10 tips for a healthy, long life

Everyone wants to stay healthy and fit for as long as possible. With a healthy lifestyle you can do a lot yourself. The most important factors are diet, exercise, relaxation and sleep, avoidance of stimulants and a positive attitude towards life. A conscious lifestyle increases your chances of staying fit into old age. Here are 10 important tips on what you can do yourself to preserve your health and quality of life for a long time:

1. Proper nutrition

Hardly anything is more important for maintaining health than a healthy diet. A healthy diet consists of:

• at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, preferably raw, in all colors and varieties
• Dairy products like  yogurt  and  cheese  daily
• Fish once or twice a week
• lots of vegetable oils and carbohydrates, including plenty of legumes
• When it comes to cereal products, it is best to use the whole grain version
• little meat and fat, also pay attention to hidden fats in, for example, sausage and finished products
• Use salt  and sugar sparingly
• Cook food only as short as necessary and with little water and fat

All of this not only maintains our vital functions, but also strengthens the  immune system .

2. Drink enough

A lack of water damages the human organism: Since water is not only an important part of the body’s cells, but also the main component of the blood, the blood can no longer flow properly if we drink too little. The entire body is less well supplied, brain performance and the ability to concentrate decrease. Suitable thirst quenchers are water, fruit juice or  herbal tea . The German Society for Nutrition recommends that adults consume  at least two liters of  liquid every day.

3. Regular exercise

Regular endurance sport is good for body and soul and is the best way to get your body in shape and your organism revved up. Sport helps to strengthen the body’s  defenses  , reduce stress symptoms and prevent cardiovascular diseases,  diabetes , obesity and osteoporosis. Even the brain performance in old age is positively influenced.

Any type of physical activity contributes to your well-being: the minimum to prevent illness is half an hour of  light movement five to seven times a week . It’s never too late to start exercising. Even those who only start when they are old benefit almost immediately from the positive effects.

4. Lots of fresh air and light

Oxygen awakens the spirits and mobilizes the immune system. So get out in the fresh air every day, even in winter. Another positive effect when we are outside: we get more light, which also improves our mood. In daylight, the neurotransmitter  serotonin  is released, which brightens the mood.

Even when the weather is really bad   , it is much brighter outside than indoors. Light is also important for the production of vitamin D – essential for strong bones.

5. Relaxation for balance

Stress, hustle and bustle and mental stress sap resistance; Disturbances in the balance between tension and relaxation can lead to serious mental and physical illnesses. So at the latest when stress and hustle and bustle get the upper hand, it’s time to shift down a gear.

Relaxation techniques such as autogenic training, progressive  muscle relaxation  according to Jacobsen or yoga can help to regain balance and serenity.

6. Sleeping enough and regularly

Sleep is a basic need that we need to satisfy just as regularly as eating and drinking. It is an indispensable basis of life and the prerequisite for development, well-being and health. During sleep, the  metabolism is  shifted down a gear, while the repair mechanisms work at full speed.

The immune system, digestion, cardiovascular system, nervous system and brain need sleep to regenerate. Recent studies show, for example, that people who regularly sleep too little have a much higher risk of  heart attacks  .

7. Brisk brain jogging

“Moving brings blessings” – this saying applies not only to our body, but also to our brain. Because just like our muscles, the brain also wants to be busy – for a lifetime. If the gray cells are not kept busy, they degrade. Conversely, the brain can be trained like a muscle. In order to stay mentally fit, the gray cells need daily training.

8. Health risk of recreational toxins

Smoking  is harmful to health, and every cigarette is! However, it’s never too late to quit smoking – even after years of nicotine addiction, it’s good for your health. After 10 years of smoking cessation, the risk of lung cancer is again comparable to that of non-smokers; after 15 years the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Moderate consumption  of alcohol  is generally not harmful – consumed in moderation it can definitely have positive effects. But it should stick to a small glass and several alcohol-free days per week, because there is no such thing as risk-free alcohol consumption.

9. Healthy relationships

Whether you like it or not, everyone is tied into a network of relationships. The success of interpersonal relationships is an important factor for quality of life, mental and physical health. Vibrant and fulfilling relationships – these start with a healthy relationship with yourself and with life.

10. Yes to life

People with a positive outlook on life tend to have better psychological coping skills. They expose themselves to less stress and thus protect their immune system. In addition, people with a positive attitude can laugh better at themselves and thus show sovereignty and composure.

Openness, for example in the exchange with people with different experiences and lifestyles, helps to remain flexible. Because those who are caught in constantly repeating life patterns limit their possibilities of experience. And takes the chance to keep his brain active.