I’ve been having a lack of thought lately. And so, I have decided to recycle this article I once wrote for freshgrads.sg. It’s still there if you want to go look at it on the site, but I think reposting this grants more access to my article. Hee.

And I would also like to make clear that, even though freshgrads has used my article on its site, I have signed no contracts with freshgrads, nor have I granted them the exclusive rights to any of my work. I also did not receive any payment for my articles (Oh dear. This is becoming a trend), which shows that I did not write them under employment.

That aside, happy reading!

10 Beneficial Lifestyle Tips

Beauty is something that is very closely linked to inner health. A stressful lifestyle with a bad diet of mostly junk food will make you look haggard and feel unmotivated. A healthy inside is the key to radiating outer beauty. These tips are some suggestions on how to receive proper nutrition that will in the long run benefit you with a healthy body and mind.

1. Drink water

Water is very important in keeping healthy. It flushes out the toxins from your body and keeps you hydrated. Drinking lots of water will help especially if you have dry skin, as one reason for skin dryness is the body using the water meant for your skin to upkeep your more important organs.

Honestly, there really isn’t any objective standard as to how much water one should drink as it differs for everyone. Drinking a little water is a good way to go as it hydrates you adequately and prevents the need to use the washroom inconveniently often.

2. Get half an hour of exercise every day

This easy tip is perfect for busy people looking to keep fit. Instead of having to go to the gym before work to get in some exercise, you can just do something simple – like having a half an hour walk.

Best yet, you do not even need to do the whole half an hour at once. 10 minutes of climbing the stairs to the office, 10 minutes of walking to the bus stop and 10 minutes of some jumping jacks at home will suffice nicely.

3. Look at something green once in awhile

Myopia is a major concern in Singapore. Being such a tiny country, it is just inconceivable that we have one of the highest rates of myopia in the world.

Thankfully, the colour green has been proven to be especially soothing for the eyes. Therefore, take every opportunity to look at something green when taking a break from work. It will help to relieve eyes from tiredness and prevent the worsening of your eyesight.

4. Smile even when times are tough

Smile, even when the times get tough. As Kyle from the television show Judging Amy once famously said: “It will be alright in the end. If it’s not alright, it’s not the end.”

And since it’s not the end, hold your head high and smile. It will lift your spirits and make everything easier to get through. Remember, when it is difficult to smile, just know that whatever it is, it will always turn out alright in the end.

5. Cultivate good posture

Long hours in the classroom may have enriched our minds, but it took away the perfect posture we were born with. Besides making us look bad, bad posture can be a cause of headaches, digestive problems and back pain.

Therefore, adopt a good posture for sitting and walking. Besides promoting better organ health – as they not being cramped – from better posture, it also instantly create the illusion of being thinner and taller as your body is more elongated. Hence you look more confident. We say, when walking, imagine a rope pulling your head up, tense up that tummy and walk talk.

6. Dress up

A lot of people gain mountains of pleasure from the simple act of dressing up and looking good. Remember that immaculately groomed, well dressed girl strutting her stuff? There is a reason why she is so confident – she knows she looks good.

So instead of wearing that same old shirt and shorts all the time, why not make an effort to attract some well deserved attention once in a while? Dressing up will give you a boost in the confidence department, make some great first impressions and aide in the cultivation of good posture (It is so much easier to walk tall when you feel fabulous about yourself).

7. Have some dark chocolate

Taking dark chocolate is a surprising and very delicious way to reduce bad cholesterol, blood pressure and the risk of certain cancers and heart attacks. It is also a natural anti-depressant which provides anti-oxidants to fight free-radicals.

So why dark chocolate? The yummy cocoa is a lot closer to its natural form and is much lower in fat and sugar content that its white and milk counterparts.

If dark chocolate is too bitter for your liking, you could always get a bag of dark chocolate chips from the supermarket or a baking store and sprinkle it over some ice cream or yogurt. That masks the bitterness, but still lets you enjoy its health benefits.

8. Cut down on alcohol consumption

We all love a cocktail or two, or several pints of beer. After all, alcohol can be a fun way to celebrate.

Watch before you start on your third drink though. Taking too much alcohol on a long term basis can wreck havoc on your body and cause permanent damage such as liver failure, strokes, memory loss and problems relating to sexual health.

That’s not all! Alcohol also drastically dehydrates the body, causing skin to look tight and flaky. With all that in mind, cutting down on alcohol consumption is always a good idea.

9. Have some fruit

Fruit is a great way to start the day or a snack to keep you going between meals. This healthy bite contains fiber (that is crucial in maintaining a healthy digestive system), vitamin A, C and E. The vitamins help your body to fight off illnesses like colds and the common flu.

The pigments that give fruit their colour also serve as powerful anti-oxidants that prevent cancer and aging of the brain and skin.

So start taking simple actions like having a banana between meals instead of that Mars bar or adding berries to your morning cereal. Your body will thank you for it. Remember: it is always better to eat fruit in its original state as juices contain a much higher sugar content.

10. Donate blood

If you are afraid of needles and find blood donation a painful process, you probably have had people telling you that donating blood is a noble and kind thing. After all, your blood could be the vital component in saving someone’s life.

However, do you know that donating blood has health benefits for the donor as well? If you enjoy having red meat, you are likely to have a higher level of iron in your body which cause free-radicals to form in the body. These free-radicals disrupt normal cellular activity and increase the risk of cancer and heart disease.

So the next time you fret about needles and pain, think about the benefits your body can reap.