15 Easy Ways to Live a Healthy Lifestyle

1. Get Enough Sleep

Sleep deprivation is linked to many different health problems including heart disease, high blood pressure, lung problems, reproductive issues and more. And sadly, most of us are not getting enough sleep. One simple way to improve your overall health is to get more sleep. Adults should get at least 7 hours of sleep a night and children and infants need even more sleep, anywhere between 8-16 hours a night depending on their age.

2. Learn to Cook

One of the best things you can do for your health is learn to cook and make your own food. It's no secret that making your own food is usually healthier than eating out or ordering food. It's also much more affordable.

When you cook your own food you can control what ingredients you are using, including how much sugar you use, so it's easier to decrease your sugar intake, especially your refined sugar intake.

As well, takeout containers can be full of harmful and toxic chemicals like BPA and other hormone disruptors, so by making food at home you are decreasing your exposure to other harmful ingredients as well. 

3. Drink Enough Water

Are you drinking enough water? You should be drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day. Water is necessary for survival, and even just a few days without it can be fatal.

Don't like water? Add some freshly squeezed lemon or lime to give it a bit more flavour. You'll also want to choose water instead of pop or soda which are filled with sugar, mainly refined sugars. Water is also a better choice compared to juice, as most fruit juices are also very high in sugar. 

If you tend to get distracted or busy and forget to drink water, one simple tip to ensure you drink enough water is to bring a water bottle with you wherever you go. That way you have easy access to water no matter where you are or how busy you are. 

4. Switch to Non-Toxic Personal Care Products

Sadly many of the skincare and makeup products on the market are filled with ingredients that are not good for our health. Much of what we put on our skin gets absorbed into our bloodstream so it's very important that you are choosing skincare and makeup products that are made with safe, non-toxic ingredients. This goes for everything you are using on your body including shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, creams and lotions, plus your hair and dental products.

Some of my favourite non-toxic skincare and beauty brands include Beautycounter and Primally Pure. And if you're looking for safe product options I've written many reviews on this topic before including The Best Non Toxic Deodorants, Non Toxic Hair Care Products, and Non Toxic Dental Products. 

5. Get Out of Toxic Relationships 

Unhealthy relationships, whether they are with family, friends, coworkers, or significant others can be harmful to both your mental and physical health. And while it might not be possible to distance yourself from every unhealthy relationship, getting out of as many toxic relationships as you can is extremely important for your health and wellbeing. Your emotional health is so important so please don't neglect it!

6. Switch to Non-Toxic Cleaning Products

Sadly, many cleaning products on the market contain ingredients and chemicals that are harmful to our health. Some of the ingredients in conventional cleaning products are linked to health problems including cancer, respiratory problems, hormone imbalances and more. That's why it's so important to choose cleaning products that are made with non-toxic and safe ingredients. If you're looking for more information on this topic I've done a full review of my favourite non-toxic cleaners.

7. Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants and most of us aren't eating enough. Adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet is a great way to improve your health, and can help with weight loss (if you need it), improve blood pressure, decrease your risk of heart disease, improve your skin and gut health and more.

8. Move Your Body

Exercise and physical activity is so important for optimal health and most people aren't getting nearly enough exercise. Regular exercise is important for heart health, weight maintenance, blood pressure regulation, decreasing stress and more.The good news is that it doesn't take a lot of exercise or intense exercise to improve your health. Even 30 minutes of exercise or movement a day is enough to have a positive impact on your health. 

Even if you don't have time to dedicate specifically to exercise there are many other ways to get more movement into your day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, take a 10 minute walk on your lunch break, take a short walk after dinner etc. Try to make it a priority to move your body as many times a week as you can. Once you start to exercise regularly you will see how beneficial it is. Regular exercise can help improve your energy levels, prevent weight gain, improve your immune system, help prevent chronic disease and more.

9. Switch to Non-Toxic Cookware and Bakeware

Many of the materials used to make cookware and bakeware can be quite harmful to our health, and many brands contain toxic chemicals that are not good for us. In particular, the PFAS chemicals used in non-stick coatings commonly used in cookware and bakeware are linked to many different health problems including cancer, thyroid disease, increased cholesterol, kidney disease, infertility, liver disease, and more.

It’s important to do your research before purchasing cookware and bakeware so that you can avoid toxic cookware brands and bakeware brands and choose the safest cookware possible. I've written an entire review on the best non-toxic cookware which I would recommend reading if you aren't sure where to start.

10. Reduce Your Screen Time

I know this one is hard. Most of us rely on our computers and electronic devices for work and find joy in watching television and movies, but too much screen time can be really bad for our health. Too much screen time is linked to obesity, eye strain, neck pain or strain, decreased cognitive ability, impaired social skills, poor emotional judgement and more.

