5 Health Tips You Should Definitely Follow In 2022

It is extremely difficult to make great New Year's resolutions when a global pandemic is happening around us, in full rage. There are multiple factors that are out of our control but have the capability to impact our overall health and wellbeing. Certainly, self-care and preaching mindfulness is not changing the anger and apathy we all feel at this moment. However, diligently following the latest Covid-19 guidelines and CDC regulations is the only thing that is going to save our lives and stop getting reinfected again and again. 

There is one thing we can all definitely do. We can learn how to take it easy! Taking it easy on ourselves should be our goal for 2022. We need to remind ourselves that we definitely cannot change the course of the global pandemic, but we can become kinder to our body that has sustained us all these years. We can carve out a few small moments of joy and peace in order to take care of ourselves, no matter how futile it may feel at certain points. 

With this in mind, here are the best five health tips you can follow in 2022 that are not necessarily as depressing as the "losing weight" resolution almost everyone has! It should be your new motto this year since these resolutions are doable, easy, and, let's face it, our only hope at maintaining sanity during this never-ending pandemic. 

1. Food Should Not Come With Moral Values 

Food is food! It is not good or bad. One of the first health tips we all need to follow this year is to stop judging our food. 

Since the holiday season just ended, there are multiple people who are overcome with impending guilt about things they have spent on and everything they have either eaten or drunk. People keep berating themselves with statements like, "I feel so bad for eating that extra slice of apple pie."

We all need to stop doing that. 

The problem attached to statements like these is that they end up assigning an issue of morality to our food. We often assign the value of the food to our value as a person. We must all stop conflating what we put in our mouths in order to save our mental health and wellbeing this year. Food is not good or bad. Food is food! 

Sure, a few items come with more nutritional value than others. Still, you can never be a bad person for eating the less-nutritious food. 

So, your health and wellbeing tip must be to get rid of that "I am so bad" mentality. You are already bombarded with ads for crash diets, cleanses and detoxes, and gyms; adding to it your morality issues with food is only going to make it worse. 

Instead of being judgemental about yourself for the food you are eating, think about the marvelous time you spent with your loved ones over the weekend with all the scrumptious food. Relish those memories instead. See the difference! 

2. You Must Move Around A Little 

If you thought life could go on with sugar coating everything, you are wrong! You need to move your body a little. 

As per studies, exercising is extremely important, in fact, more important than losing body weight. Exercising helps boost your overall heart health and increases longevity. 

Overweight people can also be fit. We need to understand the fact that a healthy body can come in all kinds of shapes and sizes; and that not everyone needs to be Victoria's Secret model to be fit.

So, this new year, you need to follow one of the most important health tips of all time - move your body as much as you can, not for losing weight, but for staying fit and healthy. Always keep your exercise routine simple. As an adult, you will need 150 minutes of moderate-intensity workout, preferably aerobics, every week. You also need to incorporate muscle-strengthening exercises at least two days a week. 

However, this definitely does not mean you need to hit the gym. You can cover your weekly workout agenda by simply walking for a few minutes every day. You can also indulge in activities like mowing your lawn, yoga, or even gardening. 

The key here is moderation! Exercising too much is actually a bad thing for your overall health. Work out in moderation, eat healthily, and spend some time lounging on your couch too! You will need it. 

3. It Is Okay To Ask For Help

As much as self-care is important for us all, we need to understand that there are certain limits! We cannot just go around "self-care" our feelings better this year as well. We have been doing that for the past two years now, and personally, it is not working! 

If you are sailing in the same boat, one of the most important health tips for 2022 would be never to shy away from asking for help. Really, it is the best thing you can do for your physical as well as mental health. 

Maybe you recognize signs, and it is really time to go in for a therapy session! Maybe you are an exhausted parent looking for a break every week or two. Asking for some help is a sign of strength. It definitely is not a weakness. 

Think about all the different areas in your life where you can really use a helping hand. Take any support you need. Just go ahead, utter those words and ask for it. You are not an imposition on the world; at least, this is what this pandemic has really shown us. We depend on each other for a myriad of things, big and small. 

Go ahead, just ask! 

4. Be careful and responsible with Coronavirus.

You have never been infected with the Covid-19 virus, great! Good for you! But if you have, don't beat yourself up. It is okay. 

The Omicron variant has changed the pandemic game with only a couple of weeks of its overall spreadability. It is clear that we all can come together, do the right thing, get all the jabs and even the booster doses, wear our masks, stay indoors, avoid all forms of social gatherings, and still get infected! 

Experts warn that most of the Covid-19 infections will soon be breakthroughs. 

It is a horrifying statement to hear for people taking this seriously from the very beginning. This is exactly why, as we enter the new year, we need to continue being responsible as far as Covid-19 is concerned. If you get sick, we should not beat ourselves up. It is not the end of the world, it is not a moral failure, and it is certainly not a societal shame to get infected. Take the pandemic seriously, but don't seriously let it affect your moral and mental balance. Follow all the health guidelines carefully, and take a breather! (of course, with a mask!). 

It is not your fault that the Omicron variant is extremely contagious. Repeat it if you do end up testing positive! 

5. Form a new habit 

Form a new habit this year. It is one of the most important health tips yet less talked about. 

When you feel overwhelmed, carving out a few minutes of self-care is extremely important. For the same reason, forming a healthy habit, or as SJ Scott in his 2014 book calls it, "Habit Stacking," is extremely important. 

How do you exactly do it? 

You just need to pick out a small, new habit that you would want to work upon this year. Make a list of all the habits you already have. Once you are done, start stacking them up in a way that makes perfect sense! 

You could decide to develop a habit of meditating every day. You could start to meditate for at least two minutes every day while brewing a cup of coffee. Continue doing this until it becomes a daily habit for you. You can start stacking another habit over this in some time! 

Final Words:

After all, we have been through, being kind to ourselves is the hardest thing we can follow this new year! 

But, you can easily follow these five health tips in 2022 for a better focus and perspective in life, for a better you, and for an overall healthier and beautiful life.