When you wake up each morning and your feet hit the floor, do you feel ready to take on the world? There’s a lot to do! Are you up for it? It’s much easier to take on the world if you’re supporting your body with healthy habits. Are your daily routines supporting a healthy lifestyle? There is no one habit or supplement that will grant all your wishes for health and happiness, but your habits can either support health or take away from it.
Many of you have likely already adopted most of these healthy habits, and you’re just peeking in on the article as you drink your organic coffee with medicinal mushrooms and ghee. Check to see if you’ve adopted all the habits on the list. This list is just a reminder, but for some of you, this is where to start. These are the steps needed for healthy lifestyle choices that will lead to noticeable changes.
These aren’t goals you can give up on after you reach a specific number; they aren’t a resolution, either. Most people give up on their resolutions before the end of January. Habits are something you do regularly and don’t give up on. These are healthy habits you should have already; if you don’t, then today is the day to get started. Not tomorrow or next week. Today!
9 Healthy Habits You Should Already Have
1) Getting to Bed Earlier
Getting to bed between 9 and 10 is an essential first step in developing better sleep habits. Getting plenty of sleep is important, but it needs to be quality sleep. The time you go to sleep should follow a healthy circadian rhythm and allow for optimal hormone production. Going to bed earlier leads to a better snooze. Your body heals when you’re sleeping, and it’s hard to be healthy if you aren’t getting good sleep consistently.
2) Staying Hydrated
While most of us have easy access to water, we aren’t staying hydrated, which is essential for many physiological functions. You’ve probably heard that water makes up 70-80% of your body. If you aren’t properly hydrated, almost every cellular process in your body decreases. Make it a habit to drink water throughout the day and avoid hydration mistakes. Staying hydrated will make those sugary beverages less tempting.
3) Eating a Variety of Whole, Healthy Foods (and Avoiding Inflammatory Foods)
Don’t get overwhelmed by reading nutrition and ingredient labels to see whether any of your allergies are listed. Instead, keep it simple and avoid processed foods altogether with a diet based on whole foods. Remember to avoid other inflammatory foods like sugar, dairy, and grains. Don’t think about all the foods you cannot have but explore all the possibilities of foods you can have. Make sure you’re eating high-quality protein with more vegetables than fruits. As you add more nutritious foods, start trying superfoods like goji berries, medicinal mushrooms, maca, and camu camu.
4) Buying Organic When Possible
Organic foods are an investment worth making because they skip synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. They also have higher levels of certain nutrients. Sadly, pesticide use has only been increasing over time, which means more and more pesticide exposure from conventionally raised foods. Commonly used pesticides have been linked to cancer, hormone disruption, birth defects, nervous system toxicity, antibiotic resistance, and more. They damage the gut and the brain, and are everywhere: Nearly 70% of conventional produce is contaminated with a pesticide residue. If you aren’t ready to go full organic, start by skipping the dirty dozen. This list of twelve includes the conventionally farmed produce with the highest pesticide residues as identified by the Environmental Working Group (EWG).
5) Regular Visits for Chiropractic Adjustments
Does this one surprise you? Of course, visiting the chiropractor is a healthy habit! One you should already be doing! It isn’t just for when you are in pain. A chiropractic adjustment can address the big and little traumas our bodies encounter regularly before they start causing noticeable pain. Removing subluxations allows the body to heal while supporting a healthy nervous system.
6) Moving Daily
We can’t have a list of healthy habits without movement. The body needs activity, but our society spends more and more time sitting. Exercise is essential to maintaining normal function, detoxification, and stress reduction. It doesn’t have to be overly rigorous. Enjoy a walk with friends or do yoga. The heart-pumping workouts are a great habit that you just might get addicted to once you start doing them regularly.
7) Planning and Preparing Meals in Advance
Eating healthy every day is a habit that’s easier with planning. Need tips for planning your healthy meals? Don’t wait until you are so hungry that you make a poor diet choice. Make sure your refrigerator and cupboards are stocked with healthy foods. Cut up fruits and vegetables so they are ready for snacks and smoothies. Make Sundays a meal prep day, to ensure you have everything you need during the week. Double the ingredients for healthy recipes so you have enough for a meal for tonight and a freezer meal for later.
8) Making Time for the Outdoors
We all feel great after time in nature. Getting some sunshine is also the best way to get your daily dose of vitamin D. A 2018 report suggested that spending time in nature could improve your overall health and reduce your risk for several illnesses. There are many health benefits of getting outside and it’s a great habit to have.
9) Focusing on Your Priorities
We are all given a certain amount of time, but what we do with it makes the difference. Knowing when to say no is possible when you know and understand your priorities. This helps to eliminate stress, the number one destroyer of health. Focusing on your priorities can help you build a healthy, productive life.
Healthy Habits for a Healthy Lifestyle
The best way to get a healthy lifestyle isn’t by giving something up or depriving yourself. It’s about adding to your life. Have you added these healthy habits? If you haven’t, then what are you waiting for? Don’t wait; make these healthy habits today! For lab testing and personalized nutrition coaching, contact a Wellness Way Clinic.
