What is lifestyle modification?

Whenever stuck with a health problem, our common mantra is to go for lifestyle modification to recover ourselves fully. But what are actually these lifestyle modifications. Lifestyle modifications are the changes we make in our way of living to stay fit and healthy. They prove beneficial and provide positive effects on a person’s well-being.

Lifestyle modification involves changing old habits, related to food and physical activity, introducing healthy food and habits in your routine and sustaining it for a longer duration. Lifestyle modification is the best way to treat hypertension, diabetes and obesity.

Essentials for Lifestyle Modification

We all have been raised in a certain way. Some habits we have adopted from our parents, and some we acquired because of our choices, likes or friends. Some habits keep changing throughout our life while some we keep because we feel too accustomed to them. 

But habits can sometimes cause trouble especially if they are unhealthy. To make lifestyle modifications we need to follow a corrective path and we need to work on our basic habits to make them healthy. Some of these lifestyle modifications are;

1.    Proper sleep

Poor sleep is the reason for many health problems whereas proper sleep can help you overcome many health-related maladies. Sleep plays a critical role in the body's ability to repair and regenerate, including the muscles, tissues, and cells. It is also necessary for maintaining a healthy immune system, regulating hormones, and supporting optimal brain function.

Lack of proper sleep can lead to a range of health issues, including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, depression, and anxiety. For sleeping without any disturbance have a healthy but light dinner, limit caffeine intake and avoid alcohol and nicotine. Try not to take long naps during the day as it may shorten or delay your night-time sleep.

 It should be kept in mind that the bedroom is for sleeping only and should be used in the same way. Making a relaxing sleep environment with a comfortable mattress, pillows, and cool room temperature can promote better quality sleep.

2.    Balanced diet

A balanced diet plays a crucial role in lifestyle modification because it provides the body with the essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals required for optimal health and well-being. Eating a balanced diet can help you maintain a healthy weight, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

A balanced diet requires you to consume a variety of foods from all food groups, including fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Besides, you should limit or avoid processed and high-fat foods, added sugars, and sodium.

This can help you manage your weight, improve your energy levels, improve mental health, and make you feel motivated to engage in physical activity and other healthy behaviours that can increase your overall well-being.Top of Form

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3.    Physical activity

Physical activity is a critical component of a healthy lifestyle modification plan. It brings numerous health benefits and prevents chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

Physical activity helps to improve cardiovascular health, increase muscle strength and endurance, and reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases. It can also improve mental health, including reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety and improving overall mood.

You can plan a range of activities, including aerobic exercises, strength training, and flexibility exercises. Aim to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity for at least five days per week.

Besides walking or biking to work, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and participating in active hobbies, can also help you achieve your physical activity goals and improve your overall quality of life.

 

4.    Healthy weight

Being overweight or obese can increase the risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers whereas maintaining a healthy weight can help reduce the risk of these diseases, and improve overall health and well-being.

choosing nutrient-dense foods that are low in calories and limiting foods high in sugar, saturated and trans fats, and sodium can help you achieve a healthy weight. Besides, engaging in regular physical activity, such as aerobic exercise and strength training, can also help burn calories and maintain muscle mass.

5.    Stay away from vices

Avoiding alcohol and nicotine are the vices that need lifestyle modifications. Staying away from them can have significant positive impacts on overall health and well-being.

We all know that alcohol consumption can lead to a range of health problems, including liver disease, high blood pressure, heart disease, and certain types of cancer. In fact, excessive alcohol consumption can lead to poor decision-making, accidents, and injuries. So alcohol should be avoided for the sake of health.

Nicotine use, mainly through smoking, can lead to cancer, heart disease and respiratory illness. Nicotine use can also lead to addiction and dependence on it and makes it quite challenging to quit.

Avoiding alcohol and nicotine can be challenging for some, but nowadays there are many resources available for help. Support groups, counselling and medication-assisted treatments can help individuals quit smoking or drinking alcohol.

By avoiding these substances, individuals can reduce the risk of chronic diseases, improve physical and mental health, and achieve a better quality of life.

Does a healthy lifestyle really make a difference?

