7 HEALTHY LIFESTYLES IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS - ARTE - 2024

The healthy lifestyles in adults and children are based on a healthy and balanced diet, frequent physical activity and avoiding bad habits like smoking or drinking alcohol. Leading a healthy life is essential to stay healthy, prevent diseases, be productive, happy and maintain good relationships with those close to you.

Here are several healthy lifestyles, based on diet, sports and mental attitudes. The lifestyle is not only food or sports, but a way of seeing life, and what activities are carried out.

Lifestyles to have a healthy life

1-Veganism

The vegan diet is one in which not only meats are avoided, but all products of animal origin, such as milk, eggs or honey.

For many, veganism is not just a food option, but a way of life that tends to improve health, take care of the environment and protect animals from abuse and exploitation.

The vegan diet avoids animal fats and tends to incorporate a greater amount of fresh fruits and vegetables. In this way, the vegan diet helps reduce blood pressure, reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity, among other diseases.

However, the vegan regime poses certain challenges. Any balanced diet must provide sufficient amounts of all the nutrients necessary for the good health of the body, such as proteins, vitamins and minerals.

By not including products of animal origin, a vegan diet that is not well controlled can be deficient in iron, protein and vitamin B 12 in the long term, which is very harmful to health.

If you are going to follow a vegan diet, remember that:

You should avoid consuming refined carbohydrates in excess.

It is best to incorporate fruits, vegetables and whole grains in all your meals.

Taking a food supplement that includes vitamin B12 can be a very good idea.

Accompany meals with a drink high in vitamin C (natural orange juice, for example) to improve iron assimilation.

Consulting a nutritionist is necessary to plan a healthy vegan diet that meets all your needs.

2-Ovo-lacto-vegetarianism

Many people choose to follow a vegetarian diet and do not eat any type of meat but include some products of animal origin, such as milk or eggs in their diet. It is the so-called "ovo-lacto-vegetarian" regimen and can also constitute a healthy lifestyle.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics of the United States and also the Association of Nutritionists of Canada affirm that balanced and well-planned vegetarian diets are healthy and provide certain benefits in the prevention and treatment of some diseases.

For example, according to a meta-analytical study carried out in Japan, the vegetarian diet is capable of reducing blood pressure in some cases, without the need for medication.

Learn more about the benefits of a vegetarian diet here.

In addition, various scientific investigations affirm that the vegetarian diet can also reduce the risk of diabetes, cancer and obesity, among other diseases.

On the other hand, the vegetarian diet is capable of improving blood glucose levels in diabetic patients, according to the results of a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

In summary, the ovo-lacto-vegetarian diet can be beneficial in many ways, as long as the eating plan is balanced and provides all the necessary nutrients. As in the case of veganism, it is best to always consult a nutritionist to help you plan your diet to avoid nutritional deficiencies.

3-Flexitarianism, the new option

As you may have seen by now, plant-based diets have many health benefits.

Does this mean that you necessarily have to go vegetarian or vegan? Not at all.

Not long ago, a new word emerged that identifies eating habits that mainly include products of plant origin, but which occasionally also allow the ingestion of meat: it is flexitarianism.

It would be like a semi-vegetarianism or a flexible vegetarianism. It is a diet that is based mainly on fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes, but those who follow it, from time to time also include fish, poultry or red meat, occasionally and in moderation.

Eating less meat also has many benefits. In general, all balanced diets based on plant products help to have good control of body weight and avoid chronic diseases.

Eating meat once or twice a week will be enough to give you a treat if you feel like it, while maintaining the benefits of a vegetarian diet.

4-omnivorous diet

An omnivorous diet can also be part of a healthy lifestyle, as long as the proportions between the different food groups are correct and the portions are adequate to maintain a healthy weight.

A healthy omnivorous diet includes plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains. It also includes, in moderate amounts, meat, dairy, and eggs.

In this type of eating plan, you should limit the amount of sodium, refined sugars, saturated fat, and trans fat.

5-Active lifestyle

A sedentary lifestyle is another of the great evils of our times. A healthy lifestyle should include regular physical activity and exercise.

Physical activity, such as going for a walk for example, helps prevent a large number of physical and psychological illnesses, provided it is practiced regularly.

Physical activity and exercise help prevent cardiovascular disease, prevent overweight and obesity, and lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

On the other hand, it also brings psychological benefits.

Energetic physical exercise, practiced regularly, prevents stress and anxiety, as shown by various scientific studies.

In this way, exercise dramatically improves quality of life, by reducing tension and increasing the secretion of endorphins, chemicals produced by the brain that cause a feeling of general well-being.

Therefore, if you want to follow a healthy lifestyle, in addition to taking care of your diet, you must stay active.

If you are going to practice any sport, such as running, cycling or spinning, remember to consult your doctor before, follow a training plan prepared by a professional and hydrate properly before and after the activity.

6-Be cautious

Death rates from traffic accidents remain third among causes of death even in developed countries.

Most of them could be avoided, as they are due to human error due to lack of care or caution.

If you want to have a healthy lifestyle, in addition to being cautious when driving (do not drive under the influence of alcohol or other drugs and respect traffic rules, especially the speed limit) you should also take precautions in other situations, such as For example, when having sex.

The main problem to face when having unprotected sex is undoubtedly HIV infection.

According to a WHO report, 2.2 million people are currently infected with HIV in Europe, but about half do not know it.

Therefore, it is extremely important to use a prophylactic when having sex, especially if you do not have a stable partner.

Being cautious in every way should also be part of a healthy lifestyle.

7-Minimize negative emotions

Having a positive mind also has great benefits in physical and mental health.

Negative emotions must be properly managed to have a full life. One of the main negative emotional factors of these times is the famous stress.

Excessive stress lowers the defenses and increases the risk of suffering diseases, in addition to making us feel bad.

Stress can not only have direct psychological and physical effects, but it can also lead us towards an unhealthy lifestyle.

According to certain scientific research, increased stress is associated with greater consumption of drugs and alcohol, reducing healthy behaviors.

Additionally, chronic stress can increase blood pressure, cause anxiety, depression, and heart problems.

To avoid stress, find recreational activities that you really enjoy and do some kind of relaxation exercise (yoga, meditation, etc.).

Organize your schedule correctly, try to identify the factors that cause you stress and stay away from them.

On the other hand, if you are feeling negative emotions (sadness, anguish) that do not allow you to feel good in situations that you previously enjoyed, and if these negative emotions last for a long time and do not disappear, then perhaps it is time to consult a professional.

Taking the necessary medical consultations and attending the therapy recommended by professionals can also be part of a healthy lifestyle.

Conclusions

There are several types of healthy lifestyles.

As you have seen, the food options can be varied and you can have a healthy life by doing different types of physical activity.

All you have to do is look for the options that best suit your preferences and possibilities.

Don't forget that being cautious and managing negative emotions correctly are also important factors in any healthy lifestyle you want to adopt.