How to lead a healthy life in the USA
çArriving at an American university, one can get carried away with all the junk food and desserts offered at the university buffets. This is why Americans talk a lot about the “freshmen 15” which means that freshmen usually gain an average of 15 pounds (almost 7kg). In this blog we will show you some tips to lead a healthy life and avoid the famous “freshmen 15”.
Make sure you get about 8 hours of sleep each night. The quality of sleep has a great impact on our lives. From blood pressure and stress levels to immune system quality and mental clarity, getting a good night’s sleep is one of the most important things for staying healthy. To sleep well, it is important to: stay active during the day both through exercise and extracurricular activities, turn off all screens one hour before bedtime and minimize caffeine and stimulant intake after noon. In addition, reading, drawing, meditating or doing yoga before going to sleep are good methods to “turn off” your mind and make it easier for you to fall asleep.
It is important to exercise and stay active. If you are an athlete, this will be easy since you probably have workouts at least once a day. However, if exercise is not part of your day-to-day life, you should make it so. In addition to all the physical benefits that sport brings, it also has many mental benefits as it helps to improve our cognitive performance.
As is obvious, good nutrition is basic to maintaining a healthy life. In American university cafeterias, students can basically choose whatever they want to eat. Therefore, adopting healthy eating habits requires great willpower. The salad bar may not sound as appetizing as pizza, chips or ice cream but it will leave you feeling healthy, light and energetic. Students should also do their own shopping so they can have healthy, nutrient and protein-rich snacks on hand.
Social and sporting events, parties and other types of evening activities are a big part of university life. Going out on the weekends can be a lot of fun but there may also come a time when it becomes unhealthy. To prevent this from happening, it is important to choose the people you go out with wisely and avoid situations that seem dangerous, as well as, in the case of consuming alcohol, to do so in moderation. That said, it is important to maintain a balance and know how to lead a healthy and fun life.
Staying hydrated is very important for staying healthy. A good habit for this is to carry a bottle of water with you everywhere you go. Staying hydrated is as important as nutrition and exercise. Drinking water cleanses the body and transports vitamins and nutrients for energy supply. It also helps mental and physical health, especially for muscles, skin and joints.
Finally, listen to your body. It is important to recognize when something is out of place, whether physical, mental or emotional, in order to combat it. If, for example, you feel you are starting to get constipated, take vitamin C and make sure you get plenty of sleep. If you feel severe neck or back pain, avoid strenuous exercise.
Going to an American university requires a lot of decision making. The decisions you make throughout your college life will influence the person you become in the future. Living a healthy lifestyle during your college career in the U.S. will serve you not only while you are there, but also throughout the rest of your life.
