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Our well-being is our treasure, and we need to protect it. The nice thing is that people generally understand this. For example, 17% of Americans describe their overall health as excellent, and 58% say it's good. Still, almost nine-in-ten (87%) want to take steps to live healthier longer, and seven-in-ten (70%) want to know the secrets to feeling younger than their age.
Just listen to what your colleagues mention when they get back from a holiday—how long they slept, how much time they spent outdoors, etc.
So, it probably shouldn't come as a surprise that when Reddit user Bald-Lawyer asked others on the platform to share the best health tips they've received, over 1,400 comments poured in, many offering simple, yet effective lifestyle changes. Here's to looking out for each other!
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#1
“Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly”
That can apply to many things.
If meal prep is stressing you out —nothing is stopping you from getting some raw veggies and incorporating them as snacks while figuring out how to make meaningful dietary adjustments.
If you can’t dedicate an hour a day to a structured workout routine —go on a walk, take the stairs instead of always using the elevator, do 50 high knees while you wait for your coffee to heat up, stretch, or do what you can in small increments it still counts and can help.
Just because you can’t jump in headfirst doesn’t mean the change isn’t worthwhile.
Edit: By the volume of responses on this I hope you all feel a little less alone and I hope you can all find one way to make your life easier. Happy Holidays and I’m rooting for you all!!! 🫂
Bacon Tentacles 2 days ago
My wife and I half-a*s the house cleaning, because it's all the energy we have for that sort of thing right now. But the house gets more or less clean, which adds to our mental well-being, and slowly we can spiral upwards.
RELATED:
#2
A 5 minute walk is better than 0 minutes.
Toothless Feline 2 days ago
Any exercise is better than zero. Walking across the room is better than staying on the couch all day. Every bit of movement helps.
#4
Walking is a perfectly good form of exercise; there's no need to jog or try anything more elaborate.
#5
Embrace your authentic identity, don’t spend energy pretending to be someone you’re not.
keyboardtek 2 days ago
Unless of course you are a psychopath. Then by all means you need to pretend to be someone you are not. Unless of course you run for president. Half the country loves psychopaths.
#6
What gets you to complete a goal isn't being so strict you never break it it's not letting set backs derail you.
Many people will be good for a bit but then have a bad weekend, get sick and binge or just give in and have their favorite foods. Once people lose the momentum they often say "what's the point" and jump back into what's comfortable. However if you want to complete your goal you got to just say "alright that was fun" and go back on to the grind for a few weeks again. Being able to jump back into your good habits is the key not being so obsessed with always staying strict to your diet/workout.
Toothless Feline 2 days ago
This is one of my issues with fitness trackers. If you skip a day, you’re back to square one as far as the app is concerned. You are *not* going to be able to do your workout every single day. You get sick, you get busy, the kid’s got to go to urgent care, things happen. Very few trackers have any kind of allowance for skipping a day. It’s discouraging to be doing great for several days and then have your app tell you that you “failed” because you didn’t quite make your 10,000 steps.
#7
Swimming is a great workout.
keyboardtek 2 days ago
And you don't have to sweat! Great just to tread water and let the spine decompress when one has arthritis in the lower back.
#8
You can do anything you want, but you can’t do EVERYTHING you want so choose wisely.
Tammilee Truitt 1 day ago
I want to sit in at Luckenbach...and be great this time. Stage fright to overcome. I love the music so much. Finally have time to play everyday. I live 30 miles away. Go often, they know me and always ask me to come up. I'm working real hard. Stage fright sucks but I shall overcome.
#9
Figure out how to cook. It's a lot easier to stick to a healthy diet if you aren't torturing yourself with boiled chicken, steamed broccoli, and brown rice all day.
#10
You've got to expend a bit of energy to get some energy. Sounds counterproductive but if you're feeling fatigued, take a brisk walk or do a short workout or get up and stretch a bit and you'll get a bit of pep back to last the distance of the day.
Data1001 1 day ago
Yep. There's a point in the afternoon when, if I've been sitting for a while and doing the same task for all that time, I start to get that same feeling as when you're driving late at night: highway hypnosis (except at the computer, lol). So I have to get up and walk around to pick up my energy. I also note that I tend to get more tired when I'm dehydrated, so drinking a full glass of water can really help, oddly enough.
#13
Drink enough water everyday, have a good sleep and don't smoke.
#14
Stand on one foot when you brush your teeth.
A very common cause of death among older people is falling. As you age, your nerves slow down a little, your body weight moves around a little, your brain learned how to balance your body when you were about 18, and over 50 years your body isn't the same, but your brain hasn't kept up.
