Signs Your Physical Health Needs Attention
How can you gauge if it’s time to take action on improving your physical wellness? Some red flags include:
- Weight gain and especially belly fat accumulation
- Feeling sluggish, low energy, and chronic fatigue
- Muscle weakness and poor endurance
- Poor sleep habits like insomnia or frequent awakenings
- Frequent minor illnesses and slower recovery
- Lack of regular physical activity
- Unhealthy diet high in processed foods
- Developing a preventable health condition like hypertension
- Digestive issues, constipation, or diarrhea
- Dull skin, hair, and nails
- Low libido and sexual health problems
- Smoking and excessive alcohol intake
Paying attention if several of these become consistent issues provides motivation for positive lifestyle improvements to restore wellness. Don’t ignore the signals your body is sending.
12 Evidence-Based Ways to Improve Physical Wellness
The great news is that making simple healthy changes to daily habits can dramatically improve physical vitality. Here are 12 science-backed tips to get you started:
Follow a Nutritious Whole Foods Diet
A diet emphasizing fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats provides maximum energy, fights disease, and keeps weight in check[7]. Limit sweets, fried foods, processed items, and sweetened drinks.
Stay Hydrated
Drinking enough water is essential for energy, skin health, proper digestion, clear thinking, and kidney function. Consume 8-12 glasses of water daily. Add lemon, mint, or fruit for flavor.
Prioritize High-Quality Sleep
Adults need 7-9 hours of quality sleep nightly for optimal health[8]. Establish a consistent bedtime routine. Make your room cool, dark and quiet. Avoid electronics before bed. Listen to your body’s need for rest.
Incorporate Regular Exercise
Aim for 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise like brisk walking or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise like running[9]. This substantially cuts disease risk and boosts immunity, brainpower, mood, and sleep quality. Find activities you enjoy and mix it up.
Manage Stress Levels
Unchecked stress harms physical health. Relaxation practices like yoga, deep breathing, massage, and meditation activate the body’s relaxation response to counter stress. Set boundaries and make time for hobbies too.
Maintain a Healthy Body Weight
Excess weight strains the body. Calculate your BMI to assess if weight loss would improve your health. Focus on permanent lifestyle changes over fads. Increase whole foods, activity, and sleep while reducing processed foods, alcohol, and sugary drinks.
Listen to Your Body’s Signals
Tune into symptoms like fatigue, cravings, hunger, aches, low mood, irritability, or digestive issues as red flags to make course corrections. Don’t ignore the messages your body is sending about its needs.
Foster Social Connections
Close relationships provide meaning and lessen stress which positively impacts health. Nurture friendships and intimacy. Join groups aligned with your interests or volunteer in your community. We’re wired for social wellness too.
Avoid Unhealthy Substances
Limit alcohol to 1 drink daily max for women, 2 for men. Avoid tobacco, illicit drugs, and misuse of medications or supplements. If addiction is present, seek professional treatment. Prioritize natural stress relief like walks outdoors.
See Your Doctor Regularly
Take charge of preventative care through annual checkups, cancer screenings, vaccinations, dental cleanings, and having medications reevaluated. Don’t skip routine care. Early detection of issues leads to better outcomes.
Practice Good Hygiene
Wash hands frequently, shower daily, brush and floss thoroughly, and wear clean clothes to avoid illnesses. Handle and prepare food safely. Disinfect household surfaces and declutter to minimize germs.
Reduce Environmental Toxin Exposure
Minimize exposure to substances like pesticides, heavy metals, air pollution, plastics, and other chemicals that may impact health[10]. Eat organic when possible, properly ventilate and filter air, use natural cleaners, and avoid plastic food containers.
Focus on small, realistic steps forward vs. major overhauls. Over time, consistently making physical wellness a priority will pay off through improved energy, resilience, and longevity.
