Lifestyle has a significant impact on people's lifespan and health. That is to say, a healthy life is ultimately dependent on oneself. The World Health Organization has released the results of a study conducted by numerous medical experts: 60% of an individual's health and lifespan depend on themselves, 15% on genetics, 10% on social factors, 8% on medical conditions, and 7% on climate influence. Among the factors that depend on the individual, lifestyle is the main factor.
Throughout a person's entire life, from the embryonic stage to death, almost every period of the body's development is associated with lifestyle and bad habits. During the embryonic stage, the fetus may develop abnormalities and congenital diseases due to the parents' smoking, drinking, improper diet, or incorrect medication. After the child is born, the family's lifestyle directly affects the child's health. During the infancy and toddlerhood, improper feeding, insufficient nutrition, lack of outdoor activities, and unhygienic diet can cause nutritional anemia, rickets, intestinal parasitic diseases, etc. During the childhood and adolescence, with vigorous metabolism and rapid growth and development, one may develop a bean sprout-like or chubby state due to unscientific dietary guidance and unreasonable living and rest schedules. Starting from adolescence, the influence of classmates and friends, as well as the family's lifestyle, directly affects the health condition. Especially during several special periods, namely adolescence, menopause, and old age, due to unhealthy lifestyles, many diseases such as gynecological diseases, diabetes, cataracts, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and even mental disorders may occur.
The essence of a healthy lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle refers to a habitual way of behaving that is beneficial to health. It mainly manifests as having a regular life, avoiding bad habits, emphasizing personal hygiene, environmental hygiene, and dietary hygiene, being scientific and not superstitious, paying attention to health care on a daily basis, seeking medical treatment promptly when ill, and actively participating in healthy and beneficial cultural and sports activities and social events, etc.
A healthy lifestyle mainly consists of four aspects: proper diet, moderate exercise, quitting smoking and limiting alcohol consumption, and maintaining psychological balance.
A reasonable diet refers to a diet that provides comprehensive and balanced nutrition. A variety of foods is necessary to meet the various nutritional needs of the human body and achieve proper nutrition, thereby promoting health. The "Chinese Residents' Dietary Guidelines" issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Planning provide authoritative guidance for a reasonable diet, which is suitable for normal people over the age of 6, including: ① A diverse diet, with grains as the main component and a combination of coarse and fine foods; ② Eat more vegetables, fruits, and tubers; ③ Consume dairy products, soybeans or their products every day; ④ Regularly eat appropriate amounts of fish, poultry, eggs, and lean meat, and eat less fatty meat and animal fats; ⑤ Reduce the amount of cooking oil used and have a light and low-salt diet; ⑥ The intake should be balanced with physical activity to maintain an appropriate weight; ⑦ The distribution of meals should be reasonable, and snacks should be appropriate; ⑧ Drink an adequate amount of water every day and choose beverages reasonably; ⑨ If drinking alcohol, it should be done in moderation; ⑩ Eat fresh and hygienic food. Adults should consume 250-400 grams of cereal foods every day.
Appropriate exercise refers to the exercise methods and exercise intensity being suitable for one's physical condition. Any form of exercise is beneficial, and the key lies in persistence. Exercise should be moderate and within one's capacity, choosing the appropriate exercise method, intensity and amount. Moderate exercise not only helps maintain a healthy weight but also reduces the risks of chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, stroke, coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, breast cancer and osteoporosis. It helps regulate mental balance, relieve stress, alleviate depression and anxiety symptoms, and improve sleep. Healthy people can control the exercise intensity based on their heart rate during exercise. Generally, it should be 150-170 (beats per minute) minus their age. They should exercise at least three times a week.
The harm caused by smoking is universally acknowledged. The earlier one quits smoking, the better. Quitting smoking can improve one's quality of life. Excessive drinking can increase the risk of certain diseases and lead to an increase in traffic accidents and violent incidents. It is recommended that adult men consume no more than 25 grams of alcohol per day, and women no more than 15 grams.
Psychological balance refers to a positive mental state, which involves being able to accurately evaluate oneself, effectively dealing with the pressures in daily life, working and studying efficiently, and making contributions to one's family and society. An optimistic, cheerful and open-minded attitude towards life, setting goals within one's capabilities, establishing good interpersonal relationships, and actively participating in social activities all contribute to an individual maintaining their psychological balance.
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