Benefits of a healthy lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle or a healthy lifestyle is a capacious concept that implies the development of habits that allow a person to maintain a high level of physical and intellectual activity.

According to official data from the World Health Organization (WHO), a healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk of developing various diseases by 55%. A healthy lifestyle pays attention not only to the physical, but also to the psycho-emotional state of a person. Despite the popularization of a healthy lifestyle, there is a lot of conflicting information about what rules people who adhere to a healthy lifestyle need to follow.

What is a healthy lifestyle?

In the generally accepted understanding, a healthy lifestyle is understood as a set of measures aimed at preserving and maintaining physical, mental and emotional health. Most experts agree that a healthy lifestyle includes:

balanced diet;
moderate physical activity;
mental hygiene;
rejection of bad habits.

However, a lot of pseudoscientific data has appeared about a healthy lifestyle, promoted by people far from medicine. It is important for a person who decides to adhere to a healthy lifestyle to understand that it is necessary to follow the recommendations developed by qualified doctors: nutritionists, therapists - only in this case can one achieve good results and not harm one’s health.

Children's lifestyle

Due to his age, the child is dependent on his parents. They decide what he will eat, how he will behave, where he will go (school, kindergarten, private educational institutions, etc.).

Sometimes a child grows physically, but his thinking remains just as immature. It’s easier for him when decisions are made for him; he shifts responsibility for his life to another adult.

Such behavior is called infantilism. This word has many definitions, the main meaning being mental immaturity. With this way of life, a person is dependent on another. He can easily become a victim of scammers, manipulators and other dangerous individuals.

Why is it important to maintain a healthy lifestyle?

Important risk factors leading to the development of chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract, musculoskeletal system, and other tissues and organ systems are:

physical inactivity – insufficient physical activity;
high level of stress – constant psycho-emotional overload, reducing immunity;
incorrect diet - with a lot of fatty, smoked foods, fast food;
obesity – in which metabolism is disrupted, the load on the musculoskeletal system and heart increases;
disrupted daily routine - constant “lack of sleep” that overloads the central nervous system.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle eliminates all these factors: a person pays sufficient attention to his physical and mental state. As a result, the risk of developing chronic diseases is reduced by 55% (according to WHO), and the likelihood of infections is reduced even during the “cold season.”

The main advantages of a healthy lifestyle from a medical point of view:

prevention of vitamin deficiencies - a balanced diet and regular intake of vitamin supplements allow you to receive a full range of micro- and macroelements necessary for normal metabolism;
strengthening immunity - a healthy lifestyle strengthens the body's defenses: a person is less susceptible to infections and outbreaks of seasonal diseases;
good muscle tone - thanks to which the heart and blood vessels work correctly, the cells receive a sufficient amount of nutrients and oxygen, and the risk of varicose veins is reduced;
high level of vital energy - a person maintains efficiency and a clear mind until old age.

A balanced diet serves to prevent the deposition of cholesterol plaques, which lead to heart attacks, strokes, and deep vein thrombosis. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle allows you to avoid many health problems, easily adapt to changing environmental conditions (temperature changes, changes in time and climate zones), and slow down the natural aging of the body.

How much does a healthy lifestyle cost?

One of the common myths that prevents people from switching to a healthy lifestyle and sticking to it throughout their lives is the seeming high cost of a healthy lifestyle. In fact, maintaining it does not require high costs:

a balanced diet does not imply replacing some products with more expensive ones (for example, purchased in eco-markets or farmers' markets). It is enough to reduce the consumption of red meat (can be replaced with chicken, turkey), add more vegetables, fruits, and herbs to the diet. Chocolate and sweets can be replaced with dried fruits and honey (in small quantities if there are no allergies). It is also recommended to avoid flour (including white bread), smoked and fatty breads. As a result, the cost of purchased products will not increase, and the diet will become healthier and more balanced;
Moderate physical activity does not have to be associated with visiting a fitness center. If you don’t have the opportunity to work out in the gym, you can do a set of exercises at home, walk more, do Nordic walking, or start running. Gymnastics, yoga, small warm-ups during work breaks will help avoid physical inactivity;
reducing stress levels. You can reduce psycho-emotional stress not only by working with a psychologist or attending special trainings. It is enough to develop a normal daily routine that involves 8 hours of sleep, spend more time in nature, and communicate more with pleasant people (friends, relatives).

The transition to a healthy lifestyle will not require an increase in expenses - a healthy lifestyle is determined not by the amount of money invested in health, but by the ability to develop and implement correct and healthy habits into your life.

