Let’s face it. It’s true. For most millennials and Gen Zs, their parents are aging like fine wine: still walking miles, waking up early, and reminding them to drink water. While you’re out of breath climbing stairs, they are busy applying ointment to your sore knees. Well, this is not really normal. Ever wondered why they have better health than you? They probably don’t gulp protein shakes like you or hit the gym daily, and yet they are in better shape and healthier than you. Here are five reasons why your parents are healthier than you. Movement instead of workouts
It’s true they don’t spend hundreds of dollars on gym memberships. No, do they go wild about protein shakes? Instead, they moved more. They prefer to walk to the market, take the stairs, and do most of the household chores without the help of appliances or gadgets. On the other hand, most young people today have sedentary lifestyles. They sit through the whole day for work, which is followed by fewer movements. More importantly, you often need reminders to complete the steps, while they move like a river, unbothered and freely. Real food instead of junk food
Ever seen your parents counting calories or following trendy diets? Well, they grew up eating real food. Meals were cooked fresh at home with local and seasonal ingredients. Food was simple and wholesome, filled with rice, vegetables, and lentils. There were no instant noodles or energy bars, just fruit from the backyard and snacks made in the kitchen. However, today, people reach for instant foods, hamburgers, ultra-processed fries, and sugar-loaded dishes. Nutrition falls short, and as a result, health deteriorates. Your parents eat foods that nourish them; meanwhile, you eat things that probably give you brain fog and diseases.
Sleep is non-negotiable
(Pic courtesy: iStock)
For them, sleep was and is non-negotiable. Back in the day, they went to bed early every night. There were no screens, no need to Netflix and chill at night binge-watching shows late in the night. They get deep uninterrupted rest. However, today, sleep is almost a luxury. Most of us fall asleep to glowing screens, scroll through endless content, and treat rest like something we have to earn. While they embraced sleep as sacred, we keep postponing it and wonder why we’re always tired.Some sunshine
People today rarely step out in the sun. We load up on sunscreens, which is good for preventing harmful rays; however, most of us try to avoid going in the sun. Nowadays, during the day, people spend time indoors, either for work or other things. This is why most of them have a vitamin D deficiency. We are scared of the sun, while your parents probably enjoyed the hot piping chai in the backyard, soaking in some sunshine. Today, screentime exceeds sunlight exposure. You wake up to the phone, work indoors, and barely get the sun. Routine matters If you are a millennial or Gen-Z, you know about your parents’ routine. They really don’t chase the clock. They wake up early, have meals on time, and sleep without an alarm. They stress less, so their system is not flooded with cortisol. Whereas, you probably snooze the clock multiple times before waking up. You rush through the day, even skipping breakfast. Feel exhausted due to the lack of sleep and have several lifestyle diseases, that you aren’t even aware of.