12th January
National Youth Day
Youth and Health
On this National Youth Day which marks the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda on 12th January and celebrates the youth of India, motivating them to make smarter life decisions and build a better life for themselves and their environment.; Nutrishilp endeavors to help the youth for attaining a healthy lifestyle and grow up as healthy adults.
In youth days we take health for granted, Skipping breakfast, surviving on fast food, and leaning towards addictions like alcohol, and tobacco considering them as quick mood enhancers.
But all these have a very bad effect on our health, which starts appearing along with age.
Nutrishilp points out some basics, which if the youth follow, will set them on the path of good health, even while staying at home or moving out.
You are what you eat
Our elders have been telling us for free all our lives—nutrition is the key to staying healthy. Increasingly, the younger generation is getting trapped in an addictive way of life—ordering food in, or constantly wanting to eat out. While eating out occasionally is completely okay, it’s important to understand that home-cooked meals that include fresh and seasonal fruits and vegetables are the way to good health. What’s heartening is the growing tribe of youngsters who have taken to cooking during the pandemic inspiring many to follow their recipes online—in the process realizing that making nutritious wholesome food can be fun too. So, check it out for yourself and have a cook-off amongst friends or family.
Healthy eating means eating nutritious food and avoiding food items that are not good for your health, such as food items that have high levels of saturated fats and trans fat. Also, avoid foods that are high in sugar and salt. This way, you can stay away from diseases like obesity, diabetes, and other lifestyle-related illnesses.
Get up and move
First things first—fitness is not a goal; it is a lifestyle. It is also not directly (or in any way) proportionated to fancy, expensive gym equipment, or the latest activewear. It can be as easy as taking your pet for a walk in the mornings, and challenging them to a sprint; a yoga session with your best friend on video call; a virtual neighborhood aerobics session, or even running up and down the steps of your high-rise before your lunch break can be just what your body and mind needs.
Healthy mind, healthy body
What’s crucial to understand is that health is not limited to what you weigh, what you eat, or how much you run—a critical aspect of health is how you feel. So, while you eat right and exercise right, also make sure you’re taking charge of your mental health. In today’s emotionally fragile environment wrought with uncertainty and upheavals it’s imperative to pause every once in a while, and get some me-time—go walk on the grass, bask in the sun, meditate, or even close your eyes and do just nothing.
Inculcate the habit of exercising daily – This is the foremost thing that youth need to inculcate in their daily habits. Forming such habits when you are young helps form a foundation that goes a long way in adulthood to help one stay fit and active. Spending over 30 minutes of physical activity every day can aid in reducing the risk of many diseases which are fatal in nature. So, pledge to spend at least half an hour every day towards exercising and physical activities.
Avoid smoking and drinking Alcohol – These are bad habits that the youth of today needs to stay away from. Excessive drinking and smoking are harmful and form a key reason for deaths among youth across the globe. So, if you abstain from consuming alcohol and smoking during your young age when you are in the best of your health, you can be sure of leading a healthy life throughout. So, promise to quit such bad habits and lead a healthy life on this Youth Day.
Bask in the Sun
Take a sunbath for 15 minutes on a daily basis. It can do miracles for your physical and mental well-being. It can improve sleep, boost immunity, provide youthful skin, balance blood pressure, shield against depression, and more.
Stay Hydrated
Water consists of a wide range of minerals that contribute to the health of your hair and skin apart from improving bodily functions. It is recommended to consume eight glasses of water daily. Staying hydrated enhances immunity, can improve your sleep quality, and help keep the body temperature normal.
Sleep on Time
When constantly worrying about how to look younger, remember that sleeping in time will take you a long way. You must have noticed that if you sleep better your day would be energetic and productive. So, it is important to find ways to have quality sleep.
Emotional Eating
This pattern is very much associated with youth these days; they eat unthinkably out of
anxiety, fear, and restlessness which is termed as Emotional Eating. We know that sometimes emotional variances in youth will lead to a change in their eating and sleeping behaviors.
Unfortunately, bad health and nutrition habits often begin as a result of emotional eating. It’s so important for youth to maintain healthy eating habits even in times of emotional highs and lows. Remember that emotional eating doesn’t just happen when youth experience those negative feelings like anxiety, fear, and restlessness. Emotional eating can also happen as a result of positive feelings such as celebrations (winning a football game or passing a milestone), excitement (trying something new), or rewards (receiving a food or gift certificate for an accomplishment).
Nutrishilp suggests, some techniques adults can use to help youth manage emotional eating habits:
Explore why are you eating and find a replacement activity.
Try to find the emotion or physical status tied to why you are eating. Are you bored, stressed out, tired, etc.? Then look for something else to do: call someone, exercise, change routines, start homework, etc.
Write down the emotions that trigger their eating.
Create a mood/food journal so you can keep track of their feelings and eating patterns. Journaling will show a correlation between what they feel and what they eat. Based on this information, you’ll be able to find a more positive alternative to emotional eating.
Pause and “take five” before you reach for food. Take a few minutes to relax after getting home or practice before you begin eating. Are you eating out of emotion? Habit? Lack of time? It’s great if youth have the opportunity to take a few minutes to transition from one part of their day to the next.
“More than your physical age, being a youth is a state of mind. Physical and mental well-being go hand in hand. The youth hold the future of our nation. This National Youth Day, let’s take a pledge to be mindful of our daily habits so that it is easier for us to stay mentally and physically young.”
Nutritionist, Dietitian, and Founder of Nutrishilp, Shilpi Goel
Feel free to connect with Team Nutrishilp
@ 7581921000 or [email protected].