How can I effectively protect myself from diseases? This is a question that probably all of us ask ourselves. Is it really the case that we can decide about our own health? To a large extent, it turns out! Read this article and learn the 6 most important rules, the following of which will help you stay healthy for years to come.

Principle 1: You are what you eat

A healthy diet is a varied diet that provides the body with all the necessary nutrients – proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and mineral salts. If we want to eat healthily, we should adjust the calorific value of meals to our gender, age and physical activity. Unfortunately, we often eat too much, significantly exceeding our daily energy needs.

• Eat regularly

Nutritionists recommend eating 5 small meals a day, if possible at fixed times and with a 3-4 hour break between them. Why is it so important? An organism that receives nutrients regularly does not convert them into adipose tissue afterwards. On the other hand, when it „realizes” that it will not get food for a long time, it will store it in the form of adipose tissue at the earliest opportunity. Restrictive diets and starvation are therefore not the best idea. They may even do us more harm than good.

• Avoid processed foods

In the diet, we should primarily avoid processed foods and junk food. Let’s remember about proper hydration of the body. The amount of fluids we should drink each day depends on many factors, including gender, age, weight and physical activity. According to the recommendations issued in April 2010 by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the average fluid intake in the daily diet of adult women should be 2 liters and 2.5 liters in men.

• Bite your food well

Recently, there has been more and more talk not only about what to eat, but also how to eat. We must remember that digestion begins in the mouth. This is due to the presence of teeth that grind food and salivary amylase – one of the digestive enzymes in the human digestive system. And precisely because the digestion of food already begins in the mouth, it is very important that it is chewed well. Otherwise, we will run the risk of indigestion. By eating slowly, in a way, we will also trick our stomach a little. It will think that it has received a lot of food (because we have been eating for so long) and it will send a signal to the brain that it is already full.

Principle 2: A healthy mind in a healthy body

Few people are aware that in the new food pyramid proposed by the Food and Nutrition Institute, movement has also found its place! Moreover, it was placed at the very bottom of the pyramid, thus giving it a special meaning. Not only what we eat, but also whether we are physically active determines the state of our health. The creators of the new pyramid decided that it was worth reminding about it. They even changed the very name of the pyramid. Currently, it is a pyramid of healthy eating and physical activity.

• Not only endorphins

Regular physical activity has a very positive effect on each of the body’s systems. Physical exercise accelerates growth in children and supports proper bone mineralization. It makes them stronger and less prone to injury. In addition, movement exercises make joints and ligaments more flexible, improving their mobility and strengthening muscles. Well-chosen physical exercises also allow you to correct posture defects and prevent the formation of new ones.

Under the influence of movement, beneficial changes also occur within the circulatory and respiratory systems. The resting heart rate (heart rate) slows down and blood pressure decreases. The total (vital) capacity of the lungs also increases, which is the result of strengthening the respiratory muscles and improving the mobility of the chest. Regular physical exercise also protects the nervous system and improves neuromuscular coordination. The movements of people who regularly play sports are much more precise and harmonized. It has also been proven that regular physical activity stimulates the immune system to work harder, in other words, it strengthens our immunity.

• Choose the form of activity that suits you best

Physical activity is not about strenuous exercise at all. To stay healthy, a 30-minute moderate exercise is enough. It’s best to choose an activity that you like – walking, swimming, gym, cycling, running or rollerblading. In this way, movement will become an excellent form of rest for us.

• Don’t just think about work

Professional work can bring great satisfaction – that’s a fact! However, focusing only on it will not have a beneficial effect on our health. Every day we should have a moment to rest and enjoy our own pleasures and to spend time with our loved ones. We should also be able to take a 2-week holiday at least once a year. Taking a break from work and everyday duties will allow you to calm down your body and „recharge your batteries”.

Rule 3: We say NO to stimulants

When we hear „stimulants”, the first thing that comes to mind is alcohol, cigarettes, drugs or designer drugs, which have been so popular recently (and at the same time very dangerous!). However, many people do not realize that stimulants are also… Coffee and tea.

• Coffee and tea on the censored

We value coffee primarily for its stimulating and mood-enhancing properties. However, this does not mean that we can drink it in moderation. By consuming large amounts of coffee (500-600 mg per day), we can simply become addicted to it. This drink, drunk in excess, can also cause a number of unpleasant ailments, including sleep disorders, headaches, hyperactivity, excessive sweating, arrhythmia or gastric problems. The caffeine in coffee can also have adverse effects on people with mental health conditions, exacerbating their symptoms and limiting the effects of medications. Drinking coffee is also discouraged for pregnant and breastfeeding women. A seemingly innocent tea can also harm us. Yes, it contains large amounts of polyphenols, which are believed to have antioxidant properties. Drinking large amounts of strong tea can cause symptoms similar to those of coffee, as tea also contains caffeine.

• Eliminate alcohol from your diet

Practically everyone knows that drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes increases the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. However, it is worrying that despite the fact that we are well aware of the harmfulness of these stimulants, we still reach for them. Alcohol consumed in large quantities raises blood pressure and disrupts heart function, thus increasing the risk of heart attack. In addition, it impairs digestive processes and reduces appetite. Alcohol also puts a lot of strain on the liver, which really has to work hard to metabolize it. Hence, people who are addicted to alcohol often develop cirrhosis of the liver. To date, no safe dose of alcohol has been established – any dose can have a negative impact on the body.

• Quit smoking

If we want to stay healthy, we should absolutely avoid cigarettes. We don’t have to be an active smoker to harm ourselves. Even passive smoking adversely affects the body. Therefore, as much as possible, we should try to avoid smoke-filled rooms. Smoking cigarettes – regardless of whether active or passive – results in the appearance of many health problems. It promotes hypertension, atherosclerosis, heart attacks, strokes and cancer. It also increases the risk of stomach ulcers and accelerates the development of osteoporosis. Heavy smokers often complain of a chronic, choking cough, sleep problems, poor sense of taste, sexual dysfunction or difficulty conceiving a child. All this is the result of more than 4000 toxic chemical compounds contained in cigarette smoke.

• Don’t even try designer drugs

When legal highs entered the Polish market, they were sold as safe, non-addictive psychoactive drugs, increasing the efficiency of the body, improving memory and concentration. For this reason, at the turn of 2008-2010, there were dozens of legal points throughout Polish, where you could buy this type of funds without any problem. Today we know that designer drugs are definitely much more dangerous than we thought at the time. The term „legal highs” covers a whole lot of different psychoactive substances that can have a different effect on each body. What is certain is that designer drugs are just as dangerous as drugs. They are just as addictive, they can put a person in a state of arousal or euphoria, or cause visual hallucinations. Even a single use of designer drugs can lead to poisoning of the body and, as a consequence, end in death.