Here are 6 easy lifestyle factors that you can add to your daily routine over a few months. You may already being doing some of these. Rate yourself from 1 – 10 on each of the tips. One being low, i.e. you never do it, and 10 being high, i.e. you do this all the time.
Choose one or two that you are not currently doing, and that you feel would make the most impact if you were to add them in. Then take action steps to improve the rating.
Health Tip Number 1: Greens and live food every day.
Everyone can benefit from adding more raw food, and vegetables into their daily diet.
Greens are loaded with crucial enzymes and are great for the mind, skin, hair, and elimination – we need greens to be going to the bathroom every day. They also help with energy and weight loss.
Easy tips:
- Have a big salad every day
- Add greens to your morning smoothie
- E.g.: romaine (aka cos) lettuce, kale, spinach, rocket – mix up the greens so you get a range of minerals and vitamins.
My favourite tip: I like to make up a salad on a rocket and baby spinach base, I give this a good squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt and freshly cracked pepper. I add in cucumber, tomato, olives, figs, pomegranate seeds (or whatever I have in the fridge), a splash of olive oil, and a protein source like a lean meat, eggs or pan roasted seeds and nuts. When I have this salad regularly, I notice a marked improvement in my digestion.
Health Tip Number 2: Add more movement into your day
Regular exercise is an important part of health. But it can be difficult to find the slots on your schedule to exercise regularly. The most common excuse is I don’t have time!
Several recent studies have shown multiple, short bouts of exercise are as effective as single, longer bouts at supporting healthy blood pressure and maintaining fitness and weight. One study found that three, 10-minute exercise sessions are as effective as a single bout of 30 minutes for general fitness.
Easy tip:
- If you struggle to find that 30–60 minute time slot to exercise or get to the gym, think shorter and more often. Take 10 minutes and do brisk walking, yoga, dancing, running, weights. Do this 3 times per day. Aim to get your heart rate up as that gives you more bang for your buck.
- Try this free app – 7 Minute Scientific Workout. It gives 12 floor exercises, which are done for between 20 and 50 seconds with a 10 second rest between each one. You can choose to do a number of sets. Read about it here: https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/09/the-scientific-7-minute-workout/.
My favourite tip: Brisk 30-minute walk around the block, as soon as I get out of bed. If time is limited I just do 10 – 15 minutes.
Health Tip Number 3: More water
Ever wonder if you really need water? Well, just think of a plant when it’s not watered. Its leaves are wilted and its growth stunted. Pour some water on it and it just about dances a jig of joy and immediately springs back to life!
We can often mistake hunger, exhaustion, anxiety and demotivation for thirst. Aim to drink around 2 litres per day. It is better to sip consistently rather than guzzle. If you don’t like the taste of water try the tips below.
Easy tips:
- Get yourself a beautiful water bottle or tea tumbler, something that you will enjoy drinking from.
- Try herbal tea infusions like peppermint, or apple and cinnamon. Try a few to find your favourite.
- Add celery, cucumber or fruits like lime, watermelon and strawberries to up level the taste. (Note, it is a good idea to peel foods that are not organic to avoid the leeching of pesticides into the water).
My favourite tip: Adding a sprig of rosemary to my water jug.
Health Tip Number 4: Eat Before 7pm 90% of the time
This is one of the best natural anti-aging tips out there. Why? Because our bodies repair and rejuvenate at night. If its busy digesting food because you ate a big meal at 8pm, 9pm or even later, it can’t heal, repair and renew. All the energy goes into the stomach to digest instead of going to all the other areas of the body to repair, rejuvenate, and do everything that is needed to be done before you wake up.
Easy tip:
- If you get hungry after 7pm drink herbal tea and/or eat raw veggies, as these have a high water content and will not take very long to digest.
My favourite tip: I aim to have my last meal by 6:30 pm and I enjoy an herbal tea at around 8pm.
Tip Number 5: Self-Care
It is important to take time out for you. It is not selfish to do this. Think of the advice they give on an airplane. Put the oxygen mask on first and then put it on your child.
If you do not take the time to relax, and unwind and refresh, then you may not be able to give your best to your work, your family and your friends. Slow down, to speed up.
Easy tips:
- Take at least half a day-off per week.
- Completely unplug and unwind
- Set a work cut-off time and stick to it.
My favourite tip: Catching up with friends for brunch on a Sunday or going for a walk in the bush.
Tip Number 6: Take a break every 50 minutes
This tip comes from Brendon Burchard, High Performance Coach. It is less of a health tip and more of a productivity tip, but as read on you will see how it could improve your health too.
Brendon says that every 50-70 minutes we need to take a break from sitting. If you are someone who works at a desk, or are very sedentary, then this tip could change your life. Literally. It could save you. Sitting is the new smoking. We are made to move and most of us don’t move enough!
A study was done using a productivity app that 4 million people filled in. It showed that the most productive people take breaks every 52 minutes. When you sit in a chair for too long your posture is compromised and inflammatory cytokines are activated. Activity actually makes us smarter. Exercise activates the brain.
Brendon suggests to get up, walk around, do a vinyasa flow, get a drink of waters, do stretching, or meditate for 5 minutes. Or you could do a short high intensity exercise routine that would tick off health tip number 2!
You could do:
- 10 Jumping jacks
- 4 burpees
- 10 squats/chair poses
Brendon claims that this practice is the reason why he can write so many books and papers. By having regular breaks, he is more productive.
Easy tip:
- As soon as your butt is on the seat, set your phone alarm for 50 minutes.
- When the alarm goes, get up even you don’t feel like it or are in the middle of a task. Take a break from 2 – 10 minutes.
My favourite tip: I put my yoga mat on the pavers in the back garden and do a short stretching, and down-ward dog sequence. And I get the added bonus of a vitamin D shot! I am also trying the 7-Minute Scientific Workout app.
In summary; the six health tips to add in this year.
- More greens and live foods
- Add more movement into your day
- More water
- Eat before 7pm 90% of the time
- Self care
- Have a break every 50 minutes
Remember to rate your self on a scale of 1 -10 (1, Im not doing it and 10, I am doing it regularly.) Be honest with your rating. Sometimes we can know something but don’t actually do it. So observe yourself over the next week and see how you go.
If you implement any of the tips, I would love to hear how you go and what your favourite ones are and if they made a difference to you. Thanks!
Have an awesome 2019!!
Be Healthy….Be Happy
Vicki
Brisbane January 2019