So, stand on one foot when you brush your teeth. I do right foot in the morning (starting off on the right foot, hah) and left foot on the evening. My balance is great. Doctor even said so, so I told him about the "stand on one foot when you brush thing" and I think he's started doing it and also recommending it to his patients.
keyboardtek 2 days ago
The single factor for elderly that can predict falling is how strong their big toe muscle is. The big toe is a factor for a lot of foot stability.
#16
Stop thinking about the past, stop worrying about the “what ifs”. Learn from the past and focus on the next step.
keyboardtek 2 days ago
“I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.” Mark Twain
#17
Reading the nutritional labels on stuff. You'd be amazed how so many of the seemingly nutritious food are secretly killing you with lots of sugar, sodium, cholesterol and other harmful things in it.
Toothless Feline 2 days ago
And learn what the funny chemical names in the ingredients list mean by looking them up on Wikipedia (*not* on Google or YouTube). Consumer Reports recently published a list of several different ingredient names that most people don’t know are sweeteners.
#18
“The best exercise is the exercise you’ll do consistently”.
Blue Bunny of Happiness 1 day ago
The best exercise is one you enjoy. You’re far more likely to continue it of your enjoy it. Forget x is good for y condition, just get moving.
#19
Learn to waste food. Too many of us eat past the point of full or eat something we're not enjoying because we don't want to waste it. It's still being wasted, just you're now the trash can.
Jane Jayne Jain Jeign Jein 2 days ago
Oh my gosh, I can't believe how much I needed to hear this put this way. I have always felt so guilty for leaving/wasting food.
#21
Want to fix your lower back pain? Work out your core. Get strong you will hurt less. This is true generally as well.
If you are constantly undergoing stress you need to do the opposite and remove your self from the stress. As a massage therapist I have seen what happens to people who work 12+ hours a day who don’t do enough self care and it does not seem pleasant.
Stop going to chiropractors unless your doc or pt recommends you a specific chiropractor.
A great way to tell if a chiro is a scumbag liar is if they make claims like “if I adjust your c7 it will help your stomach issues”. Just walk out if you hear anything along those lines.
Also when chiropractors “adjust” your joints they are simply pushing that joint past its normal range of motion and the bubbles in your synovial fluid make that popping sound. It’s not your bones. It’s not your joint moving back into place.
zak 2 days ago
My number 1 tip for avoiding back issues: stretch BEFORE you get out of bed in the morning, while you're still warm under the covers. Just hug your knees to your chest for a minute or two, and twist/roll your hips to each side and hold it for a minute or two each. I haven't had any back issues since I started doing this, and I used to pull my back a few times per year doing something as mundane as putting on my socks or sneezing too hard 😆
#22
Not one more drop of alcohol. Not one. I've lost 40 lbs, I'm stronger than I've ever been in my life (45M), and my mind is clear as crystal. People get caught up in the socializing factor of drinking 🍸 and it has the potential to destroy lives. I'm glad I snapped out of it!
#23
Two things:
1) It's actually ok to not eat everything on your plate if it doesn't spark joy.
2) Meals can count as meals even if they don't include meat sometimes.
Both are contrary to how I was raised, and both completely changed my life and how I interact with food. Life is so much better now.
#24
Doctors are people and they can f**k up.
Aileen Grist 1 day ago
Own your illnesses and diseases. Find out as much as you can. Note YOUR symptoms. The best doctor in the world doesn't live in your body, he can only use averages, experience and generalisations.
#25
Calories are king. how you consume those calories is what matters. 500 calories is 500 calories but 500 calories of chicken and broccoli is better than 500 calories of potato chips.
#26
Nothing is worse for your general health than a sedentary lifestyle.
John Harrison 1 day ago
Gunshots, smoking and falling out of airplanes. Also, runaway farm equipment. And explosions. And sinkholes. If God existed and loved us, he would never have made sinkholes. Absolutely terrifying. Also, hungry grizzly bears.
#27
Spending more time in the fresh air. Meditation and breathing exercises have truly opened my eyes to my health—or rather, its actual state. Just one month of regular practice, and I can already see improvements in my sleep, digestion, and nervous system. Turns out, the brain needs oxygen too! 😅.
#28
Don't worry about things out of your control.
#29
If you’re diabetic get regular eye and feet checks.
Shelby Moonheart 2 days ago
I have T1D. During my annual eye exam, my ophthalmologist found my optic nerve was swollen and asked me to get an MRI. It revealed that I had a brain tumor. The tumor was removed successfully and it was benign. I love my doctor for saving my life.
#31
As you’re approaching your 40s you can take one of two paths-start taking your health seriously or get ready to know your doctors on a first name basis.
