Lifestyle is the set of behavioural approaches that people adopt to satisfy their needs as human beings individually or collectively and to accomplish their personal development.
The lifestyle we adopt has an impact on both our physical, mental health and environmental health. A healthy lifestyle includes regular exercise, eating a proper and healthy diet, drinking enough quality water (e.g. with a water purifier dispenser), enjoying leisure time, socializing, maintaining high self-esteem and taking care of the environment.
Numerous diseases, such as obesity and stress, are caused by leading an unhealthy lifestyle.
It includes bad habits like drinking and using drugs, smoking, and living a sedentary lifestyle, as well as rushing around a lot and being exposed to pollution.
In order to alter your way of life, you need to make a simple but significant adjustment, but if you want to do so permanently, you must leave your comfort zone, from which you feel trapped and have no idea how to escape.
Can You Live Healthier With a “Greener” Lifestyle?
A couple of years ago, the perception of a better living quality was associated with the chance to have a large house, have as many vehicles as people at home, travel, and almost irrationally consume goods and services constantly.
The tempo and lifestyle of the day appear to go against the environment, especially in cities. And these negative impacts will continue to rise, despite the various actions to address pollution and adverse environmental effects, if we do not raise awareness, start implementing measures, and make changes in our lifestyles.
Nowadays, there is a greater awareness of clean air, potable water and feeling safe in the ecosystems, among other factors which enable us to enjoy cities in various ways and their consequences for our environment, and stay healthy at the same time.
We all know the problems Earth has been experiencing for a long time, and it has taken a long time to take measures to avoid the harmful effects of human activity. However, it is never too late, and although they might appear simple, actions can do a lot for the environment if taken together. For example, we brush our teeth from the right household appliances and light bulbs, waste-free festivals, and the simple and common way in the morning.
Would you like to have a positive impact on your health and the environment? Here are the things you can change to make your life better, greener and more responsible for the environment.
Some “Green Life” Recommendations
Use less transport
Small changes, such as choosing to ride a bike instead of driving or taking a cab, not only reduces the number of emissions and pollutants in the air but is a great way to stay healthy and active. Walking to work or the grocery store instead of using a vehicle can fulfil the daily activity requirements needed to lead a truly healthy life. Did you know that cycling is a complete exercise capable of providing multiple benefits? Also, as difficult as it may seem, at a mental level, with just 30 minutes of daily exercise, you can improve your memory and your creative thinking.
Attend environmentally friendly events
Nowadays, going green is becoming a lifestyle, and even many environmentally friendly events are held, such as events powered by bicycle generators. However, if you haven’t attended a green event yet, you might want to get your tickets as soon as possible, and gotStubs is here to help you with that.
Consume products from local producers
Whenever local producers can buy food, do it. That food is fresher and healthier because, in cultivation, it doesn’t use artificial fertilizers. Local also means that litres of fuel is not necessary for transport. Instead, you can walk or use your bike. It will make your body happy, and also the planet.
Plants can change your life
In 1980, NASA researchers discovered that certain indoor plants could reduce indoor pollutants by up to 87% in just over 24 hours. Having plants in the house is an excellent idea, as contaminants can cause mucosal irritation, headaches, dermatitis, respiratory illnesses and even neuropsychological problems.
Save energy
You can save a lot of energy by taking advantage of sunlight by lighting rooms and even heating them during the cold season during the daytime. You can also benefit by installing home solar panels or equipment such as household water heaters.
Switch to a healthier food
Green life is accompanied by what you eat. Fill up your meals with fruit, vegetables, cereals and seeds. Apart from not contributing to your health, the production of canned food, precooked foods and sausages require the use of energy, fuel and waste generation.
Separate your household and industrial waste
Modern life generates a lot of waste which should be put to good use. For example, many countries separate plastic, glass, aluminium and paper. With this process, you collaborate to make it easier to classify the garbage and reuse the waste as raw material to manufacture new products.
Protect yourself from harmful toxins
The acquisition of “green” products such as cleaners and cosmetics eliminates the most common toxins and chemicals in our homes that are breathed into the skin daily. This is a great way to protect the whole family against exposure to harsh chemicals that can affect your health over a long period.
Grow your own food
Fruits, vegetables, and some herbs can be grown at home, both indoors and outdoors. You can share this activity with your friends and family members, become an expert in increasing and reducing pollution and ecological footprint. Collect your own food sustainably, without any harmful pesticides and improve your diet and life quality by consuming different healthy juices and preparing recipes.
Growing your own food and having a garden can also boost your mental health. Throughout the centuries, gardens of all varieties have been regarded as places of tranquillity and peace. In them, one can escape reflecting. The benefits of gardening for mental health are so substantial that it can help people with mental health problems cope with their conditions.
A study conducted by researchers in the Netherlands in 2010 concluded that gardening could combat stress. Even better than other relaxing leisure activities.
During the study, two groups of people performed a stressful task. Then, one group was instructed to practice reading in an indoor space, and the other group was asked to practice gardening in an outdoor space for 30 minutes. The result reported that the gardening group had a better mood and lower stress hormone (cortisol) levels than the reading group.
The sights, smell, and sounds of a garden promote relaxation and reduce stress.
Conclusion
Attitude is the first change you must make. Changing your beliefs and values helps to improve your lifestyle. Train yourself on the healthiest way to health, energy and vitality and have little or no harmful effect on the environment.
Living a healthy life implies knowing oneself well and knowing the environment and the reality of which we are an integral part, knowing our possibilities and limitations. Healthy living means feeling well inside your skin, feeling the wonder of being able to live, enjoying your body, your physical activity and your relationship with the planet Earth and eating healthy food with pleasure and breathing in a good environment, laughing and sharing happy moments. Living healthy and green is a pleasure in life.