January is National Staying Healthy Month in the US. To raise awareness on keeping healthy in the New Year, this article provides helpful tips and information on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle effectively.
Keeping Physically Active
Immediate Benefits
A single bout of moderate-to vigorous physical activity provides immediate benefits for your health.
- Sleep
- Improves sleep quality
- Less Anxiety
- Reduces feelings of anxiety
- Blood Pressure
- Reduces blood pressure
Long-term Benefits
Regular physical activity provides important health benefits for chronic disease prevention.
- Brain Health
- Reduces risks of developing dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease) and reduces risk of depression
- Heart Health
- Lowers risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes
- Cancer Prevention
- Lowers risk of eight cancers: bladder, breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, lung, and stomach
- Healthy Weight
- Reduces risk of weight gain
- Bone Strength
- Improves bone health
- Balance and Coordination
- Reduces risks of falls
Maintaining a Healthy Diet
An eating plan that helps manage your weight includes a variety of healthy foods. Add an array of colors to your plate and think of it as eating the rainbow. Dark, leafy greens, oranges, and tomatoes—even fresh herbs—are loaded with vitamins, fiber, and minerals. Adding frozen peppers, broccoli, or onions to stews and omelets gives them a quick and convenient boost of color and nutrients.
A healthy eating plan:
- Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products
- Includes a variety of protein foods such as seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, legumes (beans and peas), soy products, nuts, and seeds.
- Is low in added sugars, sodium, saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol.
- Stays within your daily calorie needs
Additional Healthy Eating Tips
- Include fiber in your diet to maintain digestive health and control blood sugar
- Include calcium and vitamin D in your diet to maximize bone health
- Add potassium to your diet to help maintain the healthy function of your nervous system, kidneys, muscles, and cardiovascular system
- As mentioned earlier, limit added sugars and sodium intake, and replace saturated fats
