Modern lifestyle and fast-paced environment have transformed how we prepare and consume our daily meals. With workload and personal commitments, most people feel under pressure to keep up with the day and face mental stress. They prefer to skip a proper meal at the start of the day and grab a burger, pizza, fried chicken, or chocolate shake on the go. Environmental factors like lifestyle and diet greatly affect determining the lifespan.
Effects of an Unhealthy diet:
The unhealthy choices led to the growth of several health issues in adults. For instance, cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. In 2022, Pennsylvania ranked high among the states with the highest cancer rates. According to statistics, more than 79000 cancer cases are reported in Pennsylvania. Several medical experts link cancer and other health risks with poor diet, alcohol and tobacco addiction, and inflammatory conditions such as obesity. Making healthy choices and adopting an active lifestyle can make all the difference. For instance, doctors recommend a healthy diet while fighting off chronic diseases such as cancer like mesothelioma. It helps in improving the immunity system and builds muscle mass.
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Coming back to the scientific tips, here are a few that can guide you to stay healthy in this fast-food world.
Intake of Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables packed with vitamins, prebiotic fiber, antioxidants, and minerals are overall healthy. However, some fruits and vegetables like grapes, berries, broccoli, spinach, carrots, and tomatoes are more effective in preventing common health risks. People who include fruits and vegetables as an essential part of their diet tend to live long, healthy lives. A plant-based diet is also helpful in reducing obesity and heart disease.
Eat Protein-Enriched Diet
Proteins are an essential source of raw materials that create and build new cells and tissues. It helps you shed extra pounds by speeding up your metabolism, reducing food cravings, and snacking late at night. Protein-rich foods include lean meats, poultry, fish, and seafood. Eating whole egg and dairy products can prove beneficial for maintaining your overall health. A high protein diet can keep you full for the day and helps in reducing blood pressure.
Drink Plenty of Water
Drinking adequate water is the best way to keep your body hydrated. This way, you don’t have to worry about additives, sugar, or extra calories. On average, drinking eight to ten glasses of water daily is crucial for the proper functioning of the body organs. Hydration is essential to protect the body against infections and maintains blood volume and body temperature. In addition, it also boosts mood and ensures better sleep quality.
Avoid Eating Heavily Charred Meats
Eating meat can meet your body’s energy demands as it is rich in protein and other nutrients. However, the cooking process can affect the nutritional value of the meat. For instance, heavily charred meat can form harmful substances which can trigger the chances of certain cancers. What’s more, you must eat red meat like beef and pork to a certain limit. High consumption of red meat is linked with several cancers, including colorectal, prostate, and pancreatic cancer.
Get Moving
Physical activity is the key to keeping your body healthy. It can be anything that gets your body on the track or moving, such as jogging, walking, dancing, swimming, aerobic or cardio workout. Experts recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-level physical activity per week for adults to stay in shape. Physical exertion is necessary to regulate your blood sugar level and improve your metabolic rate. Moreover, it is highly effective in reducing belly fat. This most common problem causes health issues, including diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases.
Minimize Refined Carbs
Refined carbs have become an integral part of our diet due to the high consumption of fast food. Processed foods like nuggets, burgers, and ready-to-cook and eat items usually use refined white flour, sugars, and processed corn. Such carbs lack fiber and nutrients that are essential for body health. Research shows people who eat refined carbs in high amounts can overeat, gain weight, and develop chronic health risks like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Reduce Sugar Intake
Every edible item contains added sugar in this modern age, from peanut butter to ketchup to fizzy drinks. Many people prefer to eat highly processed meals and drinks that lead to a high sugar level in daily calorie intake. Added sugar contributes to 17% of the total calorie intake of adults in the United States. Consumption of added sugars beyond the safe limit can result in obesity, type 2 diabetes, an increased risk of cancer, and heart disease.
Get Enough Sleep
Quality and adequate sleep is another important indicator of maintaining physical and mental health. Getting too much sleep is as dangerous as sleeping for a few hours; seven hours of sleep duration is an optimal level. People who don’t get an adequate amount of sleep find it difficult to stay alert, which has an impact on their performance. In addition, sleep deprivation is the leading cause of disturbed hunger hormones, insulin resistance, and obesity. It is also linked with many health risks, including heart stroke.
Meditate
Meditation is a great stress-buster that plays an active role in reducing high-stress levels. Otherwise, stress can create negative effects on your health. A stress hormone, cortisol, can trigger weight gain caused by abdominal fat deposition. It is also associated with food choices, blood sugar levels, and susceptibility to falling sick. Meditation is a scientifically proven technique to relieve stress and improve overall mental and physical well-being. People with high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes find medication effective for reducing inflammation and LDL cholesterol.
Final Thoughts
In the current fast food culture, it can be challenging to choose healthy foods, especially when you don’t consider how what you eat affects your health. Still, there is a chance to save your health with those mentioned above scientifically proven tips. Pay attention to the ingredients mentioned on the labels. Be mindful of taking proper healthy meals with a daily dose of water and exercise.