New Year’s might be long behind us, but it’s never too late to make a few changes in your life and adopt a healthier lifestyle. While our elders might give anything to have grown up and matured in 2022, life is still not peachy for LGBTQ+ folks. Fast living, fast food, fast sex—all of these can have a serious effect on our health, so what kind of changes you can do to go back on the health path? You don’t have to give up all the goodies, but you can be smarter about your decisions. Here are a few healthy living resolutions for this year you can introduce to your gay life:
Safe sex
When we think about health, we instantly picture sex. The presence of STDs is still a real threat, so using protection is crucial for long-term health and plenty of sexy time in the future. However, STDs are not the only thing to fear today. If you’re just starting to explore the dating scene, it’s important to be responsible and prevent the spread of coronavirus. To ensure your health and the health of others, make sure your partner(s) are not experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. Of course, always come equipped with suitable protection, and if you want to get frisky between the sheets with your new date, come up with positions that won’t have you facing each other at all times.
Proper diet and exercise
If you’re ready to invest in long-term health and happiness, it’s important to improve your diet. Of course, you don’t have to give up heavy brunch and mimosas forever, but eating more unprocessed, organic and home-cooked meals is crucial. If you improve the way you eat, you’ll feel much more energized, plus some weight balance is a nice side-effect. For healthy functioning of the body and energy to build muscle, you can complement your diet with protein powder supplements you can take in the morning or before your workout.
While we’re on the subject of exercise, enough protein will make you ready to hit the gym or sweat it out at home on your yoga mat. If you’re battling low energy levels, depression, anxiety, chronic pain or boredom, a nice workout will do you a world of good—you’ll feel refreshed and strong and look amazing.
Good skincare
Beautiful, beautiful boys and girls do skincare every day! It’s crucial for every person today to give some love to their skin if you want to retain their healthy, plump and youthful complexion. And if you’re new to skincare, just start easy with a good cleanser and moisturizer. Use these two in the morning and evening and your skin will be smooth and silky. If you shave, invest in a good after-shave, and if you love your lush beard, quality organic beard oil will make you look clean and tidy.
Easy stress relief
No matter what you do and where you live, stress is probably a crucial part of your life. And while you might not be able to completely avoid stress, you can do many things to get rid of the existing tension in your body and mind. If you want to adopt a healthier lifestyle, you can start by enjoying meditation or reading. Instead of scrolling on your phone in the evening, you can try guided meditation or grabbing a good LGBTQ+ book and giving it a try. These activities will relax you, clear your mind and guarantee better sleep and healthier life. Engaging in LGBTQ+ activism can also be very therapeutic and help many of our family in need.
Regular check-ups
Seeing your doctor regularly is an amazing health resolution to make (and an easy one if you have good insurance). After you turn 40, make sure to see a urologist and have a detailed prostate checkup because one in six men will be diagnosed with prostate issues during their lives. Prostate issues can be deadly, but early detection can prevent the most dangerous outcomes. If you’re not being monogamous, it’s also smart to get tested for STDs regularly and ensure you’re healthy and not spreading out cooties.
These few health resolutions cover everything from your physical to your mental and emotional health. As you can see, you don’t have to flip your life upside down—a few changes are all it takes to make 2022 the healthiest and most fabulous year so far.