Health: Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle - Essay Example

A healthy lifestyle is a key ingredient in high life expectancy. The risk of chronic diseases such as cancer and hypertension can be reduced through better lifestyle choices. Conversely, poor lifestyle choices such as excessive smoking or inactive lifestyle increase the vulnerability of a person to similar illnesses and communicable diseases (Dyer par.6). However, living a healthy lifestyle is not just about keeping diseases at bay. It is also about ensuring one gets to live and enjoy a quality life in the physical, social, and psychological aspects. Therefore, lifestyles such as a healthy diet and frequent exercise create good health and increase a person’s life expectancy.

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A balanced diet sufficiently supplies the body’s energy and nutrition needs without increasing the risk of obesity. The risk of contracting chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension is directly proportional to obesity (Chalhoub et al. par.5). A healthy diet consists of a sufficient amount of fiber, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and minerals while maintaining low fat, sugar, and salt content. Nutritional content in food is specifically important when it comes to the body’s response to diseases. Plant-based foods such as fruits supply the body with phytonutrients responsible for actively boosting the body’s ability to fight pathogens capable of disrupting the body’s normal functioning (Chalhoub et al., par 9-10). Therefore, healthy living reduces the chances of succumbing to diseases because the body’s immune system is strong enough to fight them.

Also, an active lifestyle such as regular exercise of at least 30 minutes every day works towards increasing a person’s quality of health. Dyer indicates, “the risk of cardiovascular diseases reduced by regular physical activities that reduce heart rate” (par.11). It is also important to note that the lack of physical exercise is responsible for 10 percent of colon cancers and 9 percent of breast cancers (Dyer par. 11). Interestingly, these statistics apply to every individual regardless of their income status. For older people, physical exercises reduce the amount of bone loss associated with osteoporosis and old age. Therefore, it is important for people to actively partake in physical activities such as jogging, running, and periodically exercising at the gym.

However, it should go without saying that healthy living generally improves the quality of life that one gets to live. Chronic conditions are the leading causes of death in America, and living a healthy lifestyle reduces the chances of contracting them hence ensuring that one gets to enjoy the benefits of a long lifespan. Good dieting provides the necessary nutrition needed for optimal body functioning while regular exercises give one the energy needed to perform daily tasks and enjoy regular activities such as walking or physical games. Regardless of age, gender, race or socioeconomic status, everyone wants to ensure they get to live the best quality of life that they can, and that can only come by not only having a long lifespan but one that is full of activities.

Conclusion

Conclusively, a healthy lifestyle encompasses a way of living that not only enables an individual to reduce the chances of developing chronic diseases but also avoids premature death. Primary forms of a healthy lifestyle involve eating healthy and regular exercise. While eating healthy enables one to attain the essential nutrients that provide energy and boost the body’s immunity, regular exercise increases body strength and ensures a reasonable heart rate. Therefore, a healthy lifestyle that combines eating healthy and exercise promotes good health and increases life expectancy.

Works Cited

Chalhoub, Theresa, Twomey, Madeline and Rogombe, Rhonda. “Public Policies Promoting Healthy Eating and Exercise.” Center for American Progress, https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/healthcare/reports/2018/11/27/461418/public-policies-promoting-healthy-eating-exercise/. Accessed 18 September 2020.

Dyer, Kirsti A. “6 Positive Lifestyle Factors that Promote Good Health.” Verywellhealth, https://www.verywellhealth.com/lifestyle-factors-health-longevity-prevent-death-1132391. Accessed 18 September 2020.