Since it is the beginning of the year AND the main things I will be talking about on this blog site will be about health, I thought it would be appropriate to start off with making my first blog about how to improve your health this year.
Most times, when people make New Years Resolution (or mid-year goal?) of improving their health, they think of intense cardio sessions and restrictive diets. I’m here to tell you that not only are there more ways you can improve your health, but those methods aren’t even really improving your health all that much.
Health is about so much more than what the scale in our bathroom says or how “clean” our diet is. Being strong enough to function well in your life is health. Having a positive relationship with food so that you can enjoy both nutritious and fun foods is health. Being able to manage the revolving door of stressful situations without losing our sanity is health. Having non-toxic, and mature relationships is health.
So before you start that exercise routine you hate and start depriving yourself of the food you love for the sake of “health,” let’s talk about some other (read: better) ways to improve your health this year.
- Incorporate more movement
It’s no secret that the lives of Americans (I can’t speak for other countries) have become increasingly sedentary with statistics showing that modern Americans sit for 13 to 15 hours a day. You sit all day at work, then you come home to sit on the couch and watch TV, then you go to bed where you lay down all night, and repeat the next day. Sure, there’s some walking to and from different places within there, but admit it, overall, we’re not moving much. It’s no wonder why so many people are plagued with back problems, obesity, fatigue, sleep issues, and other health conditions.
Moving more throughout your day has many benefits, including boosting your energy, improving your mood, reducing pain, lowering blood sugar, and improving sleep. Although we need to be more intentional about getting movement in than our ancestors did, here are some tips and tricks to move the needle in the right direction:
- Use a standing desk whenever possible. (Bonus points if you have a walking pad under your desk too).
- Walk during your breaks and lunches during the day.
- Set a reminder on your phone to get up and move for a few minutes every hour.
- Walk during phone calls or virtual meetings.
- Use the stairs when accessible.
- Park further from entrances.
- Pair walking on a treadmill with something you already enjoy doing like watching TV, reading, or listening to podcasts.
- Eat more whole, unprocessed foods.
2. Eat more whole, unprocessed foods
This is not the same as following a restrictive diet. Rather than eliminate foods or food groups from your diet, prioritize and add more whole, unprocessed foods like meats, veggies, fruits, nuts, and grains. This doesn’t mean that you can never have processed foods or yummy treats, but try to follow the 80/20 rule (80% unprocessed foods, 20% processed foods). Not only will you feel better from eating more nutritious foods, but you may find that after fueling yourself with mostly unprocessed foods, you may not want as much processed junk because you are satiated and satisfied.
Some tips and tricks to incorporate this into your life:
- Plan your meals for the week ahead of time.
- Meal prep what you can ahead of time to make it easier to grab at mealtime. Cook all your meat for lunches, cut up all your veggies, measure out your food and separate, etc.
- Plan every meal around a protein source and veggie.
- Add seasonings to make your food actually taste good! The more you enjoy it, the more consistent you will be.
- Make room for treats and other foods you enjoy to avoid feeling restricted and deprived.
- Make room for mental health improvement
3. Make room for mental health improvement
Because I’ve just lived in pure chaos most of my life, I unfortunately have a high baseline of stress and anxiety. I can’t always tell that I am stressed until I’ve reached my peak and end up sick and burnt out. To stay ahead of this, I have to be more intentional with my mindfulness practices. This has helped my emotional and mental health dramatically over the years.
Some ways you can improve your mental health:
- Therapy (I cannot stress enough how impactful this is).
- Meditation (Start small with 5 minutes/day and work up from there. YouTube has so many guided meditations for different intentions).
- Journaling (I am bad at staying consistent with this, but it helps to sort through your jumbled up thoughts and release them).
- Breathwork (There is lots of research behind the connection of our breath and mood. 10/10 recommend!).
- Doing a relaxing activity that gets you out of your head (Playing Hogwarts Legacy has been doing this for me lately).
- Prioritize your sleep
4. Prioritize your sleep
This really should be the first one on this list because it is that important. The best thing you can do for your health is to get rid of the whole “you can sleep when you’re dead” idea. Poor sleep is associated with many long-term effects, including
- Memory issues
- Negative mood changes
- Weakened immunity
- Cognitive issues
- Weight gain
- Chronic health conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease
- Lowered sex drive
- Poor balance and stability
Just by making it a priority to improve your sleep, you will start seeing significant changes to your health for the better.
Here are some ways you can improve your sleep:
- Avoid caffeine past noon or at least 6 hours before bedtime.
- Keep sleep and wake times consistent throughout the week.
- Spend the hour before bedtime engaging in relaxing activities like reading, meditating, stretching, or taking a bath.
- Avoid heavy meals within a few hours of bedtime.
- Avoid electronic devices within an hour of bedtime.
- Limit naps during the day or avoid them altogether.
- Exercise regularly.
- Expose your eyes to sun during the day, preferably first thing in the morning.
- Reduce alcohol intake.
- Improve social connections
5. Improve your social connections
Regardless of whether you are an extrovert or introvert (or smack dab in the middle like me), human beings are naturally social creatures. In fact, our relationships with friends, family, colleagues, and our community members can majorly impact our health and well-being. Having healthy and supportive relationships increases our ability to cope with stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as make healthier choices in life overall. Social connectedness has also been shown to prevent chronic diseases and serious illnesses.
So before you write off people in general and decide to move to an island all by yourself, consider how you can play a role in improving your relationships. Here are some tips and tricks:
- Embrace your differences and seek to understand the perspectives of others
- Respect boundaries (both theirs and your own)
- Practice empathy and understanding
- Learn how to communicate clearly and honestly
- Demonstrate appreciation and gratitude
- Offer support
- Focus on spending quality time together (put the phones down)
This list is not all-inclusive, and there are plenty of other ways you can improve your health this year, but I hope this helped to open your perspective of what health means. Thank you for taking the time to read my very first blog post and I hope you got some value from it!