A healthy lifestyle can make a significant difference in an individual's overall health and well-being. Adopting healthy lifestyle habits, such as regular physical activity, a balanced diet, adequate sleep, stress management, and avoiding harmful substances like tobacco and excessive alcohol, can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases and improve overall health outcomes.

Engaging in regular physical activity increases muscle strength and endurance, and improves mental health. Eating a balanced diet rich in nutrient-dense foods has been linked to lower rates of chronic diseases, improved mental health, and improved cognitive function.

Similarly, adequate sleep is necessary for the body to repair and regenerate, support optimal brain function, and maintain a healthy immune system.

Adopting a healthy lifestyle can have a significant positive impact on an individual's physical and mental health. Lifestyle modifications can help prevent and manage chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, and certain types of cancer. Healthy lifestyle habits help in improved mental health and reduced rates of depression and anxiety.

Natural Detox at home

 Detoxification

 Detox or cleansing is the purification of the bloodstream of toxic substances that we can do ourselves, by simply following certain measures at home and in our daily life. 

This process will lead to the removal and elimination of toxins from blood, liver and in turn our body. After a detox process, the body removes toxins from the kidney, intestine, lungs, lymphatic system and skin.

Common Detox methods

 Experts sometimes recommend the use of laxatives, diuretics, vitamins, minerals and cleansing foods. But this detox diet may sometimes harm you or pose a risk to your health. 

Natural means of detoxification are those which provide a lasting boost to health and make your inner self feel healthier and happier.

 

Toxins in our body

Toxins present in our body can be in the chemical. Toxins that are a byproduct of certain body functions like digestion, respiration and excretion are natural toxins. Toxins that leach into our bodies through bottled water, chemicals in polluted air, food cans and pesticides from dairy and poultry are chemical toxins. 

Toxins are found all over the world in the environment and become part of the food chain, mainly in the fatty tissues of animals. Natural toxins are also found in plants infested with molds. 

All those toxic substances present in the human body are poisonous to human health. When we detox, the toxins like urea, uric acid, Ammonia, creatinine and industrial toxins are released from the body.

When to detox the body

Certain physical and mental changes appear when our body is suffering from the inside and we feel the need to detoxify. These changes can be-

· Unexplained fatigue

· Poor digestion

· Repeated illness due to infection

· Regular mood swings

· Depression

· Constant feeling of irritation

· Attention-deficit

· Acidity and bloating

· Allergies

· Swollen and puffy eyes

· Acne and other skin infections

Detox Measures

 Home can be the best place to carry out the detoxification and internal cleansing of our body. Few people often visit ayurvedic centres for the detoxification process but if we strictly follow the rules we will be able to detoxify ourselves regularly within the comforts of our homes.

 

 As our body is always receptive to the process of detoxification, no specific diet or supplements are needed for it. 

The result of detoxification is improved health, weight loss and better liver functioning. We need to take certain steps to detox at home.

 

1.   Limit alcohol consumption 

The enzymes found in the liver metabolize alcohol into acetaldehyde which is a proven cancer-causing chemical. 

According to studies low to moderate consumption of alcohol is good for health but excessive drinking can lead to wide-level problems in the liver like fat build-up and inflammation.

2. Quality sleep 

It is a must for the body’s health and natural detoxification. Sleep allows the brain to function properly and removes the toxic byproduct that accumulates in the body daily. 

Sleep is the best measure to detox the body as your internal organs work at night to remove the toxins taken in during the day. 

The liver is at its peak of detoxification between 1 to 3 AM at night. 

Lungs detox themselves of various allergens, pollutants and smoke between 3 to 5 AM during the night. All this happens as the toxin removal system of your brain is most active during sleep.

 

3.   Drink more water 

To keep yourself free from all toxins like urea and carbon dioxide that build in the blood water detox is a must. Actually, water detox is the most simple form of detox as drinking plenty of water throughout the day continues to flush out the toxins from your body.

 Water transports these toxins out of our body regularly through urination, breathing and sweating. 

So, staying adequately hydrated is very important for detoxifying the body. You can also put raw fruits, veggies and herbs immersed in water and start drinking it for the added advantage of minerals and vitamins in the water.

