New Year, think about how to live a healthy 365 days.

Living a healthy lifestyle isn't a fleeting trend, but a long-term choice, a foundation that holds significant importance for everyone's health. A good health foundation will help you achieve your future goals.

Daily exercise helps improve health and prevent diseases - Photo: NAM TRAN

As a new year begins, have you set goals and plans to "nurture" your health in your New Year's plan? By combining a scientific diet and a reasonable exercise routine, everyone can start their journey towards a better life today.

"Nurturing" your health every day

In the context of modern life, the need to prioritize health has become much more prominent. From choosing healthy foods to maintaining a regular exercise routine, this trend not only improves physical health but also provides long-term benefits for mental well-being.

As a busy office worker, Phung Thuy (30 years old) used to frequently skip breakfast and eat ready-made meals to save time. In addition, outside of her daily work, Thuy rarely found time for exercise.

"Every time I got home, all I wanted was to lie down and rest after a tiring day at work. After two years, I gained 8kg and started suffering from high blood pressure and frequent insomnia. I realized my health had seriously deteriorated. I had difficulty concentrating at work and was often sick," Ms. Thuy said.

After realizing she had health problems, Thuy decided to dedicate time to changing herself. She started planning her day. "Instead of sleeping in until 7:30, I try to go to bed before 10 PM, wake up at 6 AM, go for a walk, prepare a light breakfast, and start my workday."

"In the evening, after work, I also spend 30 minutes practicing yoga at home. Instead of eating ready-made food, I switched to cooking my own meals every day," Thuy shared, adding that although that was the plan, she encountered quite a few difficulties in the beginning.

She encouraged herself, telling herself that if she didn't try, her health would deteriorate and all her future plans and projects would be impossible to achieve. After 6 months of perseverance, Ms. Thuy lost 6kg, her blood pressure stabilized, and her health improved significantly. "Many people say it's difficult to arrange work, that I'm too busy, that I don't have time..., but I think that if you truly want to change, you can find a way."

"Maintaining healthy eating or exercise habits can only be done if you consider it a 'mandatory' daily task, just like any other, in order to dedicate the time and effort to it," Thuy advised.

Ms. Quynh Hoa on the Moc Chau running route - Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

Staying healthy isn't difficult!

Ms. Luong Quynh Hoa (50 years old, Ho Chi Minh City) shares her journey of overcoming her limitations and improving her health: Looking back on the past year, my efforts have increased a little, which is a source of joy and motivation for 2025.

The year started with the Moc Chau trail race, followed by the Tien Phong race for the first time as a half marathon runner, the La Vuong trail race in the middle of the year, and ending the year with the Sa Pa trail race.

In summary, I gained a lot of health, made many friends with similar interests, and especially got lots of beautiful photos to show my children and grandchildren. It's strange that I didn't take the flat roads but kept climbing instead. Having the strength to climb is already a blessing.

Nutrition and exercise – the keys to good health.

To begin a healthy lifestyle, diet plays a crucial role. According to Dr. Nguyen Trong Hung, head of the adult nutrition counseling department at the National Institute of Nutrition, foods of natural origin are best for health and should be prioritized in the diet.

Everyone should maintain healthy eating habits, such as rice (carbohydrates) making up 50-60% of a meal, followed by protein at 15-20%, which is a relatively small amount. The rest should be fats from stir-fried dishes, oilseeds, or processed foods like salads and mixed dishes to obtain healthy fats from oils and fats.

"Focusing on eating plenty of green vegetables and fresh fruits and limiting processed foods will help reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease," Dr. Hung advised.

The expert also added that overweight and obese individuals should undergo nutritional consultations and screenings for related diseases to receive guidance from specialists on appropriate diets and exercise regimens.

Health experts say that maintaining a healthy diet and limiting alcohol and processed foods not only reduces overweight and obesity but also prevents non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and high cholesterol.

Along with improving nutrition, a healthy exercise routine is also a key factor in living a healthy life.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), everyone should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week or at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week.

According to Dr. Nguyen Thi Lam, former deputy director of the National Institute of Nutrition, exercise and proper nutrition reduce the risk of disease by 50%. A diabetic patient with a reasonable exercise and nutrition regimen can live 15-20 years longer than other patients.

Conversely, if people are inactive and have a diet high in calories, they will experience health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attack, insomnia, osteoarthritis, etc.

Many people think that exercise requires a lot of time and equipment, but in reality, simple exercises like brisk walking, climbing stairs, or practicing yoga at home are all that's needed. These activities not only improve physical endurance but also reduce psychological stress.

Ms. Quynh Hoa on the track during a night race in Sa Pa - Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

The secret to living a healthy life is to plan for your health.

Investing in your health is a long-term investment, and you can start today with the simplest things:

1. Increase physical activity: Dedicate at least 30 minutes each day to activities such as walking, yoga, swimming, badminton, or your favorite sport to optimally improve both your physical and mental health.

2. Healthy eating: Each meal should include all four food groups: protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Limit salty foods, sugary foods, and fried foods. Do not skip meals, especially breakfast, and drink enough water. Say no to alcohol and tobacco.

3. Balance work and rest: Try to complete your assigned tasks at the company, then take time to rest and do things you enjoy.

In particular, don't forget to pay attention to sleep; ideally, you should get enough sleep—8 hours a day—to regenerate energy and help you feel refreshed the next morning.

4. Regular health check-ups: Even if you feel perfectly healthy, this doesn't mean your body is free from illness. Some diseases develop silently and can only be detected with the help of medical professionals. The Ministry of Health encourages everyone to have a regular check-up (once a year). The purpose is not only to assess your current health status but also to predict risk factors that may affect your health in the future.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nam-moi-nghi-cach-cho-365-ngay-song-khoe-20250102004316317.htm