A healthy lifestyle is an important factor to improve the welfare of your life.

Living in a healthy way can prevent health problems such as high blood pressure and obesity.

There are many habits and routines that can be trained to live a healthy lifestyle.

A balanced lifestyle filled with good nutrition is ideal.

Here are habits that can help you lead a healthy lifestyle:

1. Keep your diet

The body will always be affected by food intake. A healthy diet should contain sufficient amounts of nutrients. In addition, be mindful of the type of food in your diet.

Always remember to check the label the food you buy, as well as how these foods should be cooked.

Prioritizing for steaming or grilling food instead of frying.

2. Drink enough water

Drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water each day. Drink more water after you perform strenuous physical activities such as sports.

Drinking enough water will help replace the lost and also cleans toxins from the body.

Drinking plenty of water is highly recommended and reduce the consumption of soda and caffeinated drinks.

3. Exercise

Regular exercise ensures the physical conditions are maintained.

Exercise also helps you free from mental tension.

Other benefits of exercise include: blood circulation; toning and strengthening muscles; and increases the body’s oxygen levels.

4. Get rid of bad habits

Developing good habits is not enough. You also have to get rid of bad habits such as smoking or consuming copious amounts of alcohol.

Enlist a friend or family member to help get rid of bad habits.

5. Maintain a positive and optimistic attitude towards life

Perspective will affect how you live your daily life.

Grow an optimistic attitude and avoid associating with people who are pessimistic.

Instead of thinking about what’s wrong with life, think about what is right in your life.

6. Get a hobby

Hobbies not only increase the power of the mind, but also relieve you from stress.

Nobody likes it when that unwanted pimple shows up on your face. Did you know there are foods that you can be eating to help control acne breakouts? We’ve put together a list to incorporate into your diets that help.

Fruits and vegetables

People who have eating habits that are rich in fruits and vegetables like yams and greens and low in refined foods like white sugar and white flour, which can cause hormones to spike, find that acne breakouts are less likely to occur.

Brazil nuts

Brazil nuts are rich in selenium, a powerful antioxidant that appears to help improve acne by protecting cells from inflammatory damage and preserving skin’s elasticity. Selenium works particularly well when it’s accompanied by vitamins E and A, so eat your Brazil nuts with some almonds and perhaps some red bell peppers.

One Brazil nut delivers a full day’s supply. Other foods rich in selenium are meats, fish, poultry, onions, garlic and whole grains.

Oysters, beans, poultry, fish (and other foods rich in zinc)

No one knows exactly why, but getting enough zinc appears to help put the brakes on breakouts. It may be that zinc helps to control the release of male hormones that kick-start acne. Zinc also helps the body absorb vitamin A, another important nutrient for healthy skin.

Salmon, flaxseed (and other foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids)

Omega-3 fatty acids help keep inflammation at bay and may help keep acne under control. Fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel all boast omega-3 fatty acids, as do flaxseed and walnuts.

Sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe, bell peppers (and other foods rich in beta-carotene)

Beta-carotene (found in many orange-, yellow-, and red-hued fruits and vegetables) converts in the body to vitamin A, another of the nutrients that helps to enhance selenium’s benefits to skin.

Oranges, tomatoes, melons (and other foods rich in vitamin C)

These juicy vitamin C bombs won’t cure you of breakouts, but because the vitamin strengthens cell walls, it can help protect your skin from scarring that blemishes can cause. Bioflavonoids, which often come from a C source (such as the white rind inside citrus fruits), also act as natural anti-inflammatories that can enhance the healing action of vitamin C.

Almonds, eggs, leafy green vegetables (and other foods rich in vitamin E)

The antioxidant vitamin E helps skin heal from damage and scarring caused by acne. It’s not easy to get a lot of E from a low-fat diet, but unrefined (minimally processed) vegetable oils, nuts, and whole grains are good sources.

OFF THE MENU

Sugars:

You may have already suspected that sugar is related to breakouts.

High-glycemic foods:

These are food that break down quickly in the body, triggering an insulin spike and raising blood sugar levels. They trigger hormonal fluctuations and inflammation – both which encourage acne. These are foods like white bread, processed breakfast cereals, white rice, pretzles, crisps, cookies, cakes etc.

Junk Food:

For the same reason above – they cause hormonal fluctuations and blood sugar levels to spike. These are on the ‘to be avoided’ list of foods if you are wanting to keep your skin clear.

Fast Food:

Greasy fast food creates inflammation in the body, which can lead to pimples, so if you’re going to a fast-food restaurant, choose the salads or yogurt.