Screen time is especially dangerous for kids, leading to lower cognitive development, lower language and thinking abilities, and thinning of the brain’s cortex, the area of the brain related to critical thinking and reasoning.

Some simple tips for reducing your screen time include swapping tv and movie time for board games, reading books, going for walks or exercising, doing crosswords or other puzzles, making crafts and more.

11. Take Care of Your Mental Health

Taking care of your mental health is just as important as taking care of your physical health. Here are just a few things you can do to help improve your mental health: 

• Journal - writing down your thoughts and feelings can be a good outlet for pent-up emotions and feelings.
• Practice mindfulness 
• Meditate - practicing meditation can help reduce stress and is beneficial for emotional and physical health. 
• Exercise - any form of activity can be helpful for your mental heath. Physical activity increases your endorphins and other natural neural chemicals that enhance your sense of well-being. 
• Eat well - the food we eat impacts the neurotransmitters in our brain and our cognitive function, so eating well not only helps your physical health, but your mental health as well. 
• See a therapist - if you are struggling to cope you may need the help of a therapist, psychologist or counsellor to help.  Therapy also may be a good idea if you feel overwhelmed or trapped, if you worry excessively, or if you have trouble carrying out daily routines or meeting responsibilities at work, home or school.
• Listen to music or get creative - listening to or playing music is a good stress reliever because it provides a mental distraction, reduces muscle tension and decreases stress hormones. If music isn't your thing, choose another activity you enjoy such as gardening, drawing, sewing, sketching etc. 
• Practice gratitude 

12. Reduce Alcohol Intake

Sadly, coping with stress through alcohol has become more and more normalized. It's all over television, social media and in movies. But drinking too much alcohol is one of the worst things you can do for your health. Too much alcohol can cause numerous health problems including anxiety, depression, liver disease, certain cancers like colon cancer and breast cancer, dementia, increased infection risk and more. One of the best things you can do for your health is drink less alcohol. 

The most recent guidelines on alcohol recommend drinking two or less alcoholic drinks per week to help reduce your risk of health problems related to alcohol intake. And if you are able to avoid alcohol altogether, even better!

13. Don't Smoke

Smoking cigarettes is one of the worst things you can do for your health. Smoking cigarettes can increase your risk of heart disease, strokes, rheumatoid arthritis, lung cancer, bladder cancer, dental disease, COPD, diabetes, and more.

If you do smoke and are interested in quitting there are many things that can help. If you're contemplating quitting, your doctor is a great resource to help you and will be able to go over the various options available to help you quit. Your wallet will thank you too! 

14. Reduce Stress

Reducing stress is very important for optimal health. Increased stress is linked to numerous health issues including depression, anxiety, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, asthma, gastrointestinal problems, chronic pain and more. Now, reducing stress isn't always easy to do, but some tips for reducing stress include: 

• Learn to say no and stand up for yourself - if there are certain people, events, obligations etc. that are causing you stress that you don't have to be a part of, learn to say no and get out of those situations
• Exercise regularly 
• Meditate
• Practice deep breathing 
• Set realistic goals and expectations for yourself
• Take baths 
• Laugh more
• Make time for activities or things that you enjoy
• Learn to delegate and realize that you can't do everything yourself 
• Ask for help when you need it

15. Eat a Healthy Diet

Once of my best pieces of advice when it comes to improving your health is to focus on eating real, whole foods as much as possible. No matter what kind of eating style you are following, whether it's vegan, Mediterranean, paleo, keto, vegetarian, Whole30, gluten-free etc, it's important that the foods you are choosing be as unprocessed and as natural as possible. 

Unfortunately, processed ingredients have become very common and many refined chemicals, artificial flavours, and refined sugars end up in a lot of the food items on shelves these days. Food companies have become very good at convincing us that these chemicals and refined ingredients are healthier than eating actual food, but eating processed food can have a lot of health risks, so avoiding it as much as you can is always the smartest choice.

Here are a few other diet changes you can make to help improve your health:

• Skip sugary drinks
• Be sure to include seafood in your diet
• Eat leafy greens and a variety of vegetables
• Eat fermented foods
• Make sure to eat enough protein
• Don't skip meals. Try to eat three healthy meals a day.
• Eat a variety of fruit

Our expertise:

Dr. Erin Carter, MD, FRCPC, is a physician with board certifications in internal medicine and rheumatology. She is passionate about preventative healthcare including nutrition, environmental health and low toxicity living. She is also a self-trained chef and has been creating and publishing healthy recipes since 2015.