 

4.   Reduce intake of sugar and processed food 

The high amount of sugar and junk food can lead to chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer and diabetes. These diseases reduce the body's efficiency to remove toxins and in-process harm the organs like the liver and kidney. 

A sugar detox is needed to break away from the addictive craving for sweets, cold drinks and processed foods while staying away from sugar will definitely help you improve your blood sugar levels. Stay hydrated to avoid the initial side effects.

 

5.   Eat antioxidant-rich food 

Food such as berries,  citrus fruits, nuts, cocoa, vegetables like capsicum, and broccoli and beverages like coffee and green tea has a high amount of antioxidants. 

These antioxidants like vitamins C and E are generally termed natural substances that prevent or delay some type of cell damage. Eating food full of antioxidants helps the body fight the oxidative stress caused by free radicals.

 

6.   Eating food with probiotics

Probiotics keep our gut healthy and improve liver function and good bacteria in probiotic foods fight off the bad bacteria and make us feel better. 

If there are conditions like asthma, food poisoning, acne or constipation go for probiotics. Fermented food like yoghurt, pickles, and sourdough bread are good examples of probiotics.

7.   Decreasing salt intake

Cutting down on junk food, staying hydrated and replacing sodium-rich food with more potassium-rich food like fruits, nuts, beans, and legumes will help to achieve salt detox. 

But as we know salt is essential for our mind and body health and its deficiency will show the same symptoms as those in dehydration. So, we cannot completely cut it down from our diet but try to avoid excess consumption of it.

 Avoid salty food and the urge to eat salt with fruits and salad, this can help you take out extra salt from your diet.

 

8.   Regular exercise

Exercise maintains kidney and liver health and helps the body detox. Exercise also sturdy the lymphatic system which is the first line of defence against toxins. 

Exercise increases blood flow, flushes out the lungs and cleanses the skin with the release of sweat. 

Low-intensity aerobics and yoga will make your breathing regular and your heart pounding, try to do 30 minutes of exercise daily.

 

9.   Eating sulfur-containing food 

Sulfur-containing food like garlic, onion, coffee and cruciferous veggies like mustard leaves, broccoli and radishes help in the natural detox of the liver on regular basis.

 Sulfur is a naturally occurring compound in protein-rich food and certain vegetables and excellent for the health of hair, skin and nails. 

Eating a sulfur-rich diet detoxifies your body naturally, without the sulfur body cannot detoxify itself from environmental toxins and pollutants.

 

10.          Start the day with warm water 

Warm water and freshly squeezed lemon juice are good to start the day with. This drink has the potential to boost metabolism and improve digestion if taken on an empty stomach. 

Lemons are a great source of vitamin C and potassium, and help in liver detox and alkalizing the body. They are also a proven diuretic and help prevent bloating.

 

11.          Fasting 

It is one of the natural ways to detox the body of toxins, especially on occasions like rituals. During rituals of fasting in many countries, high-fibre fruits like oranges are consumed.  Water-containing and mineral-enriched vegetables like bottle gourd are also good for body detox. 

The main motto should be to eat light, healthy, fresh and unadulterated food. we can combine all detox measures during fasting and can stay away from excess salt, sugar and processed food. Eating detox food consisting of fresh veggies and fruits and drinking detox water and fresh juices can always help during fasting.

 

12. Swapping caffeinated drinks

Swapping caffeine-containing drinks like tea and coffee with green tea promotes metabolism and leads to weight loss. In comparison, your normal tea leads to reduced iron absorption, increased anxiety, stress and restlessness, nausea and heartburn. 

Most of you often start your day with a cup of tea with milk and sugar in it. If you replace it with green tea or herbal tea you will experience the calmness of your mind and rediscover your concentration and productivity. As compared to black tea or normal milk tea, green tea has low caffeine content and is good for concentration. 

13.  Avoid packaged fruit juice

Packaged fruit juice contains a high amount of added sugar, preservatives, and colours. Switch to fresh fruit juice which is loaded with fibres that are good for our gut health. Besides fibres, fresh juice is also full of vitamins and minerals and beneficial for the body.

