Sometimes, starting new healthy habits can be challenging. Making significant changes can be overwhelming and stressful when you don’t know where to start. Read on to find out why moderation is key to a healthy lifestyle.

Your health is a significant part of your everyday life that you should nurture and protect. While various factors can determine your health goals, your lifestyle choices can still have a massive influence. For instance, what you eat, the amount of physical activity you engage in or how you take care of your mental wellbeing can negatively or positively affect your quality of life.

A healthy lifestyle helps you feel good while increasing your lifespan by reducing unhealthy habits with the potential to develop chronic illnesses and other health-related concerns. An unbalanced lifestyle that includes highly processed foods, excessive alcohol consumption and lack of exercise can impact your health. The  impact of an excessive lifestyle can consist of these health risks:

• High blood pressure.
• Heart diseases.
• High cholesterol.
• Type 2 diabetes.
• Certain cancers.
• Anxiety and depression.
• Obesity.
• Stroke.

What You Should Do in Moderation

Diet

Eating in moderation can be confusing when you don’t understand how it relates to your eating habits. Simply, it means maintaining a balance when you consume healthy food and indulge in unhealthy options. Additionally, it focuses on avoiding excessive eating by being mindful of portion sizes and how often you eat throughout your day.

Mental Health

As life gets busy again, it can be easy to miss the critical cues when your body and mind are not aligned. A moderate lifestyle can help you stay mindful of everyday stressors that can trigger your mental health concerns. According to research, mindfulness is an excellent way to manage stress through healthier thought patterns and being more aware of what’s happening to your internal environment in real-time.

Relationships

Creating and maintaining positive and supportive relationships can help reduce feelings of loneliness, stress, and anxiety. There are numerous mental health benefits associated with significant social connections. Most importantly, having friends and family you can rely on can help you become happier and healthier in other areas of your life.

Exercise

A healthy lifestyle can be achieved by applying the phrase “moderation is key” in everything you do. For example, if you haven’t been exercising and would like to start the year with more physical activity, focusing on moderate workouts that can form part of your lifestyle goals is better. Gradual exercise can help shift your mindset and ensure you achieve your fitness goals without feeling overwhelmed.

Work

Nowadays, most people find balancing work and their personal lives challenging. However, it’s crucial to remember that work shouldn’t always overshadow other parts of your life. A significant part of keeping your overall health at optimal levels is finding effective ways to take breaks when your work takes away the time you should spend with your loved ones.

Screen Time

Did you know that excessive screen usage can lead to an increased risk of emotional, mental, and physical health concerns? Research suggests that digital devices often interfere with major brain processes like creativity. Using your screens moderately can help prevent potential long-term health risks such as sleep disorders, chronic neck and back pain and poor concentration.

An excessive lifestyle can lead to negative consequences, such as moderate to severe health conditions. Nurturing healthy lifestyle habits helps to prioritise your wellness and is the key towards a better quality of life.

Using your Affinity Health Telehealth Benefit gives you access to healthcare professionals who can guide you towards moderate lifestyle choices when you are ready to start your health goals afresh.