Weight gain resulting from an inactive lifestyle, unhealthy diet, sleeplessness and various diseases becomes a difficult condition to get rid of in later ages. Choosing the right one among numerous diet lists, additional exercises and “new” methods is the first and most difficult phase of trying to lose weight. Gaining or losing weight is 100 percent associated with what you eat. So, if you know what to eat and what not to eat, your job can be a lot easier.

However, for a healthy life it is not always enough to pay attention to what you eat. Breakfast should not be neglected, and you should exercise as much as possible, take care of your sleeping habits, consume plenty of green leafy vegetables, and be sure to consume legumes once a week.

Let’s look at all the secrets of a healthy life in 5 steps:

  1. Do not neglect breakfast

Breakfast starts your metabolism and helps you burn calories throughout the day. It also gives you the energy you need to do your daily work. Breakfast has effects such as lowering the level of bad LDL cholesterol, preventing the risk of diabetes and heart disease. Breakfast also helps you take some vitamins and nutrients in healthy foods such as milk, cereal and fruit. Therefore, be sure to start your day with breakfast.

  1. Walk if you cannot exercise

When calories and fats taken during the day are combined with inactivity, weight gain is inevitable. Regular exercise has positive effects on the risk factors of many diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases:

Body weight reduction (weight loss)

Achieving normal levels in patients with high blood pressure • Decrease in bad (LDL and total) cholesterol • Increase in good (HDL) cholesterol • Increase in insulin sensitivity

Exercise also has some physiological benefits. Regular exercise has a positive effect on muscular functioning and the ability of the body to use oxygen. Daily regular activities improve the body’s ability to carry and use oxygen, eliminating fatigue.

This is especially important for patients with cardiovascular disease. Studies measuring muscle strength and flexibility before and after exercise programs show recovery in back pain and bone diseases, especially in elder groups.

A recent study on patients who were newly admitted to an exercise program and who were diagnosed with cardiac diseases showed improvement on other criteria of quality of life such as increased self-confidence, lower stress, and less anxiety. Therefore, exercise programs and daily activities provide early recovery in heart patients.

Studies have also shown that the mortality rate of cardiac patients participating in exercise programs and doing regular sports is reduced by 20-25 percent. This is strong evidence to support physical activity for patients with heart disease. You can support your diet by getting at least 30 minutes of daily activity. If you enjoy walking, you should take at least 10,000 steps. If you cannot get any exercise or if you fail to adapt, then be sure to stay active throughout the day.

  1. Be sure to sleep regularly

Studies show that men need seven to eight and women need six to seven hours of sleep. So, what happens if we do not get as much sleep as we need?

Insomnia leads to accidents. Studies have linked a sixth of fatal traffic accidents to insomnia. In short, it would not be wrong to say that insomnia is actually more lethal than cancer.

Insomnia stupefies you, and suppresses your ability to learn and think. By affecting the cognitive functions of your brain, it affects your ability to think, your concentration, attention and reflexes.

People who suffer from sleep problems show a higher incidence of diseases such as heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke and diabetes. There is something we know that insomnia causes your veins to age as it is not enough to leave you tired. Imagine we age our vessels, which carry enough blood to ensure that both our physical appearances and our organs work better.

Insomnia causes you to gain weight. First of all, you need to know where in your body the hormone that controls your appetite and the hormone of happiness are produced the most. Let’s start with happiness. As you know, the hormone of happiness is serotonin. It is the one that we try to boost at the nerve endings using depression drugs. This hormone is present in our small intestines at over 80 percent. Now, those who eat chocolate when unhappy, think again about where this urge comes from.

  1. Eat green leafy vegetables

Green leafy vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, spinach and chard are excellent sources of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. In addition, thanks to high fiber ratios, they can reduce the level of estrogen and are extremely useful for the digestive system. Green leafy vegetables also detoxify by cleaning the liver. This prevents the toxic chemicals from circulating in the body.

Therefore, tumour-forming cells cannot come together. Seaweed, which plays an important role in the fight against cancer as a source of iodine, is also another beneficial green leafy vegetable. It is also extremely useful in combating breast cancer due to the regulatory effect of the estrogen hormone.

Sulphur-rich vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage come to the fore with their anti-cancer properties. Studies have shown that these vegetables may have cancer preventive effects in various organs, thanks to the component called glucosinolates.

For this reason, be sure to put these vegetables on the table especially when they are in season. Turmeric can be used against many different diseases such as inflammation of the joints and heart diseases thanks to curcumin which gives it a yellow-orange colour. You can use a dessertspoonful of turmeric, which is thought to prevent cancer cells from growing and spreading, per day. You can add turmeric in salad, yogurt and soups, or you can cook it with a small amount of oil.

  1. Do not give up on top trio

Chickpeas

Leguminous consumption is as important as green leafy vegetables. Just consuming half a cup of black beans is enough to cover 15 percent of your daily iron needs. Numerous studies conducted on chickpeas indicate countless benefits. This legume, rich in vitamins and minerals, contains the most folic acid and B vitamins. It has been found that chickpeas, which have preventive and therapeutic effects on heart health and nervous system, are extremely useful for some types of cancer. Scientists also found that chickpeas boost metabolism and help you lose weight.

Beans

According to studies, red beans, which we usually use in salads, are a complete source of antioxidants. Vegetables and fruits containing antioxidants are generally reddish, and the amount of antioxidants they contain rises as the intensity of the redness increases. It has also been found that the white beans, which we use as main dish, have a low glycemic index.

Lentils

Studies indicate that lentils are the richest legumes in protein (a glass of lentils contains 9 grams of protein). Lentils are also rich in magnesium and folic acid.

Source:  Daily Sabah

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