Drink warm water first thing in the morning, do a wheatgrass shot, drink celery juice, add ginger to your diet....the list goes on. Everyday we are hearing and seeing lots of health tips whether through a podcast, Dr. Oz, Instagram or Facebook. It can get so overwhelming.
Where should you start?
I often call my Mom with the latest thing that I want her to do. Truth be told, I want my parents to live to at least 120. I feel like I want them to live as clean of a life as possible in hopes of avoiding any ailments. It doesn't hurt trying, right? After telling my mom that she and my dad "need" to take something new like elderberry, she'll often say "Erin, not again. There is so much to remember. How can I keep track of it all." Does this happen to you? I bet my mom isn't alone.
Lets start with 5 tips. Add these into your daily life; you don’t have to do everything all at once. It will make you crazy!
1. Drink half your body weight in ounces daily. If you weigh 100 pounds, drink 50 ounces. Once you start, your body will crave water. Your body uses water in all its cells, organs, and tissues to help regulate its temperature and maintain other bodily functions. Because your body loses water through breathing, sweating and digestion, it's important to rehydrate by drinking fluids and eating foods that contain water. Drink up!
2. Implement turmeric into your life. I tried this and my family was not a fan of the taste. They actually acted like I put poison into their food. I wasn't giving up. Now we take a turmeric supplement daily or I add the liquid form into water or smoothies and I hide it in soups in the actual spice form. Don’t tell them! Turmeric is literally a powerhouse spice. It is anti-inflammatory, an antioxidant, great for digestion, helps prevent coronary issues…the lists goes on and on. Remember that an excessively large dose of turmeric isn’t necessary.
3. Make sure your vitamin D level is sufficient; your doctor can test your levels. It is one of many nutrients our bodies need to stay healthy. In the Northeast, our bodies only really absorb Vitamin D May-October. Vitamin D is very important for immunity, bone and heart health, and reduction of fatigue, anxiety and depression. It might even help with cognitive health. As with anything, check with your doctor before you start something new. The benefits await you.
4. Take a probiotic in order to promote a healthy gut. Our health begins in the gut. You can absolutely find probiotics in some foods, but I prefer to take it in a supplement form. I like to buy a really good one. We’re worth it!
5. Sleep! We all know the importance of sleep, yet most of us don’t get enough. Try to sleep 8 hours. When you’re well rested you are less stressed, able to loose weight easier, your body heals and regenerates. In fact, it's just as important as eating healthy and exercising.
So this is your assignment: try to incorporate these 5 tips. You’ll be well on your way to a healthier you !!! Don’t let yourself become overwhelmed with all the noise. Chip away at one health tip at a time. Good luck!!
