Healthy Lifestyles

What is a healthy lifestyle?

A healthy lifestyle is all about exercising, eating well and sleeping well.


It’s different for everyone- depending on what works for you and your body- but the basics are the same.  When you are eating well (for all the energy, nutrients and vitamins you need), getting some exercise (about 60mins everyday) and sleeping enough (at least 8 ½  – 10 hours a night) that is considered a ‘healthy lifestyle’.  
 

What are the benefits?

The way you treat your body is really important to how you feel physically, mentally and emotionally!  

Obviously, how well you eat, exercise and sleep has a huge impact on your physical health.  When you have a healthy lifestyle you feel better, have more energy and get the ‘feel good’ adrenaline rush from exercise.

One less obvious benefit though, is how it impacts the way you feel mentally and emotionally.  A healthy lifestyle has been found to be one of the most effective ‘happiness boosters’ around1.  It also helps keep your stress levels in check, improves the quality of your sleep and helps boost how good you feel about yourself!

 

[1] Blumenthal, J.A., Babyak, M. A., Moore, K. A., Craighead, E., herman, S., Khatri, P., Waugh, R., Napolitano, M. A., Forman, L.M., Appelbaum, M., Doraiswamy, P. M., and Krishman, K. R. (1999). Effects of exercise training on older patients with major depression. Archives of International Medicine, 159: 2349-56


 

Where's the Proof?

A heap of experiments have taken place showing just how incredible exercise, a good diet and good sleeping habits are for your health, you mood and your wellbeing.


Exercise.


Many studies have shown good exercise is for your head space. In particular, one study showed that exercising for 45 minutes three times a week resulted in the same improvement in depression as taking antidepressant medication.  This study shows that exercise is not only important for how you feel physically, but also for how you are doing psychologically.1


Exercise boosts happiness a number of ways:

 

  • Exercise releases serotonin, the feel good chemical in your brain.3
  • Doing exercise helps you to feel in control; it is motivating to see yourself improve in sport or fitness and probably helps you to feel good about yourself and what you can do.
  • Physical activity could be a source of flow for you, provide time out, or distraction.
  • Physical activity often involves interacting and making connections with other people.

 

What you eat.

 

How does food affect your mood?

Food affects the chemicals in your brain which then influences your mood.  Food can alter the production or release of neurotransmitters, the chemicals that carry information from one nerve cell to another nerve cell in the brain.

Examples of neurotransmitters are dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine, all of which increase alertness and energy.  The nutrients you get from your food determine how much of a neurotransmitter is produced and therefore how much energy you have and how good you feel.

“You are what you eat”, especially when it comes to happiness and feeling good.  Studies have shown that people who have healthier diets (that means more fruit and vegetables and less processed and junk food) are physically healthier and have higher wellbeing and lower rates of the blah emotions, especially depression and anxiety.  In 2007, one study in particular showed that when people’s diet got better, so did their headspace and how they were feeling about themselves.2

 

Sleep

You know the old saying “money can’t buy happiness”? Well sleep just might! A study at the University of Michigan found that getting one extra hour of sleep each night had more of an effect on happiness than earning $60,000 more per year!  

When you don’t get enough sleep, you don’t function properly.  Sleep deprivation can cause extreme moodiness, low attention span, drop your motivation, or even cause more serious health problems.  So, getting more regular sleep will boost your ability, your health, your motivation and importantly, your mood.


 

1. Blumenthal, J.A., Babyak, M. A., Moore, K. A., Craighead, E., herman, S., Khatri, P., Waugh, R., Napolitano, M. A., Forman, L.M., Appelbaum, M., Doraiswamy, P. M., and Krishman, K. R. (1999). Effects of exercise training on older patients with major depression. Archives of International Medicine, 159: 2349-56
2. Lyubomirsky, S. (2008).  The How of Happiness: A new approach to getting the life you want. (p. 249). New York: The Penguin Group.
3. Sharon Natoli, Accredited Practicing Dietitian, cited on http://www.motherinc.com.au/magazine/everything-for-mum/health-and-fitness/exercisenutrition/501-what-you-eat-can-affect-your-happiness
 

How do you build it?

Exercise

When it comes to getting enough exercise, most of the times it’s just about finding what works for you.  Some people love being active, while others find that exercise isn’t really their thing.  But if you can find something you enjoy doing, not necessarily just playing a sport, then getting moving won’t feel like such hard work.  (Things like dancing with your friends on the weekend can count as some exercise too!).

Have a think about what might fit your lifestyle and your general likes and dislikes.

  • Are you a morning person (if yes, try getting up and moving before school) or an afternoon person?
  • Do you prefer team activities where competition is the motivating factor (hockey, basketball…), or solo movement (dance or yoga, maybe)?
  • Do you like being inside (have you tried a gym, or an indoor pool?) or prefer the great outdoors (try hiking or running)?

There are so many different ways of doing it, you just have to find the one for you.

Types of exercise

1. Aerobic exercise, like swimming or running, improves your cardiorespiratory fitness. This is the capacity for your heart and lungs to supply oxygen rich blood to your muscles so they can produce energy.

2. Flexibly exercises, like yoga and pilates, improve your ability to move your muscles and joints to their full range.

3. Resistance training, like lifting weights, builds your muscle strength and increases bone density, preventing osteoporosis.

Here are some tips if you want to start an exercise routine:

  • Plan an exercise or activity schedule and add it to your timetable like an appointment that can’t be missed. Try 3 times a week for starters.
  • What time of day do you have the most energy? Pick that time to exercise.
  • Choose physical activity that fits with you  - think outside the square.
  • Just because you can’t fit in a full hour of exercise, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do any at all. 10 minutes is better than nothing.
    If you miss a day or two of your routine, you haven’t failed, just start up again the next day!

Diet

What food will make me happy?

1. Foods that are high in Folate help to increase the serotonin hormone in your brain that makes you feel relaxed and happy.

2. Eat green leafy vegetables, beetroot, vegemite, sunflower seeds, baked beans, oranges and strawberries.

3. Food high in Vitamin B6 also boosts serotonin and helps to maintain a healthy nervous system, reducing depression, hostility and stress.

4. Try spinach, salmon, museli, walnuts, red peppers, garlic, cauliflower, watermelon, bananas and broccoli.

5. Food that is high in vitamin B12 helps with healthy functioning of the brain and nervous system, boosting your memory and your mood.

6. Eat tuna, lean beef, sardines and mussels.

7. Eating two serves of fruit and five serves of vegetables a day, as well as sticking to whole grains and lean meats and laying off the junk food is the best way to feel good.

Eating well means eating a wide variety of nutritious foods containing all the energy, minerals, vitamins and fibre you need. To stay healthy, fruits, vegetables and grains are key.  Most importantly though, it’s about balance.  If you have a sweet tooth, it’s OK to indulge every now and then.  But maybe try making your sweets and treats at home…. You’ll enjoy it more that way, and you’ll know what is actually in it!  For great tips on what to eat, and how much, check out this website.

Sleep

When you are in the teenage years, they say between 8.5 and 10 hours of sleep every night is needed.  Check out these sites for tips, if you aren’t quite hitting the right amount of sleep for you:


8 Ezzz sleep tips
Sleep Tips for Teens or
Sleep Tips for Teenagers

If you like to go to bed late and then sleep in through the morning, you are not alone. Your brain is actually hardwired that way! Unfortunately though, society is not.  School starts early meaning you don’t get the sleep ins!  What can you do other than encourage your principal to change school hours?  You can train your body clock. Check out the tips on this page.... Keep in mind though... it takes time!
 

 


 








 

Healthy Lifestyle In Action

Coming soon!