After more than a year of study since I originally drafted the previous version of this text, it has become necessary to update both the content (including the fundamental habit of regular sunbathing) and the order of priority of the habits: they are all very important, but the first five are fundamental, and the sixth and seventh are “more than desirable”. But of course, as always, suggestions are very welcome, as the idea is always to improve, for everyone's benefit!
The Basis of Everything Healthy Living Habits & Healthier Lifestyle - Why adopt and maintain them
Let's get straight to the point - whatever your goals in life (from making money and being successful to simply living long and well), in order to “pursue” them, you need one basic condition: to be alive. But it won't do much good if you're alive but can't count on your body and mind working properly (both of them, since the malfunctioning of one of them simply doesn't allow the whole to perform well - more on all this in http://icaro.med.br/viver/), right? So it's obvious that every human being needs to give their body the conditions to function properly on a daily basis or they will get sick (or even die).
Within this obvious framework, we can't help but talk about three modern-day concepts: time, productivity and stress (https://icaro.med.br/falta-de-tempo-ou-falta-de-planejamento/). Those who manage their time well achieve better results and are more successful, obtaining greater productivity, but with less stress associated with it (after all, stress is one of the major causes of illness nowadays): https://icaro.med.br/stress/). But without good health, the “machine” that makes all this possible simply can't function. And I'm talking about your body. In other words, if your body and/or mind aren't working properly, it's impossible for you to be able to work or produce properly in any area of your life. When you're sick, you really waste a lot of time and, without a doubt, your productivity drops. Now, imagine that while this is happening to you, someone who is healthier may get the opportunity they've been waiting for to show that they can produce well in your area and, perhaps, even more and better than you.
Regarding illnesses and general disorders/imbalances, your body has the potential to help treat all of them (in many cases, even treat itself), but for this it needs your support: giving it the conditions to repair damage, fight off “invaders”, recover, maintain and re-establish its balance.
Now that we've all agreed on the vital importance of looking after the overall health of our bodies and minds, the question remains: how do we do this? Well... Stanford University has provided the answer with a “recent” study which concluded that in order to live longer, healthier and better lives, there is something far more important than genetics, environmental conditions and even regular medical care: almost 60% of our healthy longevity comes from our lifestyle! In other words, your lifestyle habits are proven to be the most important and decisive factors in your state of health or illness (of course, there are dozens of other studies that prove this) and how long you will live, with what degree of productivity, capacity and well-being.
E HEALTHY LIFESTYLE HABITS are conditions that only you can provide for your body, by making yourself aware of their importance, adopting and maintaining them: they are what allow your body and mind to strengthen themselves to avoid and fight disease, acting on its causes, thus preventing, eliminating or improving symptoms in a natural, yet lasting and very effective way. Always remember that no treatment really works if you don't try to have and maintain as many healthy lifestyle habits as possible. What are they?
1 - Drink water every hour: Most of the body is made up of water; in other words, if there is no water, everything is damaged and works worse. Water should be drunk several times a day, at least 3 liters/day (for an adult). Lack of water is involved in practically all diseases and symptoms, from obesity and headaches to high blood pressure, inflammation and circulatory diseases in general.
2 - Eat every 3 hours: Food provides energy and “raw materials” for our body to rebuild itself. That's why it needs to receive these nutrients, in varied quality (and without excess), no more than every 3 hours. Anyone who goes too long without eating is like a car with fuel problems: it simply won't run properly.
3 - Eat fiber at least twice a day: Leafy greens, fruits, cereals, granola, sprouts, mushrooms and the like are rich in fiber, which should be consumed between 30 and 40 grams a day (every day). Why are they important? Because they help “cleanse” our body from the inside, and no intestine can function properly without them.
4 - Exercise at least three times a week, for more than 30 minutes at a time: Regular physical exercise, such as walking, gymnastics, cycling, etc., improves blood circulation, which helps the heart in its function and prevents the worst consequences of clogged veins and arteries, such as increased pressure, thrombosis, embolisms, heart attacks and strokes. It also helps you breathe better and gain more muscle, which is necessary for a healthier “old age”. Just note that it's safest to seek medical advice before starting physical activity.
5 - Take care of your sleep: It is during sleep that your body and mind recover from the day that has passed and prepare to face the next one, fixing memories, replenishing nutrients, selecting what is necessary and what needs to be eliminated, among other things. If you don't sleep properly, you're gradually getting sicker. Prefer to sleep in the dark, in a quiet environment, for enough hours, with a good mattress and pillows, among other things.
6 - Breathe properly: Today's fast-paced and stressful life has caused us to breathe more and more shallowly, and this is damaging the supply of oxygen to our bodies; this gas is fundamental for the proper functioning of body and mind. Always remember that we have three “fuels” to run on: the air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink; problems with any of them will make us ill.
7 - Reduce your stress: Stress is one of the biggest causes of illness in “modern times”. To combat it, here are 4 basic tips: 1 - Plan ahead and be less “caught off guard” by unforeseen events; 2 - Focus your energy on taking action to solve problems and not on dwelling on the problems themselves; 3 - Avoid making a “storm in a glass of water”, as this consumes your energy and solves little; 4 - Maintain regular leisure activities (in short, “switch off” periodically); after all, even a machine needs to be switched off periodically to “cool down”, doesn't it?
8 - Maintain a positive and proactive attitude: Negative thinking impairs the functioning of various systems in the body, while positive thinking helps.
9 - Regularly consult the appropriate and necessary health professionals, following their advice: Regular consultations make it possible to identify and treat disorders in their early stages, as well as receive advice on prevention and treatment. After all, even those who take care of themselves sometimes fall ill. It's also essential to follow the treatments exactly as the professionals have prescribed, so that they have a better chance of achieving the desired effects.
10 - Avoid overdoing it and getting intoxicated: Too much of anything is always bad for you and can even intoxicate your body. For this reason, excesses should be occasional and are better tolerated by the body that is well looked after on a daily basis. For example, more than two cups of espresso a day can cause many symptoms, such as increased blood pressure, gastritis, calcium malabsorption, intestinal malfunction, among others. In addition, smoke (of any kind, from cigarettes to pollution), pesticides, excessive sunlight (and/or at the wrong times), drugs and the like poison the body and overload the detoxification systems, thus causing, maintaining and/or worsening signs, symptoms and diseases. You already produce toxins just by being alive... Do you need to let even more into your body and mind?
11 - Expose yourself more to the “good sun”: More than half of humanity is deficient in vitamin D (which is actually a hormone that affects more than 220 processes in the body!) and the main source of it is the conversion of our cholesterol, in the skin, through exposure to sunlight. That's why, at least three times a week, it's advisable (unless otherwise advised by your doctor) to expose yourself to the sun at the right times for 20 to 30 minutes (before 9.30am and after 4.30pm) so that your body can make vitamin D, which helps control blood pressure, improve immunity and fix calcium where it's needed (for example, in your bones), among many other beneficial effects.
If you promote as many of these habits as possible in your daily life, you will be healthier and your body will be better able to respond to the many unbalancing factors to which we are exposed on a daily basis. The result? Fewer illnesses and a much better quality of life and well-being, factors that lead to greater productivity, capacity, longevity and, as a result, a much greater chance of success!
It's worth pointing out that no one here is talking about 8 or 80: that either you have all 11 healthy habits ok at once or nothing will do! The more of them you adopt and maintain, as best you can according to your real effort and personal conditions, the greater and better beneficial effect on your health you will achieve, cumulatively. Of course, everyone has their own pace at which they implement changes... The important thing, however, is to actually put them into practice, even if gradually.
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