Low-Effort Healthy Lifestyle Tips

Sugary beverages such as juices, sweetened coffee and tea, and sports and energy drinks are no escape from this. When taken beyond moderation, this can result in serious health issues such as weight gain, an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and severe tooth decay, according to The Nutrition Source of Harvard T.H. Chan.

Sweet drinks are great for a quick release of dopamine and a temporary feeling of pleasure. The addictive habit of drinking sugary drinks is often caused by the bad habit of taking them between bites or as a source of satiety after a full meal. This mistake can be corrected by swapping them with water or unsweetened tea. Quenching the thirst immediately after a meal will lessen or totally get rid of the craving.

Maintain Healthy Snacking

People would say to stop snacking because it’s unhealthy. However, snacking is fundamentally human nature. According to health and nutrition brand Nupo, snacking is driven by our evolutionary wiring, physiological needs, and the brain's reward system. It is only that modern snacking—grazing constantly on hyper-processed foods, such as salty potato chips and sweet pastries—is a cultural phenomenon that has been circulating forever.

The key to maintaining health is not to eliminate the habit, but to choose a nutritious snack that benefits your body. Instead of candy or gummies, try freeze-dried fruits or unsweetened dried fruits like dates, figs, or raisins. Instead of ice cream, blend frozen bananas and a dash of cocoa powder to make a dairy-free dessert or opt for Greek yogurt topped with fresh berries. You can also switch to kale chips or sweet potato chips as a potato chip alternative.

Philippine snacks made of pili nuts, like Pili Poppers, are also gaining quite the popularity due to the nut’s high mineral content, such as magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, copper, calcium, potassium, and protein. It’s also a good source of fiber, zinc, iron, and other B vitamins. Moreover, it is high in heart-healthy fats and low in net carbs, which makes it particularly fit for a ketogenic diet.

Find a Physical Routine

Making physical exercise a habit has always been one of the best ways to stay healthy. The misconception is that it is limited to jogging, running, and lifting weights, but any kind of physical activity can count as exercise.

Playing sports like basketball or badminton, doing a daily yoga or targeted stretching, dancing to your favorite music, and even a 10-minute walk with your dog count as exercise. Simply building a daily routine of taking the stairs instead of the elevator to the office can already do more than it seems. It’s just a matter of finding what works for you.

Multiple sources, such as Healthline and GoodRx, have emphasized the importance of combining diet and exercise for health management. No exercise can make up for a bad diet, the same way no good diet is enough for a lack of exercise. Both are important not just for weight management but also for maintaining good heart health, bone health, metabolism, and more.

Ditch the Processed Food

Technically, most foods are processed, but some require only a certain degree. According to Medical News Today, there are two types of food processing: mechanical food processing and chemical food processing. It is the latter that is detrimental to our health—also called “ ultra-processed food" or “highly processed food.”

Some examples of highly processed food include ready meals, packaged breads, breakfast cereals, candy and ice cream, instant noodles and soups, sodas and other sweetened drinks, and reconstituted meats such as sausages, nuggets, fish fingers, and processed ham.

These foods are incorporated with more than salt, sugar, and fat, and include artificial colors, flavoring, preservatives, thickeners, emulsifiers, and artificial sweeteners to lengthen shelf life and preserve or enhance texture.

These food additives are dangerous because they have been linked to inflammation, digestive issues, and an increased risk of chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease and cancer, according to the World Health Organization.

Get Some Sunlight

The body’s main provider of vitamin D is sunlight. When ultraviolet B (UVB) rays hit the skin, it triggers a reaction that naturally synthesizes the nutrient. Family medicine doctor Charles Garven, MD, says even 10 to 30 minutes of sun exposure on bare skin can start to impact levels in a positive way.

According to Cleveland Clinic, vitamin D benefits the body by promoting strong bones, healthy immune system, better mood, cardiovascular health, and good muscle function.

Moreover, it regulates sleep patterns by helping the body’s internal clock (also known as the circadian rhythm) stay in sync. When eyes are exposed to light, the brain receives the signal that it can stop producing melatonin—one of the main hormones that contributes to sleep.

Overall, the benefits of sunlight include improved sleep quality, energy levels, physical performance, stress and anxiety levels, and cognitive function. This is a lot of benefits from one natural source.

Which health tip are you adding to your routine?

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