Food that detoxes

We need to have certain food items daily to cleanse our system and balance out the toxic stuff that we have inadvertently taken in along with certain food items like fast food. the food items that help in natural detoxification can be those which help us feel lighter and fresher, are as follows-

 

1. Lemon is super detoxicating, helps in bile flow to encourage digestion and is rich in antioxidants.

 

2. Apples are full of fibres, good for cleansing the intestinal tracts and clearing accumulated toxins.

 

3. Garlic has high sulfur content and which helps the liver neutralizes toxins, and tones the skin making your hair lustrous.

 

4. Flaxseed is full of fibres soluble as well as insoluble, which helps in internal cleansing.

 

5. Broccoli is called the healthiest food, full of nutrients like vitamins, and keeps safe from weight gain, PMS and even cancer.

 

6. Celery lowers blood cholesterol and blood pressure.

 

7. Ginger contains vitamins A, C, B1 and B2, besides minerals like phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron, sodium, zinc and potassium.

 

8. Beets are loaded with plant pigments and nutrient that help the liver and contains antioxidant betalains that help repair and regenerate cells in the liver.

9. Turmeric boosts liver detox by helping enzymes to remove dietary carcinogens.

 

Drinks to detox

Drinking water is the fastest way to flush out toxins from the body. It is recommended to drink 8 glasses of water daily. To detoxify the body juices, smoothies and herbal tea are taken and they also add up to the count. Besides water few watery concoctions are also popular for detox.

 

1. Mint tea eases bloating, reduces stress, fever and bad breath, helps in digestion refreshes and acts as a stimulant.

 

2. Ginger and lemon tea prevent nausea, cold and flu, is beneficial for diabetics, relieves indigestion, is good for weight loss and boosts immunity.

 

3. Fenugreek water acts as an antacid, treats high cholesterol and promotes weight loss, reduces inflammation inside the body and helps control diabetes.

 

4. Turmeric tea reduces arthritis symptoms, boosts immune function, manages irritable bowel syndrome and protects against liver damage and gallstone.

 

5. Chamomile tea cures sleep disorder regulates blood sugar, boosts the immune system and cures headaches and spasms.

 

Benefits of detoxification

Toxins are removed by taking detox measures to get removed from the gall bladder to bile and then to the bowels or from the kidney to urine.

 

1.   Better liver health

This is the greatest benefit one can achieve by detoxifying his/her body. The liver is one of the most important organs of our body and the health of the liver is related to a person’s health. If the liver is healthy and detoxified, it rejuvenates the whole body.

 

 If the liver is sluggish then our body is not going to function well. The liver removes toxins from our body and converts nutrients into a form easily assimilating into our body. 

 

As we know liver takes out alcohol from our blood and cleanses it. But it also produces bile which melts down the fats in our body.

 

If we eat fruits, vegetables and healthy food like whole grains in sufficient quantity, we free our liver from overworking. By avoiding alcohol, junk food, and fatty and fried food, we will allow the liver to produce an ample amount of bile. Bile produced in sufficient quantity will break down fat and remove the situation of excess fat buildup in the body.

 

2.   Better sleep

Certain stimulants like sugar-laden cold drinks, excess caffeine, and some food items full of excess salt, monosodium glutamate and alcohol create toxins in our bodies. This creates an excess load on your body to function properly and a feeling of tiredness sets in.

 Detoxifying ourselves frequently removes this excess pressure from our body paving the way for the organs like the liver and intestine to function smoothly.

 

 If our internal system will work normally our nervous system will also be normal and in turn, keep our minds calm. A calm mind will promote sleep and proper sleep is fantastic for a healthy mind and body.

 

3.   Realistic weight management

Detox encourages everyone who undergoes it to eat healthily, drink plenty of water, and eat fresh fruits and vegetables. This shift in eating habits and lifestyle changes is the best means to lose weight naturally.

 

 If followed religiously the person having a problem with weight gain will be able to reduce weight. 

 

4.   Increased energy and Clearer thinking

Most people who undertook detox sessions previously assert that they have found an energy boost and increased mental focus. Daily self-detox, as well as Ayurvedic detox, also show similar effects. 

 

Experts believe that internal cleansing accompanied by the removal of toxins due to detox results in better metabolism, better digestion and increased absorption of nutrients. This results in energized and refreshed body and mind keeping you away from distraction and stress.