To change your life you need to take action and improve certain aspects of it. Modern daily life has a lot of challenges and difficulties but there are simple things you can do to change your life instantly. These things vary from eliminating the stress in your life, appreciating the need for relaxation and physical exercise, changing your thoughts and being more careful and selective as to the food you eat and your diet in general. This article outlines 6 things you can do instantly and easily for changing your life.
1. Change your life by eliminating stress
A recent study from the International Study of Cancer (IARC) in Lyon showed that if people do not start taking responsibility for their health, by 2020 we would record an increase of 50% per year in cancer cases worldwide, or 15 million.
The study showed that two thirds of cancer incidents could be prevented and or treated with appropriate «changes in life and lifestyle». Other studies have shown that optimistic people live longer, happier and healthier, in part because optimism strengthens the immune system. Also there is another recent research that shows that this system can be actively enhanced if we practice consciously different mental imaging techniques and if we manage to control the stress in our lives.
In addition to this, the research also revealed that the greatest consequence of modern lifestyle is eliminating the body’s natural defenses because they’re continuously under test. How? To withstand stress we must learn how to handle it, and to that end, we must give ourselves the necessary time and opportunity for recovering sufficiently from it. When we cut the recovery time, due to the continuous challenges, we are in essence putting our health at risk.
If you are a smoker, you should try and quit smoking. The benefits to your health are enormous. You can start by using e cigarettes and then quitting permanently.
2. Learn how to relax
Studies have shown that our brain and body have their own ways of relaxation and alertness, with a cycle that takes place about every 90 minutes. Of these, 15 minutes are devoted to relaxation and replenishment of energy and during this duration we dream and feel calm.
Unfortunately, many people ignore this message and drink another cup of coffee or try even harder to concentrate, a practice that over time disrupts the relaxation cycle.
In future, and if you want to change your life, whenever you find that you are day dreaming and relaxing, stop what you are doing and stand for 10-15 minutes, taking deep breaths and feeling the relaxing rising from the feet to your head. This exercise will change your life because it will help you escape from the daily routine and will refresh both your mind and body.
3. Do not neglect physical exercise
The body does not distinguish the emotional from the physical threats. Whatever happens, it is prepared to defend either by running or fighting to survive, but often there is no one to fight and nowhere to run in order to discharge tension. In such cases, a little exercise (e.g. a short walk) can help.
The goal is to use the extra intensity and energy to activate the natural reflex of rest, relaxation and recovery. This reaction of the body is the sweet, soft feeling of tired muscles when one finishes a heavy manual work or a laborious activity, accompanied by a feeling of well being because of the release of endorphins, the natural hormones of well being.
Numerous studies have shown that physical activity is very important to eliminate stress. Swimming, jogging and every activity that oxygenizes the body, makes it easier to fight stress. 10 to 15 minutes moderate physical activity a day is enough.
4. Smile and Change your life
Studies have shown that healthy people are usually happy people who laugh a lot and as a result the brain produces large quantities of wellbeing hormones. Smile to your life and it will smile back. Try to smile and to express gratitude for everything in your daily routine. Start smiling today and change your life.
5. Keep your immune system strong
A particularly interesting experiment conducted by Professor Karen Olnes at Children’s Hospital of Cleveland in Ohio showed the benefits of a strong immune system for your health. In particular during the experiment the scientists showed to a group of children a video with puppets. In the video some puppets were dressed as police officers, representing the immune system, while others represented a virus. The video was a simplistic representation of the interior of the body, so that children could understand. When the video ended, the scientists asked the children to imagine many police officers running in their bodies. Immediately after that, they conducted saliva tests that showed that their immune system acted like it was fighting a true infection.
With a similar technique you can stimulate your immune system. But, this technique does not replace any medical treatment but can only be used in conjunction with it. Try to change your thoughts and imagine that “the police officers” are running in your body and are fighting the virus, diseases and stress. Use your imagination and thoughts to make that positive change in your life.
6. Change your food, diet and metabolism and change your life
Eat healthy
In an experiment conducted in the 30′s, the scientists gave a group of toddlers to eat for 1 month what they wanted in whatever quantities they wanted. Although the toddlers choose different foods every time, at the end of the experiment they all ate healthy.
Similarly, the reason why pregnant women have the desire to eat several foods is because their body tells them what they need to eat in order for the baby to develop properly and healthy.
Diet
When you are on a diet, this means that you are trying to convince yourself not to eat this or that food. As a result this disturbs the natural balance of the relationship with these foods and instead of wanting them less, you have more desire for them.
Is preferable to start listening to your body and follow your instinct about what to eat and when, and you will see that your tastes can even change. Studies have shown that when you eat what you want, whenever you want, you will eventually adopt a healthy diet. A healthy diet can play a very important step in the whole process of changing your life. You can also use weight loss pills but you should do that after the advice of your doctor.
Metabolism
Say yes to a short walk. One of the biggest myths in weight loss is that some people cannot lose weight quickly because they have a slow metabolism.
Studies have shown that our metabolism is not constant, but changes during our lives according to what we eat and how we use the energy of our body. Contrary to what many believe, the metabolism cannot be changed by some magic diet.
The only way to increase the basic metabolic rate is by exercising, (exercises to lose weight ) where breathing becomes faster and the heartbeat is accelerated.
Therefore, be sure to walk at least 15 minutes per day (corresponding to 1,500-2,000 steps). The more you walk the more calories you burn and the more rapid will be your metabolism.
Eat slowly and when you are hungry
Try to chew slowly and enjoy you food. The overweight people usually eat faster, thus not giving enough time to their brain to understand the message from their stomach that they are no longer hungry. The most important think to do therefore is to let down the knife and fork and chew your food, focus your attention on the taste and chew each mouthful at least 20 times.
Eat when you feel hungry. Most overweight people eat whenever they want, whatever they want. This is not because they feel hungry but because they are used to.
Listen to your body
Many of us forget that we need to be sensitive and interpret the messages sent by our body. A very important step if you want to change your life is to start listening to your body and respond to its messages. Moreover, when someone starts a diet, this leads to eating more than usual, because this is the way for the body to regain the lost balance. And the worst is that when you starve in order to loose weight faster, the body activates the survival mechanisms, and this slows down the metabolism and also stores more fat.
The key is therefore to eat when you are hungry, so that your body can understand that when there is a real need there is enough food and this will accelerate the metabolism. When should I eat? When you feel hungry, not when you are on the verge of faint from hunger, because in that case would have enabled the survival mechanisms. And when to stop eating? When you fill that you are no longer hungry and not when you are full up with food.
The above methods and techniques are things you can follow instantly to change your life for the better. These are simple things that do not need a lot of effort or thought to achieve. If you have a will to make a change in your life, a very good starting point is to follow the life hacks described in this article.
image source: ericmcgregor
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