Myths about health and a healthy lifestyle

In addition to the myth about the high cost of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, there are other misconceptions regarding a healthy lifestyle:

The modern rhythm of life is not compatible with a healthy lifestyle. Many people live in conditions of chronic lack of sleep, eating processed foods, and constant stress. But to change this situation, it is enough to develop the right daily routine. Fast food can be replaced with vegetables, fruits and nuts, coffee with green tea or water. If you don’t have time to visit the gym, a good place to start is to walk more, choose the stairs rather than the elevator;
maintaining a healthy lifestyle requires adherence to a constant diet and strict self-restraints. Another popular myth is associated with people’s idea that proper nutrition cannot be tasty and varied. This is wrong. You don’t have to constantly deny yourself delicious food: you can eat a varied, satisfying and healthy diet. A professional nutritionist can help you develop and maintain an appropriate diet;
adherence to a healthy lifestyle will lead to social isolation. Giving up bad habits (smoking, drinking alcohol) can really lead to changes in your immediate environment. But this does not mean that you will find yourself alone - a new social circle will form around you, consisting of people who share your views on a healthy lifestyle;
A healthy lifestyle is only suitable for young people. When a mature person is faced with the need to change his diet and exercise, he may believe that he will not succeed - he should have started earlier. This is another dangerous misconception: it is necessary to share the principles of proper nutrition and physical activity at any age. But, of course, the training program and diet must be adjusted to the current condition, taking into account physical fitness, the presence of chronic diseases, and so on. And this may require the help of a doctor.

Manifestations of asociality at different ages

The appearance of antisocial personality traits can be observed at different ages.

Children

Children with antisocial tendencies are immediately noticeable in a group. They are practically not interested in educational activities, games, clubs, and assignments. Such children display aggressive and sadistic tendencies and may be caught stealing toys and sweets. They also demonstrate a number of other behavioral traits:

Inability to find a common language with peers.
Tendency to conflict behavior.
Increased hysteria, frequent cases of rudeness.
Cruelty to animals and other people.

When antisocial children become school students, they are placed on special records as those who are difficult to educate.

Teenagers

If antisocial behavior in childhood was not corrected, then there is a high probability that it will remain with the child for the rest of his life.

In adolescence, antisocial behavior deepens and becomes decisive. Antisocial teenagers are characterized by:

They often fall into bad company and are burdened by the care of their parents.
An antisocial lifestyle is perceived as something romantic.
They consider themselves to be part of youth subcultures and make corresponding friends.
They commit demonstratively rude, ugly acts, and feel proud about this.
Prove to others that they demonstrate their exclusivity through antisocial behavior.
Refuse to do homework and other school assignments.
They do not recognize the authority of teachers, parents, and other adults.
They engage in promiscuous sexual intercourse.
They leave home and engage in vagrancy.

Adults

In adulthood, children's and adolescents' antisocial habits only take root. They can get worse due to bad habits. Adult antisocial behavior is characterized by:

Lack of stable income.
Disrespect for other people.
Lack of permanent residence.
Committing immoral acts.

Often, so-called unrecognized geniuses who stand out from the crowd with their provocative views, ideas, and creations are considered asocial people.

Do you need the help of a doctor or can you achieve everything on your own?

The transition to a healthy lifestyle is recommended with a routine examination by a therapist. It is optimal if the recommendations are developed by a competent specialist. This will make it possible to develop individual recommendations that will not only help maintain physical and psycho-emotional health, but also reduce real-life risks. For example, if a patient is diagnosed with high cholesterol, the doctor will develop a diet to normalize this factor.

If you decide to seek professional help, you will need to make an appointment with your primary care physician. The specialist will collect anamnesis, listen to complaints and wishes. If necessary, he will refer specialized doctors for examination: a neurologist, gastroenterologist, ophthalmologist and others. Examinations will also be prescribed: general urine and blood tests, ECG and others.

Based on the research results, the therapist will establish the general state of health, identify potential risks and chronic pathological processes. The next step is the development of preventive measures to correct them.

Your doctor will help you choose the appropriate level of physical activity so that it does not put excessive strain on your cardiovascular system or musculoskeletal system. It is especially important to undergo a preliminary medical consultation for persons belonging to high-risk groups:

people aged 45 years and older;
patients with a history of chronic diseases;
patients who have suffered serious injuries and operations in the past;
persons suffering from obesity, diabetes;
patients with neurological disorders.

People suffering from musculoskeletal diseases need to approach lifestyle changes with caution. A sharp increase in physical activity can increase the load on bones and cartilage, leading to their accelerated wear and deformation. In case of serious pathologies, exercises should be agreed upon with the attending physician: an orthopedist, surgeon or therapist.

Even if you do not belong to a risk group, it is recommended to undergo a preventive medical examination before switching to a healthy lifestyle. A sudden change in exercise and diet is a stress factor that can temporarily weaken the body. To prevent a temporary deterioration in your health, consult a specialist.

Causes of antisocial behavior with examples

An antisocial personality does not become such just like that; this is preceded by a number of different reasons.