We all know how busy our lives can be and the many daily struggles we can face. Whether you work full time, part time or spend large parts of your day at home, your home should be a place where you feel relaxed and content being in, not anxious or tense. Many of us may find things regarding our homes overwhelming or stressful when we consider them such as chores or bills etc. To eliminate these stressors becoming overwhelming here are a few things you can do to ensure your home is a place of happiness and general well being.

To start your day positively and remind yourself of all the things in your life you are blessed with, count your blessings and use these as reminders around your house for encouragement throughout the day. Write a list of the things you are thankful for that day and put it somewhere you will see it repeatedly throughout the day, such as the fridge. Decorate the house with these blessings such as photos of family or friends, of memories or quotes and verses to help you focus on gratitude and give you a positive mindset if you may be feeling down. Being able to look around and see reminders of why your life has meaning will make you feel grateful and surrounded by love.

Starting good morning habits concerning cleaning will help take the stress of chores and things we may worry about to help improve happiness at home. Something as simple as making the bed in the morning and making sure the sink is clean will start you day off productively and take a bit of stress off the many chores you may have to complete in your busy day.

Another idea is practicing kind acts for others. Taking time out to spend quality moments with those loved ones you may have photos of stuck around your home will leave your feeling happier in the home. Having a monthly dinner date with friends, starting a book club or even sending notes or messages via social media to let your loved ones know you’re thinking of them will leave you feeling happier and make your home and inviting one for them to be in.

Self love can be simply defined as regard for one’s own well-being and happiness, but it encompasses so much more than that. Self love is an an unconditional feeling of love, appreciation and acceptance for yourself.

First thing you need to do is be aware how you treat yourself. We all talk to ourselves in our minds, but we are not always fully conscious of that voice. Becoming conscious of your inner voice, paying attention to what it’s saying and noticing what you tend to tell yourself most often will help alter your mindset and change the way you view yourself. What do you say when you do something amazing? What do you say when you fail?

Learning to take control of this inner voice is the next step to combating negative thoughts that do not work towards self love. When you notice your inner voice saying things that are not positive, you can train yourself to cancel out these thoughts by repeating positive messages to yourself. Once you pause to realise what you are telling yourself is negative and in turn repeating positive messages over to yourself, in time you will begin believing all the positive things over the negative.

Finally, take the time to do something loving for yourself. Think of all the things you enjoy doing and do them by yourself. Some of these things include reading your favourite book, going for a walk or taking a dance class. They are simple things that you enjoy to allow you to feel relaxed and at peace within yourself. The more you practice acts of self love, the stronger the message you send yourself: “You deserve it”.

How you feel during your waking hours often hinges on how well you sleep. Similarly, the cure for daytime fatigue and sleep difficulties can often be found in your daily routine and lifestyle choices. Experiment with the following tips to find the ones that work best to improve your sleep and leave you feeling productive, mentally sharp, emotionally balanced, and full of energy all day long.

1. Try to go to sleep and get up at the same time every day
This helps set your body’s internal clock and optimize the quality of your sleep. Choose a bed time when you normally feel tired, so that you don’t toss and turn. If you’re getting enough sleep, you should wake up naturally without an alarm. Try to avoid sleeping in on the weekends also.

2. Move vigorously during the day
Regular exercisers sleep better and feel less sleepy during the day. Regular exercise also improves the symptoms of insomnia and sleep apnea and increases the amount of time you spend in the deep, restorative stages of sleep. Try to finish moderate to vigorous workouts at least three hours before bedtime. If you’re still experiencing sleep difficulties, move your workouts even earlier. Relaxing, low-impact exercises such as yoga or gentle stretching in the evening can help promote sleep. Try not to sit still during the day for more than an hour.

3. Be smart about what you eat and drink
Attempting to limit caffeine and nicotine, avoiding big meals at night, avoiding alcohol before bed and avoiding drinking too many liquids in the evening will all play a role with how well you sleep at night. Try to make dinnertime earlier in the evening, and avoid heavy, rich foods within two hours of bed.

4. Wind down and clear your head
Practicing relaxation techniques before bed is a great way to wind down, calm the mind, and prepare for sleep. For example, deep breathing where you close your eyes and take deep, slow breaths, making each breath even deeper than the last are proven to be beneficial. Also try Progressive muscle relaxation. Starting with your toes, tense all the muscles as tightly as you can, then completely relax. Work your way up to the top of your head.

5. Improve your sleep environment
Keeping your room dark, cool and quiet sends a powerful signal to your brain that it’s time to wind down and let go of the day’s stresses. If you can’t avoid or eliminate noise from neighbors, traffic, or other people in your household, try masking it with a fan or sound machine. Earplugs may also help. Make sure your bed is comfortable and attempt to not do things other than sleep on your bed such as computer work or watching tv, as your brain will then just associate the bed with sleep and make it easier for you to wind down.