According to recommendations from medical experts, most people should get at least 20 minutes of moderate aerobic or cardio-based exercise a day. Yet each year, people spend around $117 billion in healthcare because they don’t move as much as they should. In other words, a huge percentage of teens and adults deserve to learn and apply the best health tips to stay fit — and out of doctor’s offices, emergency rooms, and hospitals.
Surprisingly, many of the best health tips involve topics other than hitting the gym. Sure, movement is one of the best health tips around, but it’s certainly not the only way you can get yourself in better shape from a holistic perspective.
Check out some of the following best health tips to improve your mental and physical wellbeing, as well as reduce your risk for common diseases and conditions.
Think About Your Posture
Remember how your mother and sports coaches always told you to sit up straight? It turns out that perfecting your posture is one of the best health tips you can imagine. Using good posture helps your body remain in alignment, putting less pressure on your muscles, bones, and joints. When you stand or sit up tall, you also improve your digestion and breathing. In other words, you feel more energized overall thanks to all the oxygen and fuel pumping through your body!
Of course, most of us work all day. That means we sit in chairs, at least for part of the time. If possible, use ergonomic chairs at the office and at home. They’ll help you stay in a prime posture position without having to think about what you’re doing.
What happens when you’re not using ergonomically sensitive equipment or are sitting in a regular seat, such as behind the wheel of your car or on the sofa? Practice “stacking” your vertebrae to sit tall, and remind yourself not to hunch your shoulders. Putting your feet flat on the floor and raising your shoulders up and then back before relaxing them can help you get back into proper posture from a slouched position. Try not to lean into the back of your seat, either, which can make it too easy for you to lose your posture.
Take Care of Your Physical Health
As one of the best health tips you can get, you should take your physical health seriously. That doesn’t just mean going to your routine yearly appointments, either. It means considering visiting specialists like physical therapists to take care of nagging injuries and alternative medicine professionals for practices like chiropractic care.
Think of your body as a tool. If the tool isn’t working properly, it won’t do its job. A hammer with a faulty handle or head can’t perform at maximum capacity. Neither can you, especially if you’re suffering from chronic health concerns. Even something as small as a plantar wart on the bottom of your foot can cause you issues by limiting your mobility or making life a little more stressful.
Take an inventory of your body right now. How do you feel? Are you struggling with problems that you haven’t discussed with anyone? Does your hip feel sore after sitting all day? Is your upper back tight? Do your knees tend to hurt by the time you hit the dinner table? These are all signs that you may want to talk to a medical professional. Yes, it’s tempting to keep taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen, but that’s not a long term solution.
Make Exercise a Fun Priority
Obviously, exercise is important for everything from memory improvement to cellulite reduction. Yet not everyone loves to participate in sports. That’s okay! You don’t have to ever set foot on a tennis court or jump into a swimming pool to get the benefits that come from exercising.
Many people assume that they have to engage in an athletic pursuit in order to exercise. However, one of the best health tips you can keep in mind is how advantageous small changes to your daily routines can be for your overall wellness.
Try parking away from the entrance to the store. Use the stairs instead of taking the elevator when it’s practical. Start your morning with a quick walk around the neighborhood with your pooch. These seemingly insignificant movements will add up. You can even track the difference in your exercise by downloading a free app on your smartphone. You’ll be more motivated to keep moving when you see the numbers behind a few alterations in your everyday behaviors.
Try New Activities
As you start to get more comfortable exercising, open your mind to trying new activities. Almost all the “Best Health Tips” checklists online recommend adding never-tried exercises to your repertoire of movements.
What are some good activities to explore? If you live in an area with stables, you may want to sign up for horseback riding lessons. Horseback riding may seem like it’s no big deal, but it takes quite a bit of effort to ride with good form. Plus, it gets you outside and working with animals, which can be a boost for your mental health.
Another great activity is indoor rock climbing. You don’t have to climb up to get a fantastic workout. Bouldering is the act of climbing sideways at a very low height. You’ll build endurance, challenge your flexibility, and boost muscle strength while tackling a different skill. After a lesson or two, you can easily boulder at an indoor rock climbing facility solo, which is great if you prefer independent exercises rather than group ones.
Of course, if you want to stay active and get social at the same time, try joining a walking or jogging club. You’ll get together at regular intervals for some much-needed activity that includes talking and sharing. The minutes will seem to roll away as you engage in banter with people you wouldn’t have met otherwise.
Keep Your Feet in Top Shape
Every day, you rely on your feet to get you from place to place. Over time, your feet take a beating and may suffer from the stresses of walking, running, jogging, and jumping.
