How to be healthier and happier in 2014, Part II
We continue our journey with Amber in this final installment of her New Year’s resolutions-inspired article. Part I may be found here.
May: Let’s get moving! Exercise in a way that is right for you and makes you feel good. Don’t be discouraged by the pressure of crazy exercise routines. You can incorporate and gain benefits from exercise without overdoing it and potentially injuring yourself. Just as everyone needs different supplements and nutrition, different metabolic types benefit from specific types of exercise.
June: Cut out sugar. According to the American Dietetic and Diabetic Associations, increased sugar consumption is the leading cause of degenerative disease. Now that we are past Valentine’s Day and Easter, it is time to let go of the white sugar in our lives.
July: Get your greens. Most likely, you aren’t getting your full serving of daily vegetables. Rich in vitamins, trace minerals, and antioxidants, greens are a great way to improve your health with just one basic lifestyle change. Find some great recipes to help incorporate these super foods into your daily routine.
August: Boost your nutrition and immune system. Prepare for back-to-school season and the cold and flu season by increasing the strength of your immune system through supplements and diet. Learn the rules of “food combining” for blending and juicing and get some delicious recipes. Also, gain knowledge of how to sort through all of the supplement options out there and choose the best one for your body or particular health issues.
September: Take up spiritual practice and get fulfilled. In order to experience balanced health, you must get well in Mind, Body, and Spirit. In my practice, I notice that those without purpose tend to manifest disease more regularly. The world can be very busy and distract us from finding our heart’s purpose. People are hungry for spirit but don’t know where to turn and what practices to put into place, especially if they are not interested in the more common mainstream religious practices. Get tips on how to identify the areas of your life that give you a sense of purpose, strength, peace, and connection and then set aside time to incorporate these things into your daily routine.
October: Get some sleep. Believe it or not, sleep is just as important as diet and exercise when it comes to being healthy. Interestingly, there is also a connection between sleep habits and hunger response. It has been reported that people who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to have increased appetite because their leptin levels (leptin is an appetite-regulating hormone) fall, promoting an increase in appetite (per the National Sleep Foundation). Also, sleep helps the body recover from stress. Stress response hormones cause our bodies to store fat and thus maintaining a regular sleep schedule is paramount for weight management and achieving optimum health.
November: Chew your food. With the holidays soon approaching, let’s discuss an easy way you can improve your health without changing what you eat. You can consume all of the organic food you want, but it won’t help you if you don’t digest it effectively. Rushing through meals, eating during times of stress and not chewing your food can all contribute to weight gain and strain your digestive system. The more energy our bodies have to put towards digestion, the less energy we have for detoxification processes and healing.
December: Hydrating yourself properly is so important for your state of health. Learn about the health benefits of clean water, how to best access it and incorporate drinking more of it into your daily routine. Just a heads up, flavored waters, soda water and iced tea do not count as water intake!
