As the winter months settle in, most of us prefer T.V to exercise. But this can make us feel sluggish and tired. During this time of year, we’re often indulging in delicious food, eating too much food and just not eating properly. All of these can have serious effects on our health. While it can be more difficult to motivate yourself in the winter months, there are so many benefits of eating healthy, exercise, and self-care. They’re also crucial for preventing critical illness and mental health issues.
Moving Your Body Has Many Benefits
Exercise doesn’t have to be boring, nor does it have to involve going to the gym for a workout session multiple times a week. You can make exercise fun by moving your body in different ways. Exercising can improve your mood because physical activity stimulates brain chemicals that make you feel happier and more relaxed. Even when you don’t have the energy, force yourself to get up and move because it will actually give you an energy boost!
There are so many other reasons to move your body:
- Reduce risk of chronic disease
- Alleviate depression and anxiety
- Help with weight management
- Improve brain function and health
- Strengthen muscles and bones
- Manage blood sugars
- Reduce risk of falls
- Improve quality of sleep
- Increase longevity
Eat a Healthy Diet
You know that a healthy diet is essential for good health and nutrition. But a healthy diet also provides protection against chronic non-communicable diseases – such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. To feel and function better this season, try to cut your consumption of salt, sugars and saturated and industrially-produced trans-fats.
Improving your diet comes with a lot of other benefits:
- Lengthen your lifespan
- Keep skin, teeth, and eyes healthy
- Strengthen bones and muscles
- Boost your immune system
- Support healthy pregnancies and breastfeeding
- Improve digestive system function
- Helps achieve and maintain weight
- Enhance brain development
Take Care of Yourself
Practicing self-care is just as important to your overall health and well-being as exercise and healthy eating. Engaging in a regular self-care routine has been proven to reduce – and even eliminate – anxiety and depression and stress, as well as increase happiness. Self-care also plays a role in preventing critical illnesses, such as cancer, heart disease, and stroke. By taking good care of yourself, you’ll be better equipped to handle stress and crises, and manage your mental health.
Following the challenging times of the pandemic, combined with higher levels of employee burnout, it’s more important than ever to stay on top of self-care. There are a variety of ways to practice self-care:
- Set boundaries
- Take time to recharge
- Plan time for yourself
- Explore your spiritual needs
- Foster relationships
- Find work-life balance
- Challenge yourself outside of work
- Practice yoga
Let CHUBB Protect You & Your Family
The main benefits of eating healthy, exercise, and self-care are that they promote health and prevent critical illnesses. Start with small steps and build from there. Your mind and body will thank you. In the meantime, give yourself peace of mind that you and your loved ones are protected – no matter what happens – with critical illness insurance. It’s just good self-care.
Critical Illness Insurance is offered by Hudson’s Bay Financial Services and is underwritten by Chubb Life Insurance Company of Canada (“Chubb Life”). This information is for general information purposes only. Actual coverage is determined by the facts and circumstances of the particular loss and the terms and conditions of the policy as issued.
Chubb Life is part of the Chubb Group of companies. With operations in 54 countries, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. Chubb Limited, the parent company of Chubb, is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index.