7 Ways To Be More Health-Conscious Every Day
The path to better health doesn’t have to be steep and treacherous. There are plenty of simple things you can do each and every day to move toward a more health-conscious state. Try these seven ideas to get started today.
1. Switch To Natural Hygiene Products
Even if you try to buy the most conscientious beauty products, your personal hygiene products may be a consistent source of exposure to potentially harmful chemicals. Switching to natural versions of the things you use most will have the biggest impact on your health, and you should notice the difference right away. Look for natural toothpaste, deodorants, and menstrual products the next time you need to stock up.
2. Embrace Your Emotions
Most people do not take time to fully embrace the emotions they feel on a daily basis. This can lead to a lot of confusion and sow self-doubt. Luckily, it is relatively easy to remedy the situation by practicing mindfulness and meditation. Even if you have no experience in this area, there are tons of great tutorials and programs online that can help you learn how to meditate.
3. Take Time To Stretch
If you prefer to put your mindfulness to motion, try your hand at a beginning tai chi practice. The gentle, rhythmic movements have been shown to reduce stress and promote a strong mind-body connection. If that isn’t your speed, try a gentle yoga session instead.
These programs have the added benefit of helping you incorporate gentle movement into your day. That’s important for overall health since many people spend long, uninterrupted hours sitting during the day. Current research shows that taking five-minute movement breaks every hour can counter some of the negative effects of prolonged sitting.
4. Support Gut Health
One of the best things you can do for your overall health is to support a robust microbiome. If you are unfamiliar with the concept, the microbiome is the complex system of millions of microorganisms that inhabit your gut. Current research continues to uncover the myriad work these organisms perform. They are responsible for digesting food, stimulating the immune response, and regulating a host of biological processes involving emotions and pain processing.
Supporting gut health is relatively simple. Try to include lots of fiber-rich foods, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, in your diet. Fermented foods have also been linked to improved gut health. Kefir, yogurt, and kimchi are all readily available at most grocery stores today.
5. Limit Added Sugars
Cutting out added sugars is one of the best things you can do for your overall health. Unfortunately, with processed foods and dozens of names for different sweeteners, it can be hard to find them, let alone avoid them. The first step is to learn how to identify the different types of sugars in food.
There are two main categories to look out for: natural and added. Even if an added sugar has a natural-sounding name, such as natural cane sugar or pure maple syrup, it is still added if it is in the ingredient list. Look out for tricky ones, too, such as fructose or glucose.
6. Prioritize Sleep
Most adults should aim for between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. That can be difficult to achieve in today’s hectic world, but there are some steep consequences associated with skipping sleep. Lack of attention, higher rates of auto accidents, and increased relationship stress are just a few of the most common side effects of sleep deprivation.
7. Take a Break From Social Media
Did you know that frequent social media use can contribute to negative health outcomes? In fact, it has been linked to decreased self-confidence and higher rates of anxiety and depression. Commit to taking a break from your accounts for a week or two. Pay attention to how you feel during this time-out, particularly about yourself. You may just decide to eliminate social media from your life for good.
You have the power to take control of your health right now. Start by making small changes to your daily routine, such as limiting added sugar, focusing on gut health, and opting for natural hygiene products when you shop.
