Investing in Your Health: Playing the Long Game

Your health is the most valuable asset you possess. Your wellbeing is inextricably linked to your ability to curate, plan, and accomplish your life goals. Usually, we consider stocks, real estate, bonds, and our businesses as valuable assets, which they are, but none can provide you with better returns on investment than your health. And just like anything you invest in, it only makes sense to expect returns from it. As a result, investing in your health, whether in the form of money, time, or effort, makes sense to enable you to live your life to the fullest.

Fortunately, investing in one's health is far easier than most people think, thanks to the plenty of options available. Many chronic illnesses, such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart diseases, and certain mental illnesses can be managed with good nutrition, frequent physical activity, and a good sleep routine. These methods are not only safer and cheaper than medicines and surgery, but they also don't require a trip to the doctor's office. That’s a huge plus because these medical visits are expensive and getting more expensive. This article aims to highlight the effective approaches to investing in your health to increase your chance of living a healthy life.

How to Invest for the Long Haul 

Before you invest in anything, you must take your time to research and educate yourself on the best way to go about your new venture. The same rule applies to investing in your health. By adopting some of the approaches listed below as recommended by the 5 Colors a Day to Better Health Program, you are boosting your chances of living a long, healthy, and productive life. It is safe to say the 5 Colors a Day to Better Health Program is an asset protection strategy.   

Eat a Healthy Diet 

What you eat has an enormous impact on your health. Maintaining a healthy diet that mainly consists of whole grains, legumes, nuts, fruits, and vegetables of various colors provides your body with the very best nutrients. This way, your body is fortified with the essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients it needs to function properly and protect you against diseases. To get the best results, drastically reduce your intake of processed foods that contain high amounts of sugar, salt, fat, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, and preservatives. These processed foods have been linked to various heart diseases, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.

Exercise Regularly

As humans, we have evolved from being “hunter-gatherers” who spend most of their day traveling miles on foot in search of food and shelter, to creatures of comfort who commute with cars and mostly spend their days doing little physical activity. While these comforts were invented to save time and aid productivity, we must understand that our bodies are not designed to remain in a state of inactivity for a long time.

Many people are informed about the health benefits of regular exercise, but only a few take this highly-rewarding habit seriously. In the 5 Colors a Day to Better Health Program, maintaining a healthy diet is just as important as regular exercise. Both of these approaches complement each other to yield life-long benefits. Daily exercise has a significant impact on physical and mental health. To stay fit, including at least one form of physical activity in your daily routine. Just 20 to 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise can help prevent cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, and improve cognitive health.

Hydrate Frequently

Drinking extra water is one of the most basic DIY health tips. When you are properly hydrated, your heart pumps sufficient blood to your muscles, your cells are well-nourished and waste products in your body are eliminated in due course. So, how much water should you drink daily? The average person requires six cups of water per day. However, if you're losing water through sweat as a result of exercise or being outside on a hot day, or taking certain medications that can cause dehydration, you should drink more water.

Get Quality Sleep

Getting adequate sleep is beneficial to your overall health. Sleep deficiency has been linked to chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and depression. A recent study found that people who are sleep-deprived are more likely to develop cold symptoms compared to those who have a proper sleep routine and get at least eight hours of sleep.

Quality sleep helps your brain protect itself from harmful proteins that build up throughout the day. Maintaining a consistent sleep routine also plays a critical role in the regulation of your central nervous system. So, apart from eating healthy, regular exercise, and sufficiently hydrating your body, getting enough sleep could be exactly what you need to boost your health.

Avoid Shortcuts

Many people are drawn to quick health programs that rarely, if ever, offer long-term benefits. Just like most investments, your result depends on small and consistent deposits. In terms of health, the earlier you start to develop the habit of making little investments in healthy eating habits and regular exercise, the sooner you will reap the benefits of your investment. It may seem easier to gain benefits or increase results without the sacrifice. In the health arena, that means great results with little or no work. However, health fixes that promise quick results are often too good to be true. If it seems too easy, it is probably full of empty promises.

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