10 Universally Recognized Healthy Lifestyle Habits: See How Many You've Adopted

If we adhere to scientific principles and cultivate good lifestyle habits, each of us can extend our lifespan by at least ten years. This is a universally recognized truth in the medical community.

Many people are unaware that we are all born healthy and strong, and over 80% of diseases are caused by improper environments and lifestyles. However, diseases are preventable! By simply avoiding unhealthy habits, which are not difficult to achieve, many good habits can be gradually developed. Today, I will introduce you to the globally recognized 10 good lifestyle habits, many of which you may already practice. With just a little self-discipline, these are achievable. Remember, your health is in your hands.

1. Love Drinking Water

We all need to drink water every day, but many people don't drink enough. When you feel thirsty, your body has lost 1% of its weight in water, impacting bodily functions. At 2%, adverse effects on physical performance and behavior occur, accompanied by feelings of depression and reduced appetite. When dehydration reaches 4% to 8%... the body becomes feeble!

"Drink more water," seemingly the most trivial advice, is the primary factor for health and longevity! Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States shows that many diseases result from inadequate water intake, such as urinary tract stones, kidney stones, and constipation. Additionally, be cautious not to frequently consume sugary beverages. If you desire such drinks, control both frequency and quantity. For example, with cola, limit consumption to one to two times per week, with each serving not exceeding 400 milliliters, within the range metabolizable by the kidneys. Don't drink beverages the way you drink water!

2. Inverted Pyramid Diet Habits

Your dietary structure should resemble an inverted pyramid: with a substantial breakfast as the foundation, ensuring adequate nutrition and energy intake in the morning with foods like eggs, milk, fruits, and grains, ensuring the day starts with vigor and vitality. Following this is a well-balanced lunch, while dinner should be notably lighter.

The dietary intake throughout the day is structured like an inverted pyramid. Remember not to go to bed immediately after a heavy meal. Ensure to consume more nuts and dried fruits, and fewer fries and fried snacks. Adhering to these dietary guidelines every day is essential for maintaining health.

3. De-stress Yourself

Stress is intangible, but prolonged stress can lead to significant changes in our mental well-being. For instance, prolonged stress can cause insomnia, leading to acne breakouts and affecting our appearance negatively. Learning to alleviate stress for oneself is crucial.

For example, when faced with heavy workloads, refrain from making excessive plans for things that haven't happened yet. Simply focus on the present and take things one step at a time. Seek help from others when necessary, proactively seek psychological guidance, and regularly engage in conversations with positive-minded individuals around you to help overcome obstacles.

4. Helping Others

Giving roses to others leaves a lingering fragrance on your hands. By lending a helping hand to others, you can also find joy and a sense of accomplishment. What qualifies as helping others? There's no need to set overly high standards for yourself.

It could be as simple as helping someone move a piece of furniture, assisting a classmate with a math problem, or doing household chores for family members. By doing what you can, you not only help others but also deepen your social connections in the process. Through helping others, you can feel your contribution and value to society, thereby boosting your self-esteem and confidence.

5. Optimistic Attitude

One's mindset is related to genetics. Some people are naturally optimistic, while others tend to view things in a negative light. Optimistic individuals are more likely to live longer because their positive mindset and good emotions can alter genes. This has been confirmed by medical research. Surveys of centenarians have found that they all had confidence in living beyond a hundred years. This belief enabled them to maintain good health habits and a spirited attitude when facing life's challenges.

6. Simplify Everything

Simplicity in material possessions reflects simplicity and modesty in mindset. Start by simplifying the arrangement of your home, clearing out unnecessary clutter, learning to detach, and attempting to reduce your material desires. Aim for sufficiency in your consumption of food, clothing, and other necessities, rather than overly pursuing material abundance.

Maintaining simplicity and meeting basic needs is beneficial for health. Necessities not only fulfill your needs but also prevent your body from becoming lazy due to excessive pursuit of comfort.

7. Loving Your Family

A study conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the United States suggests that individuals who love their families tend to have consistently good mental health indicators and are more likely to reach the goal of living over a hundred years. This is because loving your family instills a sense of responsibility for your health.

Additionally, spending more time with family members allows you to distance yourself from the stress and worries brought on by work or study, thereby alleviating negative thoughts and tense emotions.

8. Rejecting Addictive Foods and Drugs

Strong liquor, cigarettes, sleeping pills, and similar substances can steer you away from longevity. Addictive drugs continuously erode your organs; for example, smoking damages the lungs, halving one's lifespan, while hard liquor impairs memory over time. Dependence on sleeping pills can lead to the loss of your natural ability to fall asleep.

These substances disrupt the body's natural rhythms to varying degrees, and as we've seen, a machine running amok quickly faces collapse. Place reminders wherever you can see them, urging yourself to quit bad habits, adhere to medical prescriptions, spend more time outdoors, cultivate other hobbies, or turn to alternative stress-relief methods when feeling overwhelmed, such as exercise. This can effectively help you break free from addiction.

9. Making New Friends

Making new friends allows us to broaden our horizons and learn about different cultures and values. Whether it's in school, at work, or while traveling, meeting like-minded new friends is a blessing.

With the pace of life accelerating, it's becoming increasingly challenging to find genuine friends, and people in the modern era tend to be more closed-off. Making new friends helps keep our minds clear and allows us to gain new perspectives on life. However, research suggests that it's not ideal to have too many or too few friends. It's more beneficial for mental health when a person maintains close contact with 4-5 individuals.

10. Moderate Exercise

Moderate exercise is the most cost-effective way to maintain physical and mental health. Dedicate 30 minutes each day to activities like running, playing sports, or engaging in other physical activities. Even when busy with work or studies, remember to stretch your body regularly; this is highly beneficial for the heart and can help reduce weight, lower blood pressure, and regulate cholesterol levels.

Exercise can be also considered the ideal medicine for mental health, as it provides significant relief from anxiety, panic disorders, common stress, and depression. Exercise releases neurotransmitters such as adrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine, which are similar to important psychiatric medications. As Professor Tal Ben-Shahar from Harvard University's Happiness Course states, "If I were a psychologist, my first prescription would be exercise."