24 Simple Ways to Get Healthier With Minimal Effort

Here are 24 simple ways to get healthier with minimal effort:

1. Fill your plate with fiber-rich foods: It is not just how much you eat but what you eat that affects your health. Make fibrous foods such as nonstarchy vegetables, fruits, and whole grains a major part of your food plate. They will keep you full for longer and improve your gut and cardiovascular health.
2. Walk the talk: We spend so much of our time talking on the phone for personal or official reasons. Next time when you are on a call, make sure that you walk around as you talk rather than sitting at a place.
3. Keep a standing desk: If you think that a desk job is making your belly bigger, try using a standing desk. This will help you burn some calories as you work and help you stay more active.
4. Drink water before you are thirsty: Scientists say that by the time you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Many people even mistake thirst for hunger, making them vulnerable to overeating. Water is essential for all body functions. It keeps your skin glowing besides keeping constipation away. Keep sipping some water in short intervals. You may keep a water reminder on your phone.
5. Avoid sodas and sugary drinks: The American Heart Association recommends that you should limit sugar to no more than six percent of your daily calorie needs because it is linked with chronic inflammation, obesity, diabetes, mental health conditions, and heart diseases. Sugary drinks provide a lot of calories without any significant nutrients.
6. Have your meals on time: You are more likely to eat unhealthy foods when you are overly hungry. Having regular meals keeps you active and focused and lowers the risk of unhealthy bingeing. If you are on diabetes medications, timely meals are essential to regulate your blood sugar levels.
7. Keep healthy snacks handy: Keep healthy snacks such as fruit bowls, salads, yogurt, nuts, and seeds in sight. When hungry, you are more likely to eat healthy foods when they are readily available.
8. Plan your meals well: If you have a busy schedule, you can plan and write down the meals during weekends. This will ensure that you eat good foods that boost your health, meet your nutrient requirements and avoid the likelihood of consuming unhealthy foods.
9. Prefer low-calorie beverages: Keeping water as the only way to meet your daily fluid requirements may sound boring. You can try having zero or low-calorie beverages such as green tea, black coffee, and green juices. They provide you with antioxidants and help keep cravings at bay.
10. Take a walk every 30 to 45 minutes of sitting: Sitting is considered the new form of smoking. Hours of sitting harm your health in several ways. Make it a point to take a 5- to 10-minute walk every 30 to 45 minutes of sitting. It will help manage stress, keep you active, and improve your focus.
11. Take the stairs and ditch the elevator: You can take simple measures such as climbing up and down the stairs instead of using the elevator or escalator. It strengthens your muscles, tones the body, and helps manage weight. Studies suggest that climbing stairs lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
12. Practice mindful eating: Mindful eating is developing a healthy relationship with food. It helps make your food your medicine. Give enough consideration that what you eat is beneficial to your body and not just pleasing to your tastebuds. When you eat, focus on your meals rather than being distracted by the TV, phones, or work.
13. Cook your meals: Studies suggest that people who cook their meals consume significantly lower calories than those who eat restaurant food. When you cook your meals, it is a sort of therapy. It gives you the control to add ingredients that you like and that is good for you. You will also be aware of the calories that your meals will provide.
14. Include healthy fats: All fats are not created equal. Fat forms an integral part of every cell in your body. Include good fats in your diet in the form of seeds, olive oil, nuts, and seafood instead of unhealthy fats such as fries, chips, and doughnuts.
15. Prefer whole foods over processed ones: Whole foods are nourishing to your mind and body. They satiate your hunger and protect you against various diseases. Ditch the bag of chips or bowl of ice cream and go for fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and eggs.
16. Beware of emotional eating: Unhealthy eating patterns often arise as a means to distract from overwhelming emotions. Recognize such patterns and seek the help of a mental health therapist if needed.
17. Take enough protein: Proteins are considered the building blocks of the body. They form enzymes, hormones, antibodies, and various organs and tissues including the muscles, bones, skin, and hair. Adequate protein intake is essential for overall health. Proteins are also quite satiating.
18. Have a regular sleeping schedule: Sleep is an often-overlooked component of the routine. A restful night’s sleep is necessary for a healthy mind and body. Make sure you get at least seven to eight hours of restful sleep each night. Avoid excess alcohol and caffeine consumption to help you sleep better. Stop using any electronic gadgets such as TV, phones, and laptops at least one hour before bedtime.
19. Manage stress: Stress is a major contributor to various health problems such as high blood pressure, obesity, depression, eating disorders, and diabetes. Indulge in stress-relieving activities such as meditation, yoga, tai-chi, reading, Pilates, and music. If things seem to go out of hand, seek the help of a qualified mental health professional.
20. Park your car a little away from your destination: If you are going to the office or the market, prefer walking or cycling overtaking a car, bus, or taxi. If your destination is too far, you may get there a little earlier to walk the rest of the way.
21. Limit your screen time: Excessive use of screens such as TV, smartphones, tablets, and laptops has been associated with obesity, high blood pressure, and various other health conditions. It interferes with focusing on the tasks at hand. Most experts suggest limiting screen time to less than two hours for adults. 
22. Consider health supplements: Getting your nutritional requirements through foods is the most ideal way. However, if you are not able to meet your nutrient needs through your diet, you may discuss with your doctor if you need any supplements. Nutrient deficiencies have been linked to various health issues. Thus, people with a restrictive dietary pattern must consider health supplements but only after they get a nod from the doctor.
23. Give time for personal care: Personal care is an often-neglected issue in this fast-moving world. Do not forget to give enough time to hygiene practices such as brushing teeth, handwashing, and taking a bath. Keep your skin moisturized and apply sunscreen during the day. Wear protective gear such as shades, gloves, and helmets when needed.
24. Do not ignore any warning signs: Diseases tend to manifest most subtly in the initial stages. These stages are the ones when the prognosis tends to be excellent with proper management. If you feel something is not okay with your health, such as a strange-looking mole or patch on the skin, abnormal vaginal bleeding, persistently low or agitated mood, change in bowel habits, frequent headaches, or any other signs, do not delay visiting your doctor.