When talking about a Healthy Lifestyle, it is common for many people to immediately think of an expensive Lifestyle where it prevails:
- the consumption of organic foods and superfoods from a distant and exotic country
- the consumption of dietary supplements from specialized stores
- the ingestion of water coming from some distant spring with miraculous properties
- going to a gym or training with a personal trainer
- using creams and personal hygiene products purchased exclusively in pharmacies
- carrying out innovative treatments every month to detoxify and reduce inflammation of the body…
In short, a list of work and expenses that never seems to end!
What if I told you that it is possible to be Healthy without so many specificities and rules? Let me share with you 6 easy and cheap ways to be Healthy!
1. Include as many different foods as possible in your diet
The easiest way to be Healthy on your plate is to ensure Variety and Balance! The more different foods in your diet, the more you guarantee an adequate supply of nutrients to support your good health. And no, they don’t need to be foods of biological origin, they don’t need to be “super-foods”, nor is it necessary to go to extremes and divide the foods into “good” and “bad”.
All foods have a place in a healthy diet, even the chocolate you love so much! A restrictive diet that demonizes foods because they are “calorie bombs loaded with sugar and saturated fat” is not healthy and only creates a bad relationship with food, bringing with it health consequences (especially mental).
Therefore, include as many different foods as possible, creating a balance between those that you should consume every day and more than once a day (such as fruits and vegetables), those whose consumption should be more occasional (such as highly processed foods with hight amounts of sugar, salt and fat), and every other food in between.
2. Choose seasonal fruits and vegetables
Luckily we live in a country where there is a big availability of different fruit and vegetables, making easy to bring variety to your plate. And when in season, fruits and vegetables are not only tastier, they are also significantly more affordable, as the cost of production is lower.
Search online for “Fruits and Vegetables in season in the UK” (or check this article from the National Trust) and you will quickly find countless websites with lists, tables and images that will help you understand which fruit and vegetable crops you should focus on in each month of the year.
3. Try more plant-based meals
Swapping your animal protein source for plant-based protein sources for a few meals a week can have a significant impact on your health and your wallet. As a rule of thumb, a plant-based protein source (when compared to an animal protein source):
- Contains more fiber
- Contains less saturated fat
- It is more easily digestible
- It is lower in calories
- Does not contain added hormones
- It is cheaper per kg of food
And in addition to contributing to your Health and having a smaller impact on your personal budget, you are also contributing to the Health of the planet as plant-based foods rich in proteins require less water and land per kg of food and emit fewer pollutants during production.
4. Dismiss supplements you do not need
A varied and balanced diet should meet all of your body’s nutritional needs, making any supplement expensive.
Supplements only become necessary when it is not at all possible to obtain a certain nutrient through food (as is the case with vitamin B12 supplements in a vegan diet) or when there is an insufficiency or deficits proven through blood tests.
In any case, supplementation should only be carried out under the supervision of a Nutrition or Medical professional. If a deficiency in a certain nutrient can be harmful to our health, an excess can also have this effect.
5. Drink (lots of) water and save other drinks for special occasions
Something as simple as good hydration can have countless benefits on your body, helping you feel healthier. I would dare to say that the typical recommendation of 8 glasses or 1.5 litres per day may be insufficient on some days and especially during the summer months. Instead, I recommend that you use your urine as a guide: light in colour, odourless and no foam.
If drinking water is something you have trouble with, try including caffeine-free teas and infusions (hot or cold), and water flavoured with fruit in your routine. As flavoured drinks, they will be more appealing and help with your daily water intake.
6. Focus on Walking, Running and Calisthenics
A gym can be expensive but fortunately it is perfectly possible to stay in shape without having to pay a monthly fee.
The important thing is to give your body movement, use your muscles and get your heart pumping. And for that you do not need much, just comfortable clothes and a pair of sneakers. 20 to 30 minutes of walking, running or a mix of both per day is the minimum your body needs to stay in good working order. If you can do more, the better!
Additionally, why not try calisthenics exercises (exercises using only your body weight and strength) in the comfort of your home? Try the following exercises as a complement to your daily walk/run:
- Push ups
- Rope jump
- Squats
- Crunches
- Sit-ups
- Leg raises
- Lunges
- Burpees
- Mountain climbers
- Plank
- Calf raises
- Jumping jacks
And while you’re at it, invite your family or housemates to join you! Sharing the moment not only helps time go faster and motivation to be bigger, it also promotes connection with the people who exercise with you.
In conclusion…
Being Healthy doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult. Simplify and get back to the basics because the basics work really well. Your health and your wallet will thank you.
Article originally written in Portuguese and published in the October 2022 edition of the “Saúde e Bem-Estar” (Health and Wellness) Magazine, in Portugal.