Shelby Moonheart 2 days ago
Or both. I have a chronic disease. I know my doctors well and they help me take my health seriously.
#33
Always drink water when you get up in the morning, eat a varied diet, avoiding fried foods, and exercise. It has always helped me keep my body slim and full of energy.
#35
Probiotics everyday by eating yogurt or a pill. Eat more fruit and vegetables for fiber. Regular bowel movements. Use a bidet besides tp (don’t be a savage with paper).
StrangeOne 21 hours ago (edited)
Probiotics is very important, especially after you've been on antibiotics. Your body needs to build up that immune system again or you'll repeatedly get sick. Pills are better than yogurt. There isn't enough probiotics in yogurt. But not everyone lives in a region where bidets are a thing. Those "flushable" wipes actually cause plumbing problems. When you're in a public washroom, in order to clean proper well, with no sink in the stall, you have to grab some paper towel with soap on it, wet it and bring it with you into the stall. But there's no clean surface to rest it on until you need to use it. Or you can take a risk when the coast is clear and high tale it with your pants down to the sinks and run back to the stall. Always good when you find one room washroom to get it all done in privacy.
#38
If you can’t stop coughing, blow your nose. It works-even when you don’t think you need to blow your nose. Just learned it this year and I’m 40.
#40
Learn to sleep. Literally 1/3 of your life and it’s vital for every other function in your body.
What do you think ?
karen snyder 1 day ago
What a bunch of moot, useless, self indulgent blather. This is %90 common sense and the rest is the meaningless drivel that oozes from motivational speakers. F*****g Duh, water, healthy diet, exercise and sleep are good for you. What most of us were hoping for were strategies for making those things fun or easier. BP,you don't know what a hack is, please stop using that word. Seriously.
Apatheist Account2 1 day ago
They're just copying the tabloids, who are copying social media, because they're trying to appear trendy and appeal to "yoof".
Load More Replies...
Mari 1 day ago
Don't give up!!! Even if you try for years and there is no effect, just keep trying. And every little step is a victory. Just keep going! I was depressed for 12 years, I took medication, went to therapy and nothing seemed to help. After 12 years something changed (i don't know what) and I am feeling better. It took me 41years to realise I don't have to be perfect. Perfectionism destroyed so many years of my life.
Toothless Feline 2 days ago
Meal planning was a godsend for me and my spouse. We used to waste an hour every night deciding what to eat, and half the time we’d decide we were too tired to cook and we’d order something unhealthy. Now, every Sunday after dinner, we decide what we’re going to make for each night. It takes about 10 minutes, and when dinner time rolls around, we just cook what’s on the schedule. We eat healthier and save money to boot.
Green Tree 1 day ago
Yes! Having a plan for the week is critical. Our sweet spot is three from -scratch healthy dinners planned and shopped for per week and then some flexibility the other nights to eat up leftovers, make sandwiches or whatever the other nights. That plus learning how to shop so there is always the basics around but not so much that anything goes bad lingering in a back corner.
Load More Replies... karen snyder 1 day ago
What a bunch of moot, useless, self indulgent blather. This is %90 common sense and the rest is the meaningless drivel that oozes from motivational speakers. F*****g Duh, water, healthy diet, exercise and sleep are good for you. What most of us were hoping for were strategies for making those things fun or easier. BP,you don't know what a hack is, please stop using that word. Seriously.
Apatheist Account2 1 day ago
They're just copying the tabloids, who are copying social media, because they're trying to appear trendy and appeal to "yoof".
Load More Replies... Mari 1 day ago
Don't give up!!! Even if you try for years and there is no effect, just keep trying. And every little step is a victory. Just keep going! I was depressed for 12 years, I took medication, went to therapy and nothing seemed to help. After 12 years something changed (i don't know what) and I am feeling better. It took me 41years to realise I don't have to be perfect. Perfectionism destroyed so many years of my life.
Toothless Feline 2 days ago
Meal planning was a godsend for me and my spouse. We used to waste an hour every night deciding what to eat, and half the time we’d decide we were too tired to cook and we’d order something unhealthy. Now, every Sunday after dinner, we decide what we’re going to make for each night. It takes about 10 minutes, and when dinner time rolls around, we just cook what’s on the schedule. We eat healthier and save money to boot.
Green Tree 1 day ago
Yes! Having a plan for the week is critical. Our sweet spot is three from -scratch healthy dinners planned and shopped for per week and then some flexibility the other nights to eat up leftovers, make sandwiches or whatever the other nights. That plus learning how to shop so there is always the basics around but not so much that anything goes bad lingering in a back corner.
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