Social reasons.	Medical reasons.	Pedagogical reasons.
Parents or a partner showed antisociality, tried to assert themselves or achieve their own at the expense of the person.	Deviations in the psychosomatic sphere (diseases caused by a negative emotional state).	Parents and other relatives made excessive demands on the child that were not appropriate for his age.
The person was in a situation of social or material inequality.	Infantile behavior.	The baby grew up in an atmosphere of excessive love and was never denied anything.
The cause of antisocial behavior was subcultures, religious sects, and other public organizations.	Development of hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder in childhood.	The child did not have a positive role model or support.
Living in a dysfunctional family.	Violation of the intrauterine development of the child, the presence of infections.	The child was often punished, it was done unfairly and undeservedly, and physical force was used.
Severe experiences of physical, sexual or emotional abuse.	Diagnosed with schizotypal personality disorder, schizophrenia.	Parents ignored the child's needs.
Bullying (bullying, evil ridicule, persecution).	Trauma or infection of the brain.	The baby was not taken care of enough or, conversely, was overprotected.
Impaired communication with peers and classmates.	The family did not have an atmosphere of love, trust, or warmth.
The presence of dependencies with the further formation of deviant (deviant) behavior.	The child did not have an aesthetic education; adults did not instill a sense of beauty.

Pandemic as a cause of antisociality, see the video below.

How to decide on motivation and what to try for?

After the doctor has developed recommendations for a healthy lifestyle, it is important to find sufficient motivation. This will help “break” the existing behavior pattern, give up bad habits and purposefully move towards health and longevity. If motivation is insufficient, then after some time the person returns to the usual rhythm: he stops adhering to the diet, reduces the level of physical activity, and does not adhere to the daily routine.

Such “relaxations” significantly reduce the effectiveness of a healthy lifestyle, and also undermine self-confidence: a person thinks that he does not have enough willpower to achieve long-term results.

In psychology, there are two types of motivation: positive - when after a completed action a person receives encouragement (pleasure) and negative, that is, an understanding of the negative consequences of his actions or inaction. To motivate yourself to a healthy lifestyle, you need to:

choose a long-term goal. Think about why you need a healthy lifestyle? Do you want to become more energetic, get rid of obesity, prolong sexual activity, become happier and calmer? Emotional involvement will help overcome the difficulties associated with the destruction of an incorrect, unhealthy lifestyle;
find positive motivation. The simplest example is treating yourself to something tasty after visiting the gym or going for a run. But it should not be a chocolate bar or a cake, but a healthy treat;
find suitable negative motivation. After some time after introducing a healthy lifestyle into your life, you may notice that you feel much better - your sleep will normalize, you will get enough sleep faster and rest better, chronic pain will go away or decrease. But this result requires regular exercise: as soon as you give up walking or reduce physical activity, old problems will remind you of themselves. This will be “negative motivation”.

Can this behavior be positive?

People with an antisocial personality type are not encouraged in modern society. However, in some religions and religious traditions such behavior may be considered positive.

Asociality is a person’s closeness to God, which he strives for by abandoning ordinary earthly life. Such people are usually called blessed, holy fools.

Asociality is encouraged in Christianity, Catholicism, and Buddhism. It is in the context of closeness to God. These religions teach to help other people and not to turn away from society.

Do you think asociality can serve a person well? Share your opinion in the comments.

An example of asociality among brilliant people in the video. Why are they lonely?

What to do if nothing works out?

Another common reason why people who have chosen a healthy lifestyle gradually stop adhering to the developed recommendations is that it is beyond expectations. Many people think that diet and exercise should lead to quick visible results. But a healthy lifestyle is aimed primarily at long-term effects: strengthening the immune system, preventing possible chronic diseases.

If you feel like “nothing is working out,” the main thing is not to stop studying halfway.

You can also seek help from professionals: for example, a nutritionist. Perhaps a specialist will adjust your diet, and this will allow you to achieve visible improvements in your well-being. Self-education plays an important role: WHO publishes good articles on healthy lifestyles.

How to maintain a healthy lifestyle?

If you have strong motivation and do not have unnecessarily high expectations and demands on yourself, you will easily switch to a healthy lifestyle and be able to stick with it for many years. Experts give a number of recommendations that will make the transition to a healthy lifestyle easy and enjoyable:

introduce good habits gradually. If you have never played sports, you should not immediately give yourself a big load. The same applies to other aspects of a healthy lifestyle: for example, you don’t need to practice getting up early if you’ve been waking up around lunchtime all your life. Gradually set your alarm clock 20-30 minutes earlier until you can get up at the right time, well-rested and well-rested. Introduce all changes gradually - this will save you from additional stress;
communicate with people who adhere to a healthy lifestyle. The support of loved ones is very important. Find like-minded people - those who share your new views and beliefs. This will help avoid “breakdowns”.

And one more important piece of advice - regularly undergo routine medical examinations. This will help you track the dynamics of positive changes, and you will clearly see that a healthy lifestyle is benefiting you.

Formation

Mental rigidity - what is it, definition

A person is not born with a certain set of useful life activities. Lifestyle is formed under the influence of different attitudes, for example, national or family.

Parents are the first role models

Much depends on what social group a person belongs to. For example, if it is customary to actively engage in sports, then he adopts this habit. It is impossible to say unequivocally what the formation of a lifestyle may depend on - each individual is influenced by a combination of factors.