Wednesday, December 30, 2020

Simple Steps to a Healthier and Happier Lifestyle #Healthy2020 #happyandhealthy #mentalhealth

The ongoing nature of the global COVID-19 pandemic has definitely impacted our physical and mental wellbeing this year -- in both direct and subtle ways. In this installment of my year-long #Healthy2020 series, The Weekend Gourmet correspondent is sharing specific actions we can take to boost our physical and mental health. These actions can be implemented in 2020, while also staying safe and socially distanced. This article may contain affiliate links.

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One thing's for sure: 2002 has been a profoundly difficult year for many of us. The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown many of our lives into disarray. There’s also been the huge tragedy of the virus taking lives and spreading mass illness across the world. The COVID pandemic has resulted in strict social isolation and social distancing measures in an attempt to slow its spread. This, in turn, has resulted in many people being unable to leave home for significant periods of time -- other than to pick up food or medication. The COVID epidemic has also had a significant economic impact -- many companies have collapsed, countless jobs have been lost, and many of us have experienced financial hardship. For the majority of us, 2020 hasn’t been the best year. So, it’s not too surprising that many of us are looking at the new year as an opportunity to improve how we’re feeling...and start focusing on our overall health and wellbeing. We want to say goodbye to stress, ensure we’re well, and have a fresh start to help ensure our overall wellbeing. Of course, there are several ways to achieve this goal. Here are just a few techniques you might want to try yourself as 2021 starts this week!


Monitor Your Physical Health

You may first want to focus on your physical health. This year has highlighted just how important our health is...and many of us want to do our utmost to ensure we're in as good physical condition as possible. Not only to help us if we do contract the COVID virus...but simply to feel better too!


Exercise

Exercising can definitely be difficult right now. Many gyms have closed -- and sports clubs, fitness classes, and other social forms of exercise are being banned for the time being. That means you may be struggling to manage your health and get your recommended 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise -- or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise -- each week. Put simply, you might consider a home workout. This could involve investing in basic equipment (such as handheld weights, a yoga mat, or a kettlebell) -- and you may have to research effective at-home classes or tutorials. However, the financial investment should prove more than worth it! Home workouts are a simple way to stay fit without having to leave your home or come into close contact with others.


Diet

When we’re avoiding spending time away from home, our diets can suffer. Why? For one thing, we’re going to the supermarket less often -- which can mean eating less fresh produce. Many of us are also ordering more takeout and fast food than usual -- possibly due to having more disposable income since there are fewer social activities to spend money on. You need to ensure you’re still eating a healthy, balanced diet. Use some of your extra time at home to look up healthy recipes online -- and use this extra at-home to cook some new healthy dishes. This can make make all the difference in your !


Health Checks

During a pandemic, it can be tempting to avoid leaving the house -- even for routine health checkups. However, these checks till need to go ahead. Make sure to call your doctors and to ensure your scheduled checkups are still scheduled. Then, make sure to show up at your doctor's office for these appointments. This could be a dental check up, an eye test, hearing tests for hearing restoration, a cervical cancer screening, etc.


Monitor Your Mental Health

Physical health is vital, but you also need to check in on your mental health during the COVID pandemic! The ongoing nature of the pandemic has been very stressful. Many people are currently experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, or other mental health concerns for the first time. If you feel you're struggling, don’t hesitate to reach out to a doctor, therapist, or other health care professional who can diagnose underlying conditions and help you. This can be achieved via therapy, medication, or a combination of the two approaches.


If you're simply stressed and looking for ways to reduce your stress level, you may want to consider practicing mindfulness. Chances are you’ve heard of this approach before. Mindfulness has been around for years, but its use has recently increased significantly in Western cultures. Mindfulness focuses on making you aware of everything that’s going on around you, teaching you to simply observe the situations surrounding you without any judgement.


Sure, times are tough during this ongoing global COVID pandemic. However, as this article shares, there are specific steps you can take to lead a happier and healthier lifestyle in spite of the pandemic!

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