Having a healthy body is evident of a
healthy mind. We can see the benefits of staying healthy and fit throughout our
lifespan.
The havoc created by COVID-19 affected
everyone’s life differently. This virus altered our daily routine in such a way
that no one ever anticipated.
We start living a new life, normalizing
this new routine, and adjusting our schedule for the sustenance of our family.
Apart from affecting our life’s operations,
this virus created an alarm regarding the importance of health throughout the
world. It not only urges us to stay fit but also discloses the benefits of a
healthy lifestyle.
There was a surge, created by sporting
researchers, to focus on health you either are working or quarantined, an
office person or a homemaker, a daily wager or a government employee nothing
can supersede the importance of health.
If you lack a healthy body, your whole
routine and life suffer.
With a pandemic situation, stress and
mental agony can make you overwhelmed.
As per the social index of 2020, listed
by Purdue University Global, which is responsible to take account of
the quality of life worldwide by utilizing metrics of 50 well-being, Americans
listed themselves worse regarding health as they were almost 10 years ago.
The more concerning thing is that this
data was collected before the outburst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which even
increased the need of living a more balanced and healthier life.
Why do pandemics make a healthy lifestyle essential?
Before the pandemic, our lives were free,
unrestricted. We knowingly or unknowingly were involved in many physical
activities.
We went to buy groceries, we walk to or
from the office, we go outside with family for outings or shopping. Now our
life is restricted, many are bound at home.
With a virus outburst, many health
hazards emerge. Our lifestyle faced a new devastating routine.
This unprecedented living style has
shifted our life to more sedentary and lazy. We are packed at home, our
activities are bound to watching television, reading and sitting for long and
as many businesses are shifted to online, we sit in front of the computer more
than we usually do.
This isolation and quarantine situation increased
the temptation of eating more sodium-rich snacks, low-quality meals, junk food
that is satiating and slaking our taste buds but lack dense nutrients.
If one is facing a quarantine situation
then he has additional stress and mental health challenge. Such health
challenges fueled by stress and depression demand a more proactive and robust
lifestyle than ever.
What is Health?
The American
Academy of Family Physicians said that health is not merely the absence of having a disease. “Health
is a state of physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity,”
You can break down your health into
various categories to deeply understand and maintain it. These can be mental,
behavioral, emotional, and physical.
Having a calm mind and sufficient
knowledge of relaxation techniques is one of the most valuable tools to protect
health in these times.
Practices to do at home.
You are either young or old, a high
school graduate or a preschool kid. You need to give a small amount of time
from your day to your health.
Gyms are again operational, even if you
are too much concerned about your health and you cannot afford to go to the gym
or crowded parks then there are still many activities and exercises that you
can do at home.
WHO, considering the current situation,
recommends people to involve in 75 minutes of high-intensity physical
workout and potent activity every week or spend 150 minutes in moderate-intensity
workout per week. One can work on this recommendation even by staying at home.
Here are a few daily routine exercises
that you can easily do at home
Proactive routine:
Online physical courses:
As the world is connected via the internet more than ever then you can follow your favorite trainer, YouTube channel, or fitness blog to get online health and fitness training.
Home-based workout:
You can do
aerobics at home with little practice. Jumping jacks, sit-ups, pushups, and
with little equipment, you can do dips and weight training also
Walking and meditating:
You can
do a brisk walk around the home or you can use your stairs to do walking up and
down, which is effective and vigorous if you increase your speed.
Meditating and doing yoga has also ample
effects on your health in a positive way.
Strength boosting exercises:
If you are a fitness enthusiast and seeing your muscle gain go away is causing mental stress then you can upgrade your home workout to maintain strength
- Lunges
- Pushups against wall
- Squats and dips from a well-built chair
- Single leg sit-ups
Nutrition and Diet:
A healthy lifestyle requires a healthy
diet. A discipline in diet, especially for those who do emotional or stress
eating, is very important.
World Health Organization (WHO) posted a healthy diet routine to maintain good health that includes
- Eat whole-grain foods and food from animals like eggs, fish, meat, milk.
- Limit salt intake
- Cut back fat and oils from the diet
- Avoid taking too much sugar Keep yourself hydrated by taking enough water
- Avoid alcoholic or acidic drinks
Sufficient sleep:
There is no doubt about the benefits of
good sleep. According to the report of The National Institutes of Health (NIH), our body’s immune system and
sleep cycle are interconnected, “Immune system activation alters sleep,
and sleep in turn affects the innate and adaptive arm of our body's defense
system”.
Every age group has different requirements
of adequate sleep to give optimum performance in the daily routine. The CDC
recommended a minimum of 7 hours of sleep per night for adults having
ages ranging from 18-60.
Be Alive
Apart from maintaining a healthy routine
and diet never forget that man is a social animal. Talking and spending
time with loved ones have miraculous effects on a person’s mental health. Take
benefit of your isolation and technology to stay in touch with your loved ones.
Do not let this pandemic make you distant
from your family and the people you love.
Above all, the key to staying healthy in a
pandemic is being vaccinated as the top priority.
0 Comments