World Health Day 2023: 4 Simple Practices That Will Improve Your Health The most successful approach to improved health is through continuous, sustainable activities that can be maintained over the long term, despite the temptation to seek out short fixes or miraculous solutions.

Every year, April 7 is observed as World Health Day to draw attention to particular health topics to educate people about their causes, effects and medication. The day also marks the birthday of the World Health Organisation (WHO) which was founded in 1948. This year is the 75th anniversary of the WHO, and the theme for World Health Day is "Health For All." The idea behind the theme is to create an opportunity for the world to look at the public health successes that have helped improve the quality of life over the past 70 years. The theme also urges people to take necessary actions to help tackle the present health challenges. In a statement, the WHO said they want people to "Work with health champions and influencers to mobilize your community to demand your right to access quality health service without falling into financial hardship."

Prerna Trivedi, Sr. Dietician at Sterling Hospital, India shared that "Improving your health and wellness is not an overnight process, but rather a journey that requires continuous effort and dedication." The most successful approach to improved health is through continuous, sustainable activities that can be maintained over the long term, despite the temptation to seek out short fixes or miraculous solutions. Making healthy choices isn't always easy, however. It can be hard to find the time and energy to exercise regularly or prepare healthy meals. However, your efforts will pay off in many ways, and for the rest of your life. This World Health Day ask yourself if you feel you could use a little more energy or a boost to your overall well-being. If your answer is yes, then we read further as we have compiled a list of four simple practices and changes you can bring to your lifestyle to improve your health. A healthy you is a better you.

1. Manage Anxiety and Stress

Anxiety and stress are bad for your mental and physical health. Busy lives have made us prone to anxiety and stress, and there are many causes of stress in our daily life. Stress can have seriously detrimental effects on your overall health. Ignoring this will not make the problem disappear. Simple meditation, journaling and even sessions and consultations with specialists are a huge step in the right direction. It is said that stress and anxiety are silent killers, managing it will show a vast improvement in your behaviour, patience and performance.

2. Diet

Chef Sanjyot Keer, the founder of Your Food Lab, Producer and Digital Content Creator could not emphasise more on a good diet. But he also shared that "One must always try to have gaps between their meals and maintain a schedule. So if you're following a particular time routine, try to have your meal at those time brackets only because your body will then get used to it and will digest and assimilate your food during those breaks."Choose a diet that's low in saturated fat and cholesterol, and moderate in sugar, salt and total fat. Eat a well-balanced, low-fat diet with lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. A balanced diet should contain all essential nutrients required by your body, such as vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, proteins, etc. A simple tip by Leisha Patidar, a Digital Content Creator, is to "replace negatives with positives, like avoiding junk food, eating more greens, drinking at least 3 litres of water, and not taking much caffeine".

3. Sleep

Scientific research claims that the human body needs eight hours of sleep every day to stay fit and healthy. If you're compromising on sleep, you are exposing yourself to serious health problems such as obesity, heart disease, etc. Aastha Shah the GenZ Digital Content Creator shared how everybody's lifestyle is different and not everyone is healthy all the time but there are a few things that she follows like her sleeping schedule. "The most important tip is to maintain a good sleep schedule. I sleep for 8 hours almost every day and I try to sleep by 11 pm at max."

4. Exercise

Physical exercise is vital to good health. Exercise not only helps burn extra calories and keep your body in shape but also keeps many diseases at bay. Go for a walk, cycle, run, or do the activity you like. Sitting for long hours can expose the body to a range of health disorders, like high blood pressure, spine problems, obesity, etc. If you have a job that requires you to sit for long hours, make sure that you walk a few steps after every hour of sitting continuously. Shivani Kapila, an entrepreneur and content creator, said that as a new mom, her health is just not limited to her physical well-being but also her mental state. " I have to cope with the new body, hormonal changes and much more. I make sure to get up and meditate before I start my day. Since my body is still adapting to changes, I prefer light exercise and mostly perform yoga as I stretch my body through pranayama."