Top Five Healthy Habits

Being healthy is not something that can be achieved overnight. You really have to dedicated yourself into doing it. There is not really any magical formula or crazy technique for this. Any books, diets, or special techniques out there that work are all really doing one thing: causing you to develop a habit of doing healthy actions.
They offer encouraging words, and prove to you results...and really, they re more or less motivating you to become healthier. Why do those, pay money, when you can simply develop your own good habits? So I ve done some research and found out some of the habits of healthy people. Here are the ones I feel are Top 5 habits of healthy people.


1. Eat Breakfast Everyday

Eating breakfast is healthy because they tend to take in more nutrients: vitamins, minerals, less fat, less cholesterol. In fact, having breakfast helps hold of hunger pangs till lunch, and you re less prone to buy high calorie foods from the local vending machine. Studies have shown kids who eat breakfast perform better. There s even research that shows breakfast eaters have a lower rate of diabetes, less chance to become obese, when compared to those who do not eat breakfast.

If one of your excuses to not eat breakfast is time, then maybe adjusting it to fit your schedule would be better. For example, some people may wake up not feeling hungry, and would prefer to be able to sleep in; they can bring their breakfast with them when going to work, and eat it while reading their morning emails.

2. Fish and Omega 3

The AHA recommends at least two servings of fish each week. Fish are known to be high in omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 is known to be very healthy for the heart, and there s even evidence that it can soothe an overactive immune system; there seems to be a link between more omega 3 in your diet, and lower symptoms of allergies, asthma, eczema, and other autoimmune disorders.

3. Sleep

Most people actually don t get enough sleep; something like two thirds of adults suffer from sleep problems, and many don t get enough hours of sleep to stay awake/alert. Getting enough sleep is extremely vital for your emotional and physical well being. People who don t get enough sleep are more likely to develop psychiatric problems. Lack of sleep also negatively affect memory, learning, and logical reasoning.

4. Great Friends and Family

Your friends can save your life. How? Four things: They can provide information on any of your symptoms, which can prompt you to see a doctor, they offer emotional support when ever you need it, they can help provide physical support for you when you need to visit doctors...and of course, they help offer a sense of belonging.

5. Exercise!

Do I really need to outline the benefits of exercising? We ve all heard it: the myriads of health benefits, the reduction in various diseases (obesity, diabetes, etc), increased general well being, both mentally and physically. This one is a no brainer really. Exercise is key in losing weight, and it s also key in reducing heart disease. The only problem is it requires commitment.

Why Should I Quit Smoking?

Make a List of Reasons Why You Want to Quit Smoking

Most people who smoke wish they didn't. They live with a hatred for the habit. The fear of serious illness is usually there too, lurking in the background, and always that awful feeling of being powerless to quit. Addiction does that to a person.

As smokers, we live in denial about what cigarettes are doing to us. We have to. Yes, we know that smoking causes cancer and emphysema - we know smoking kills and that we're playing roulette with our health...our lives.

For all that we worry though, most of us don't think anything will happen to us - we have time! We'll quit in time... The bad stuff happens to other people.
Right?

Keeping that layer of denial in place between ourselves and the harsh realities of smoking gets harder to do the longer we smoke. For most of us, there comes a time when the "smokescreen" starts to wear thin. It's inevitable.

The fact that you're reading this article means you're thinking about quitting - probably a lot. You're unhappy enough to be seeking out some help. Good for you. You're a step ahead of the game because you're looking for information about how to quit smoking.

Be practical in your approach to smoking cessation. Much of the process of release from this addiction comes down to plain old practice. We taught ourselves to smoke one day at a time until it was interwoven into just about every activity in our lives. It only makes sense then that we should allow ourselves the time to retrain old habits into newer, healthier ones. Arm yourself with knowledge and support, and be patient. You'll grow stronger by the day.

Start your quit smoking program with a list of reasons for quitting. We all have them.
Why do you want to quit smoking?
My own 26 year addiction turned me into a person I didn't much like.

I was fearful that a smoking-related disease would catch up with me before I found a way to quit smoking. I was worried sick, so to speak.

I hated the smoker's cough I had developed and the shortness of breath that I knew was a signal of lung damage.

I hated the smell, the embarrassment and the need. I especially resented the need. Nicotine dependency made me feel weak and helpless.

These were some of the first things I put on my own list of reasons, and it didn't take me long to add a long line of other things I hated about smoking as well.

What are the reasons behind your desire to quit smoking? Get out some paper and a pen, and list them out. Every single thing you can think of, from the largest, most obvious, to the smallest. Write them all. Carry that list around with you, and add to it when something else comes to mind. Think about the pros and cons of smoking as you compose your list.

By focusing your thoughts on your own personal reasons for quitting, you are laying the foundation for successful smoking cessation. It all starts in your mind, and once you get your thoughts moving in the right direction, taking action will come more easily.

It's like a snowball rolling downhill. Channel your thoughts onto that sheet of paper, and you'll begin to gain momentum. Once you start that snowball rolling, you'll be amazed at what you'll be able to do to change your life for the better. Make it happen!

"If you want to change your life, change your mind."

From Terry Martin,
Your Guide to Smoking Cessation.