Despite having more open spaces and a greater proximity to the outdoors, the U.S. counties most strongly correlated with negative health indicators, such as obesity, are located in rural areas. On some levels, it’s not too hard to see why: most health care advice is targeted towards an urban population. We’re told to hit the gym, walk to work, and partake in sports like tennis and swimming. If you live in a rural area, there’s a chance that none of these options are feasible.
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t many ways to live a healthy, rural lifestyle. For those of you looking for ways to get started, here are some general tips:
Drink Well
Forsaking soda and beer in favor of water – at least for most hydration occasions – is an easy first step in the quest for a healthy lifestyle, and it shouldn’t matter where in the United States you live. If you have clean tap water, it’s as simple as heading to the faucet and turning it on. If you don’t, invest in a filter or petition your local municipality to install a Well Water Treatment System. Clean water is well worth any effort.
Plan Your Meals
Residents of rural areas often describe a difficult situation when it comes to healthy food choices. They live far from the nearest supermarket, and consequently don’t want to go there more than a couple times a month. Meanwhile, there are a bunch of fast food places that are closer, more convenient, and ultimately prove tempting once that last supermarket trip starts to fade from memory. The best solution to this problem? It’s easier said than done, but if you plan out your meals before going to the grocery store then you have a better sense of what to buy and you can keep yourself to a schedule once you return home. Instead of being too lazy to think of a dinner plan and heading to McDonald’s, you’ll know exactly what you should be eating that night – and you’ll have the ingredients to make it happen.
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