapple.
On the other hand, some fruits contain various vitamins that will keep your health up. You’ll maintain stable blood pressure and be less susceptible to heart disease and certain types of cancers. Your bone health will also be maintained. Getting vitamin D is also good for your skin. That is why people who are fond of fruits and vegetables reap these benefits.
Avoid unhealthy fats.
Reduce your intake of fatty meals, such as chips and fast food, because they are high in fat. Trans fats are the worst for your body.
More on fiber.
Instead of eating too much white rice, try to consume brown rice. You’ll then be less prone to heart disease and stroke. You may also want to eat whole wheat bread or whole grains which are rich in fiber, protein, vitamin B, and other minerals. This will keep your health up as well.
Switch to organic.
Avoid processed foods with artificial colors and flavors, as well as preservatives like MSG.
Less sugary food.
Limit intake of sugary food because they are generally high in fat and calories, leading to weight gain. Excessive sugar can cause diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure if you don’t watch your consumption. Besides that, it can also cause tooth decay. If you can’t avoid sugar entirely, consider restricting it as much as possible, or reducing portion sizes. It will aid in the maintenance of a healthy diet and weight.
Don’t skip!
Lastly, don’t skip breakfast, the day’s most important meal. Breakfast kickstarts your metabolism, allowing you to burn more calories throughout the day.
3. Exercise Regularly
Physical activity like exercising keeps your body healthy and your mind sharp. It also aids with stress management by releasing serotonin, a chemical produced by our nerve cells. It aids in regulating sleep, appetite, and more. Serotonin also affects our moods, so if you’re feeling down, try going for a run or doing some yoga to see how it affects you.
Being on lockdown should not prevent us from keeping our body in shape. Here are some fitness tips that you can explore:
- Enroll in fitness groups, such as clubs or fitness classes. They are beneficial for motivation and maintaining your exercise program. Seeing how other individuals can stay healthy and fit will inspire you to do the same.
- If you cannot exercise in a gym due to the pandemic, you may explore exercise videos on YouTube, which can help you develop a fitness program and have an easier time working out. It is ideal to have reliable and high-speed internet to provide you an uninterrupted exercise experience at home.
- Keep a fitness journal to track your daily food intake and workout routine. It will inspire you to stay on track with your exercise regimen, especially when you see that you are making progress. You can find printable fitness journal templates on Pinterest.
- To help motivate you further, try finding some fitness companions or joining health-oriented groups on social networking sites like Facebook.
- Aside from YouTube, there are downloadable fitness applications that can assist you in organizing your workout program and diet. Most of these apps provide free trial versions to use until you find the best regimen for yourself.
Exercise should be an integral part of your daily routine, like brushing your teeth or taking a bath. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Try to move as much as possible, even if it is only walking around the block. Walking is an excellent way to burn calories. If you go out, you must still adhere to health precautions such as wearing face masks and maintaining social distance.
4. Make sleep a priority
GET ENOUGH SLEEP!
How often do we hear this from a health care professional or our family doctor? And yet, even though we know that staying up late at night is detrimental to us, we do it nonetheless, especially if our job requires it.
Sleep is essential for our overall well-being because it’s the only time our bodies recover from weariness. It is during this time when the brain stores new knowledge and eliminates hazardous waste. Nerve cells also need to connect and rearrange to restore normal brain function. Lack of sleep makes you feel light-headed and confused. People are unable to think clearly and are easily confused, both of which are risk factors for accidents, disease, or even death.
Many of us increase the risk of gaining weight due to lack of sleep. Because we have more opportunities to eat, we increase our intake of glucose and sugar—resulting in weight gain. It also tends to increase the risk of getting stressed out.
The amount of sleep required varies with age. Teenagers may need at least ten hours of sleep per night, while adults typically require between seven and eight hours to be fully functional during the day. While younger adults can function with less sleep due to their high vitality level, they still should not abuse themselves. Chronic sleep deprivation can cause serious consequences.
