There are many ways of being healthy that feel good as well as doing you good.

BENEFITS OF HEALTHY LIVING AND OUT WHY

What you gain by living more healthily includes:

• feeling better mentally – regular exercise can lift your mood and help you feel better
• saving money – eating junk food, smoking, and drinking sugary drinks or alcohol are all expensive habits
• fewer health problems – living a healthier lifestyle means a lower risk of developing many illnesses
• taking control of your life – getting healthy helps you feel in control of your life.

GETTING HEALTHY

‘Healthy living’ means maintaining a healthy lifestyle and introducing habits that improve your health. It can be difficult to change old habits, but there are steps you can take to become healthier. An important first step is identifying less healthy habits and learning new, positive ones to replace them, such as:

• eating healthy foods and balanced meals
• sleeping well and managing stress
• practicing safe sex, drinking alcohol responsibly and not abusing drugs
• being physically active
• staying connected with others
• being aware of any health risks related to your illness and its treatment, and working with your doctor to monitor these and then take action
• taking responsibility for your overall health including having regular check-ups for your eyes and teeth.

HOW TO DEVELOP POSITIVE HEALTH HABITS

The key to developing positive habits that you are more likely to keep is to:

Start slow

Change just one thing at a time - see the benefits that can come from eating more balanced meals or, exercising more or quitting smoking

Make small changes – an achievable change is more likely to become a habit you keep.

Go slowly – making a change gradually can be easier than all at once.

Build on what you already do – for example, if you enjoy walking, try extending your usual route by a manageable amount.

Remember, increasing or adding even one new health behaviour can make a big difference to your health.

Work around challenges

There are many things that you can do to help manage challenges- such as eating late at night, sugar cravings, snacking all day.

• organize daily activities around side-effects of medication.
• meditation
• chewing gum
• having a sleep routine, etc..

Staying healthy

Being healthy is about more than getting fit and feeling better, it’s about staying that way too.

• create a group of friends to hold each other accountable.
• reward yourself – it is not a "cheat" meal, it is a "treat" meal.
• be kind to yourself, we are all human and need healthy balances in our lives.

Finding Support

There are lots of ways to get the support you need to help stay healthy. An important step is connecting with someone you are comfortable discussing your health with.

Having someone else as a ‘support person’ can make all the difference in keeping up healthy habits. Talk with your friends, family, mental health program or case worker. Don’t forget other services in your area that you can draw on too.