Five Healthy Habits for Spring
As spring returns, it’s time for everyone to blossom into a healthier version of themselves. Here are five healthy habits that will help improve everyone’s mental and physical health this Spring.
Eating Well
The US Department of Health and Human Services recommends eating a variety of foods and limiting the intake of refined grains, added sugars, sodium, and saturated fats. Also, ingesting the right amount of calories.
Senior Alicia Costilla said, “I eat a lot of tofu and low sodium things because my mother [who] has a heart issue. So I try to be considerate about her as well as my future health.”
Reading food labels will inform an individual about what’s in their food. Making food at home allows you to know exactly what goes into your food and able to adjust the ingredients to your liking. The US Department of Health and Human Services also said that eating healthy will lower the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and certain cancers. PVHS offers a Nutrition class so make sure to look into it to learn more about the importance of healthy eating!
Exercise
According to the “The Benefits of Exercise ” section of the US National Library of Medicine, exercise helps maintain healthy body weight and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. It also helps strengthen bones and prevents them from losing density as people age. Everyone should choose an exercise they enjoy so it’ll be sustainable.
Nyx Singleterry explained, “I like running and it’s a way to stay fit and keep yourself in check.”
It is important for everyone to look at exercising and eating well as doing their body a favor because they appreciate their body, not because they feel like they need to change their body to make themself more “valuable.”
Taking Breaks from Electronics
The Coronavirus has made most assignments this year online, making it harder to take breaks from electronics. However, being online so much is also what makes taking breaks that much more important. According to Harvard Medical School’s article “Screen Time and the Brain”, too much screen time can make it difficult to sleep because the blue light from screens can reduce the amount of melatonin (the sleep hormone) the body makes.
Nyx Singleterry was asked what is a good healthy habit to incorporate into the day and they said, “Staying off of electronics for long periods of time because if you are on electronics for super long periods of time, you tend to get headaches and it can damage your eyes.”
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center says over time, being on screens too much can cause macular degeneration from the blue light. It’s when the macula, the middle part of the retina, wears down resulting in eye damage.
Journaling
According to the New York Times article “What’s All This About Journaling?” journaling helps clear the mind and increase mindfulness. Writing in a journal daily improves communication skills and being able to express emotions healthier. This is because venting your emotions through writing releases tension, making it so that when talking to others, you can be more relaxed. It also improves memory because by writing something down the brain processes it more.
Journaling doesn’t need to be every day or at a certain time of day. It just needs to help the individual. So when they’re frustrated, stressed, or need to express something they may not be comfortable telling someone else.
Making More Time for Hobbies
Spending time on hobbies is important because it’s just plain fun! It makes everyone happier and can relieve stress by doing something you enjoy. It helps diminish your focus on personal dramas and unimportant worries. Spending more time doing what you love can also help build your self confidence as well as help you recognize self-worth.
If you don’t have a hobby, Spring is a perfect time to start a new outdoor hobby like skating, hiking, biking, and running. Never be scared to try a new hobby because everyone starts somewhere. A great way to get more into a hobby like running would be joining PVHS’s cross country team next school year!