Some common foot related complaints among people including ankle sprains, plantar fasciitis, bunions, hammer toe, Achilles heel pain, and general foot aches. Though mild foot problems may reverse themselves with a little bit of rest and relaxation, some will require treatment. Head to your nearest foot and ankle center for an evaluation.
What happens if you find out that your foot problem may require surgical intervention? You can always get a second opinion, which is another of those recommended best health tips when you’re facing a major medical decision. If it turns out that you require surgery, be sure to follow all the advice you get from doctors and physical therapists. The sooner you put foot concerns behind you, the better.
As a side note, always wear the right shoes for whatever you’re doing. Don’t live in one pair of sneakers without replacing them frequently. And if you have to wear tight shoes, such as high heels or trendy boots, limit your wearing time so your feet experience fewer stressors.
Clear Your Skin
Having clear skin leaves you feeling confident and looking your best. In general, you should cleanse your face in the morning and evening to help avoid oil build-up related to blackheads and minor blemishes. Add moisturizer with sunscreen to protect yourself further, including on your neck, arms, ears, and other exposed places.
Having trouble getting your skin to get to a pimple-free, red-free condition? Even the best health tips in the world might not be enough to tackle more serious issues like cystic acne or rosacea. That’s when you should make an appointment at a dermatology clinic. A dermatologist can examine your situation and provide you with options beyond a basic skincare regimen. He or she may recommend anything from creams to oral medications. Always ask about side effects before making your decision, and consider talking to your primary healthcare physician if you’re worried about contraindications with medications you’re currently being prescribed or are taking over the counter.
To keep your skin looking good beyond your trip to the dermatologist, remember to eat nutritious meals. What you put into your body helps you get the most out of it. If all you eat is junk food filled with empty carbs, loads of sugar, and lots of salt, your skin won’t have a beautiful, natural glow.
Try Holistic Healing
Even if you’re not sure you believe in holistic medicine, learn more about it before completely pushing the idea aside. Some of the best health tips out there suggest looking into naturopathic remedies for common problems. From insomnia to migraines, holistic healing may be able to help you relieve your discomfort and get long-term gains.
One item on the market that you’ve probably heard a lot about is CBD oil. CBD wellness products contain no THC, which is the active ingredient in the drug cannabis. Instead, the CBD is removed from the plant and can therefore be used topically or, when correctly manufactured, taken in pill, food, or gummy form. Before diving into CBD solutions, do your homework on the emerging CBD brands. You’ll feel better about trying a certain type after reading reviews from people just like you.
Looking for other holistic treatments? Lots of people swear by the use of essential oils, such as oil of peppermint to encourage energy or eucalyptus oil to build immunity. Again, you’ll want to Google products before taking them.
Take Care of Your Mind
At one point in time, people weren’t talking much about mental health when discussing the best health tips. Thankfully, those days are long gone. Now, people everywhere understand that a relaxed mind can lead to an improved life.
Chances are strong that you’re going to eventually experience stress or anxiety in your life. It’s a frequent concern among teens and adults. Visiting a stress relief therapist could absolutely change your perspective and promote healing. Just remember that therapy results will happen over a period of time. You won’t magically stop being nervous or depressed after your initial appointment. However, if you give your therapy a chance, you are more than likely to get huge benefits from your sessions.
Wondering how to pick a therapist? It’s okay to “audition” a handful in your region. See which one makes you feel the most comfortable. You should be at ease telling your therapist about what’s happening in your world without having to hold anything back.
Seek Out Additional Professional Wellness Advice
Let’s say that you’ve done everything you can for a healthier mind and body. You’ve followed the best health tips to the letter. Nevertheless, something seems to be missing, especially in the realm of working out. It’s okay: You’re human and sometimes you need special answers for your unique situation.
Take a trip to the health and wellness center available in your neighborhood. There, you’re apt to meet a lot of professionals who have made health their business. These might include personal trainers or life coaches. Explore the possibilities and sit down with at least one of them to find out how they help their clients.
Some health centers such as private gyms will offer a series of free health training sessions with the purchase of a membership. It’s worth asking about this type of perk when you stop in. After all, if you can get a taste test of professional wellness advice before paying for it out of pocket, you should. Again, look for someone whose message and style resonates with your own. The more compatible you are with your fitness or wellness provider, the more excited you’ll be to follow their best health tips.
It’s never too late to completely change yourself on the inside and the outside. Taking a few positive steps toward bettering your situation physically and psychologically every week will help you become a more relaxed, assured person. Of course, it takes a few weeks for any new habit to stick. Therefore, keep pushing ahead even on those days when you want to fall back into your comfort zone. You’ll be happy you did when you look behind you and realize how far you’ve come.
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