What does wellness mean to you? Is it merely the absence of disease, or is it a whole-body state of balance? For me, the latter is true. No one is perfect, but this comprehensive list is sure to contain a plethora of tips that strike your interest and help you get started on the road to your optimal vision of wellness. Some of the steps are easy, and some are a bit more “extreme”. Pick a few and get started!
1. Eat breakfast. Eating breakfast can raise your metabolism as much as 10% (which means you will burn up to 10% more calories per day). Eating breakfast will give you the energy you need to get a good start to your day. Try a whole grain and a protein, like a piece of whole wheat toast with a boiled egg, or a bowl of oatmeal with almonds and fruit.
2. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, preferably raw. The FDA recommends two to four servings of fruit per day and three to five servings of vegetables daily. That is the bare minimum that your body needs to work at its best! Only 13% of adults eat the minimum amount of fruits and veggies needed. Keeping a food log (Fitday is a free resource) may make it easier to get the recommended servings into your diet. If you can’t buy fresh, frozen is better than canned.
3. Brown bag it. Make your meals at home and take them to work with you. The more you avoid processed, restaurant, and cafeteria food, the better for your body and your wallet.
4. Increase your fiber intake. Fiber cleanses your body and your digestive tract, so choose foods like whole wheat bread, brown rice, broccoli, bran cereal, corn and other raw vegetables and fruits.
5. Increase physical activity. Everyone knows it, but very few adults get enough movement into their day. Overweight and physical inactivity account for 300,000 premature deaths annually—second only to tobacco related deaths. You don’t need an expensive gym membership or a bunch of equipment to get regular exercise. Just put on a pair of comfy shoes and go for a walk. Play ball with your kids. Take a hike in the woods. The hardest part is just getting started. Find something you enjoy and make a commitment to do it. Not only will it increase your cardiovascular fitness and help you lose weight, but it will reduce stress and make you a happier person!
6. Know your BMI. Try the calculator at http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/. Know where you stand.
7. Drink enough water. At least 2 quarts per day is the minimum, and even better, divide your weight by 2 and drink that many ounces of water per day. Sodas and sweetened drinks (including artificially sweetened ones) are detrimental to your health and should be avoided entirely. If you have a Mountain Dew habit, start by decreasing your intake each week until you don’t need it any more.
8. Make sure you’re getting enough healthy fats. Eat a diet rich in fish, legumes, and nuts to get Omega-3 fats. Load up on avocadoes, olive oil, and nut butters and oils.
9. Drink green tea. Most teas are full of polyphenols and antioxidants that not only make you healthier, but can clean your teeth. If you must sweeten, use local honey instead of sugar.
10. Keep healthy foods on hand, wherever you go. That way when the snack attack hits, you’ve got something good to grab.
11. Eat free range, farm fresh eggs. Eggs are loaded with protein and vitamins.
12. Steam your veggies. If you must cook your veggies, lightly steam them instead of boiling or microwaving them. This will protect the antioxidants. However, heating over 108 degrees F destroys digestive enzymes, so it is best to eat as many of your veggies and fruits raw as you can. Aim for over 50% raw for awesome health benefits.
13. Just stop eating junk food, period. It’s obvious and simple, but effective. Don’t eat anything that comes in a box. For a primer on what is junk food and what is “real” food, read Michael Pollan’s “Food Rules”.
14. Avoid eating in front of your TV. Pay attention to what you’re eating, and avoid sitting in front of the TV, computer or other distractions at mealtime. Try a mindful eating exercise. Check out this video on Youtube.
15. Eat from a smaller plate. Use salad plates instead of dinner plates to shrink your portions.
16. Buy local foods as much as possible. Local foods are fresher because they haven’t had to travel far to get to your table, and are healthier for your local economy as well as your body. When faced with a decision between organic produce from halfway around the world, or conventionally-grown local produce, choose the local.
17. Print a copy of the “Dirty Dozen” and use it as a guide when buying fruits and vegetables.
18. Eat fermented foods. Fermented foods are easy to digest and contain probiotics, which restore the proper balance of bacteria in the gut. Look for naturally fermented foods and condiments, such as sauerkraut and pickles (made traditionally with lacto-fermentation, not vinegar), kombucha (a fermented tea), kim chi, salsa, ketchup, sour cream, mayonnaise, kefir, and yogurt, in your local natural food store, or learn to make your own!