Moreover, sleep deprivation also causes an increase in stress hormones in the body, leading to poor dietary choices. We tend to compensate for the lack of sleep with food consumption, and often we crave unhealthy meals high in sugar, fat, and salt, which is terrible because they can lead to illnesses. Thus, we must get adequate sleep to avoid all the risk factors involved in it.
5. Stay Connected with Family and Friends to Keep Mental Health
Keeping in touch is vital because humans are social creatures. The lack of physical interaction can be mentally taxing.
This prolonged loss of face-to-face contact and communication may be difficult, especially for people who live alone. However, distance should not prevent us from feeling emotionally connected. After all, isolation can lead to despair or loneliness, neither of which is beneficial to our fitness or health.
And since we cannot engage in many forms of physical activity even with family members due to the pandemic, the key is to find ways to make things work. We may not be able to hold hands, but at least we remain connected through various means.
There are many ways to stay in touch with family and friends, especially if you have unlimited internet access. Zoom, Google Meet, Facebook Messenger, and Apple FaceTime are various examples of how one can easily get on a video call.
Although making phone calls and texting are still available, a face-to-face conversation is far superior. It gives the impression that you are together even if you’re not. And the conversations will flow more smoothly. Additionally, you can have virtual fun activities such as sports games, board games, sing-alongs, or whatever your interests are.
Maintaining contact reduces the risk of stress and enhances mental wellness. Interaction with others fosters the cultivation of happy feelings. Sharing stories, no matter how trivial, tend to brighten an otherwise gloomy heart.
“Laughing is, and will always be, the best form of therapy.” – Dau Voire.
6. Self Care
While many of the topics covered here are dedicated to self-care, there is one exercise that everyone should begin practicing: mindfulness. It is time to quiet your mind and focus on the beauty of the present moment. Meditation can help you deal with stress, anxiety, fury, or sadness. Hence, we are more likely to be aware of health issues if we are aware of what is going on inside our heads.
Meditation is a technique for training the mind to become more calm, focused, and self-aware. Its function is to restrain the mind from racing around in an aimless (or even deliberate) stream of thoughts.
An excellent place to start is Headspace’s Guide to Meditation on Netflix if you’re a beginner. But if you feel you are ready for this incredible adventure, you can search for Deepak Chopra, a well-known meditation guru, and his 21-Day of Abundance Meditation. You’ll learn to improve your outlook and your quality of living by following his guided meditations.
Finally, you can try Balance, a downloadable meditation app. It includes a variety of meditation techniques that you can utilize based on your present situation. There is one for energy, anxiety, creativity, focus, and a lot more.
As the famous adage of Ralph Emerson Waldo goes, “Life is a journey, not a destination.” Indeed, we must enjoy every minute of it.
Health and Information Technology
Technology is steadily infiltrating every part of our lives. The convenience it brings makes us love it even more. What’s even better is how it keeps us connected and up to date on the latest news. In this day and age, high-speed fiber internet is no longer a luxury—it is a necessity.
Even connecting with a health professional is now done online. Many have had consultations via telemedicine, most especially during lockdown days when no doctor is holding clinic in their areas.
GET STREAMTECH FIBER INTERNET!
Indeed, fiber internet has become a highly sought-after commodity because it allows you full access to everything online while avoiding any issues that may develop from other forms of connections, such as weather disturbances or line congestion. Good thing you don’t have to look far to find a service provider that can give you top-tier fiber internet access.
Streamtech is a broadband internet service provider that offers reliable and high-speed internet connections and services by utilizing the most advanced technology. Additionally, it continuously explores ways to provide everyone with equitable access to the fastest and most limitless internet connection possible through its fiber-optic network.
The best thing about Streamtech is that it provides these high-speed internet connections at reasonable prices. It is among the faster-growings cable and broadband internet service providers in the country. Despite being a new player in the category, people gravitate to Streamtech for its amazing speeds, high-quality services, and competitive pricing.
Don’t get left behind.
