The Main Components of a Healthy Lifestyle

Healthy living is essential to the maintenance and development of the human body. In order to achieve living a life of longevity, one must take into consideration the importance of eating a healthy diet and regular exercise. However, in order to do this it is essential that people understand how a healthy body can be maintained and cared for. When it comes to healthy living it is important to keep in mind metabolic measurements, physical activities, diet, and staying hydrated and keeping track of water fluids. To achieve healthy living it is essential that a person’s BMI falls in line with height correlation, for a person to be physically active for at least thirty minutes everyday, for a person to consume lots of fruits and vegetables, protein and complex carbohydrates, and for people to ingest a suitable amount of water each day.

For years metabolic measurements such as BMI, have been a large part of the scientific understanding of human health. In order to understand the importance of BMI it is essential to understand what BMI is. BMI, also known as the Body Mass Index, which is a mathematical equation that calculates a person’s body fat percentage and determines whether or not they are underweight, normal, overweight, or obese. This mathematical equation was developed by a Belgian mathematician by the name of Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetlet in the 19th century. According to NPR, Quetlet developed the equation to calculate the degree of obesity of the population. BMI plays such an essential part in the maintenance of health because it can help detect whether or not a person’s weight can end up affecting their health down the road. According to the Harvard Obesity Prevention Source from the school of public health, the BMI formula to calculate an estimate of body fat, which can help spot whether or not the amount of fat is a potential health risk. The body mass index is important to keep track and estimate body fat to keep an eye on numbers that can be concerning to a person’s health.

One of the largest and most important parts of living a healthy lifestyle is physical activity. Most people understand that physical activity is crucial to maintaining a healthy weight, but it also aids in the health of many other aspects of the body. The Center of Disease Control stated that physical activity can help to improve brain health, weight management, reducing disease, strengthening muscle and bones, and improving a person’s ability to do everyday exercises. Physical activity aids in keeping the mind in shape just as much as the body. According to the CDC, physical activity helps people preserve their memories, judgement skills, cognitive thinking, and aids with Depression and Anxiety. Exercise releases certain chemicals in the brain that boost the feeling of happiness,and helps people concentrate and sleep better. It is best for people to exercise for about 150 minutes per week as claimed by the CDC. This time should be broken up into thirty minute exercise per day. It is best for a person to try to do a moderate intensity exercise, but physical activity type can vary from person to person. Exercising for 150 minutes a week is proven to help maintain weight and reduce health risks.

Another major component to the act of living a healthy life is having a healthy diet. Food is crucial to the nourishment and functions of the body. To achieve a healthy diet a person must have a balance of different fruits, vegetables, proteins, and complex carbohydrates. As claimed by My Plate, half of the foods that an individual eats on a plate for every meal should be half fruits and vegetables, a quarter of the plate should be grains and more than half of those grains should be whole grains, dairy products should be low fat or fat free, and protein should vary. Vegetables are a major source for a variety of different vitamins and minerals. As stated on My Plate, “The amount of vegetables you need to eat depends on your age, sex, and level of physical activity. The amount each person needs can vary between 1 and 3 cups each day”. Vegetables need to be consumed on a daily basis, and the same is required of other food groups even though serving sizes may vary. Fruits and vegetables are high in vitamins and fiber which provides the body with lots of nutrients. Complex carbohydrates are a good source of energy for the body, because they are also high in fiber and take a longer time for the body to break down compared to simple carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are foods such as potatoes, corn, and rice and whole grains. Though they are beneficial it is important to not overindulge in this food group because it can still contribute to gaining fat. Proteins also play an essential role in the health of the body. As stated from The Diet Plate, “Proteins in the body are used as enzymes that deal with metabolism, DNA replication, muscle repair and about 4000 other known reactions'. Proteins are much like carbohydrates of having to be consumed in moderation.

Water has a large role in the human body, therefore it is imperative that enough water is consumed every day to have a healthy body. According to USGS, the human body is 60% composed of water. Due to water being such a major a part of the composition of the human body, humans need a lot of water to survive. Water carries an array of key roles in the body such as being the vital basis of life for every cell in the body, helps regulate internal body temperature, carbohydrates and proteins from foods are transported by water in the body, assists in flushing waste, is a shock absorber for brain, spinal cord and fetus, and forms saliva and lubricates joints. Dehydration or overhydration can be severely damaging to the human body, which is why a certain amount of liquid intake is essential. According to Healthline, people should follow the eight by eight rule which is to consume eight glasses of eight ounces of water a day. Give or take sixty four ounces of water is recommended to keep the body and its functions at equilibrium.

The human body is a machine that has a variety of functions to keep it going and for that to happen the necessary care needs to be acted upon. To live a lifestyle of healthy living one must exercise, eat a healthy diet, watch metabolic measurements, and ingest a suitable amount of water. It is essential to find a balance between all of these components to achieve a long healthy life. Consequently, the secret to living a healthy life is to care for it properly through diet, exercise, adequate liquid intake, and overall general care.