Guest Post by Mia Johnson

Taking proper care of our bodies is what will make our minds and our spirit healthy as well. Can you say that you take proper care of your body and thus your mind as well?

Creating a healthy body, mind, and spirit shouldn’t be so complicated at all. Making little changes like drinking enough water or getting enough sleep is all a great place to start.

Take a look at our list of things that you can do to improve your health, both physically and mentally.

Change your diet and eat mindfully
Improve your sleeping habits
See your doctor
Get regular exercise
Drink water
Be positive

1. Change your diet and eat mindfully

Food is an important factor when we’re trying to make our bodies healthier. What we eat is directly connected to our bodies and thus to our minds. That’s why adjusting your diet for the sake of your health is often necessary.

A nutritious and well-balanced diet can improve our overall physical health and it can improve our mental health as well. This happens because of the connection between our bodies and minds.

A well-balanced diet includes all kinds of nutritious foods from fruit and vegetables to meat and fish. Mindfully eating all these sorts of food but can help keep our bodies and minds healthy.

Eating mindfully implies eating slowly and having control over our eating habits.

2. Improve your sleeping habits

How many hours do you sleep? Did you know that sleep affects your physical and mental health? Sleep is directly connected to your physical and mental health and not getting enough sleep can increase your risk for many medical conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and so on.

The lack of sleep can also negatively affect your cognitive performance. It can cause you to be less productive at work, have negative moods, and lack concentration.

So, what can you do to improve your sleeping habits and help maintain your vital functions? The amount of sleep you need is individual, but it can be also dependant on your age. For example, adults between the ages of 18 and 64 should sleep from seven to nine hours. Adults above the age of 65 should sleep from seven to eight hours.

The sleep quality is also what affects how long we sleep. If your sleep quality is good then you might not need to sleep all eight hours. And if your sleep quality is poor, then you might feel tired even after getting enough hours of sleep.

But once again this all is individual and it depends on your genetic makeup and how well you sleep at night.

Woman sleeping

3. See your doctor

If you want to make sure that your physical health is at its best, you should get regular doctor check-ups. Visiting a doctor regularly can help you prevent any possible diseases and medical conditions.

Checking your weight, blood pressure, and other basics are necessary. However, checking other things such as urine, cholesterol level, vision, oral and dental health and so on, is a must as well if you want to be sure that your body is healthy.

For example, visiting a specialized dental lab may be necessary in order to maintain your dental and oral health. Dental health is important in keeping your overall health and well being. Poor oral and dental hygiene can cause many dental problems such as gum disease and cavities. These dental problems, if not treated on time, can cause many health problems linked to diabetes, heart disease and so on.

This is why visiting a doctor regularly can help us prevent or treat health problems on time and keep our overall health at its best.

4. Get regular exercise

“Mens sana in corpore sano” is a Latin phrase that means that exercise and physical activity can improve our mental and psychological health. And that is true; physical activity can, in fact, improve both your mental and physical health. But don’t go panicking just yet if you’re not athletic. Being physically active doesn’t mean that you should go to the gym or take up any sport.

You can be active by incorporating exercise into your everyday life. Get up earlier and take a walk to work instead of driving. If your building has an elevator that you use regularly, ditch that habit and use the stairs more often.

Use an exercise ball instead of a chair from time to time and take breaks from work to stretch your body.

Incorporating these exercises into your busy schedule shouldn't be a problem, plus, it will be beneficial to your physical and mental health as well. Additionally, it is said that physical activity fuels the soul and builds resilience to stress.

Woman doing yoga

5. Drink water

Believe it or not, drinking enough water can also have a positive effect on both our bodies and minds. Staying hydrated is essential in keeping your body's physical functions in good condition.

You can do this by starting your day with a glass of warm water in order to activate your body’s cells. Our bodies are made of water and throughout the day we tend to get dehydrated. Because of this, we should drink at least two liters of water a day.

Of course, the amount of water you actually drink will depend on your body. We are all unique and so is the amount of water our bodies need.

If you think that you’re not hydrating enough throughout the day, you can start by drinking at least 500 ml more than you normally would. It’s a step towards keeping your body healthier and your mind stronger.

6. Be positive

Becoming mentally stronger can be done in another way, too. Being positive means training your brain to see things from a brighter, more positive perspective.

This means that is you’re a “glass half empty” type of person, you should try to train your brain to see things the other way around.

You can achieve this by trying to get your body to be healthy and then concentrating on your mind. Once you feel positive and once you have hope, you will be happier and you’ll smile more. Take for example exercise; it can improve your self-esteem and confidence. It can also treat depression and it can boost your mental energy.

The best way to become positive is by improving your self-esteem and confidence. This is only one of the ways you can become positive and strong mentally.

Being completely healthy means being in balance both physically and mentally. These two are closely related and mutually dependent. If you’re not physically healthy then you can’t expect to be happy and content either. Do your best to improve your physical health and you’ll see how fast your mood and your outlook on life will change. A healthy body means a healthy and positive mind!

Mia Johnson is a writer with a ten-year career in journalism. She has written extensively about health, fitness, and lifestyle. A native to Melbourne, she now lives in Sydney with her three dogs where she spends her days writing and taking care of her 900 square feet garden.

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