19. “Forget” to eat. Take up a hobby. Keeping yourself busy doing things you love and that are important to you will keep you from eating out of boredom.
20. Make your own sprouts. A sprout possesses all of the energy, vitamins and nutrients and power that enable it to be transformed from a small seed into a strong plant. At this stage its nutritional value is at its highest for instance, sprouted seeds can contain 400% more protein than lettuce and over 3900% more beta-carotene. Sprouting is easy and can provide you with fresh green veggies all winter long.
21. Wheatgrass juice. Wheatgrass juice is said to be high in chlorophyll. It “cleanses” the body, neutralizes toxins, slows the aging process, and prevents cancer. Wheatgrass can be easily grown in your home.
22. Sea vegetables and algae. These gifts from the sea are packed with iron, minerals, antioxidants, and are thought by some to be the world’s most perfect foods. Find items such as kelp, nori, wakame, arame, dulse, and blue-green algae in your local health food store
23. Avoid fad diets. Americans spend $33 billion annually for weight loss products and services that offer quick fixes. Some warning signs of fad diets include those that restrict food choices to one or two items, or ones that offer ridiculous results like, “lose 10 pounds over the weekend.” For other tips on recognizing fad diets, check out the tips on the American Heart Association’s website.
24. Avoid fast food forever. In 1970, Americans spent about $6 billion on fast food; in 2000, they spent more than $110 billion. The typical American now consumes three hamburgers and four orders of fries—every week! With the increase in fast food consumption has come an increase in obesity-related illnesses. Breaking the fast food habit will benefit your health, your wallet, and the environment!
25. Drink green smoothies. Green smoothies are fruit and vegetables blended together. The fruit hides the taste of the greens, and green smoothies are a great way to get huge amounts of raw green vegetables into your diet. Check out this video on the subject.
26. Get a massage. Therapeutic massage is a great stress reducer, and reducing stress contributes to your overall health and happiness in numerous ways.
27. Try a detox such as a juice fast or the Master Cleanse. These are a great way to reset your metabolism, flush out toxins, and get a jump-start on weight loss, and they are perfectly safe short-term. If you are a diabetic or have other chronic illness, do a detoxifying cleanse only under the supervision of your doctor.
28. Stop buying disposable feminine products (women). Traditional commercial brands are risky as they use synthetics such as rayon fleece which cause increased damage to the vaginal walls and encourage bacterial growth, they also use chemicals and bleach to make the products whiter, these chemicals interfere with vaginal pH which in turn messes with the balance of bacteria – these chemicals may also have long-term side-effects such as cancer. Check out http://www.gladrags.com/ and http://www.divacup.com/
29. Make time for leisure. In just the last 20 years, we have added 158 hours to our annual working and commuting time—the equivalent of a full month of working hours. Making more time for family and personal pursuits will increase your feelings of happiness and well-being.
30. Make your relationships a priority. There will be two million marriages in this country this year and one million divorces—the average working person spends less than two minutes per day in meaningful communication with their spouse or “significant other”—any connection? Because 95% of divorces are caused by a “lack of communication,” working on your relationships and communication skills can help make your life much more enjoyable.
31. Learn something new. By taking one hour per day for independent study, seven hours per week, 365 hours in a year, one can learn at the rate of a full time student. In three to five years, the average person can become an expert on the topic of their choice. So learn something that you have always been interested in! Take a continuing education course, a seminar, or just visit your library and check out some books that interest you. Personal development will give your life meaning and give you an optimistic outlook on life.
32. Use non-toxic cleaners. Using non-toxic home cleaners helps rid your home of unnatural substances that can be harmful to your health. Lots can be done with baking soda, borax, and vinegar. Do an online search on how to make your own cleaners.
33. Limit the number of pills you pop each day. If you have a chronic health condition, we’re not asking you to stop taking pills. (Although, under the watchful eye of your doctor, you may be able to do just that by following all these tips). But if you pop several pills every time you have a teensy headache, you’re putting way too many kidney-damaging chemicals into your system.
34. Watch less TV, if any. Your mind will be freer to concentrate on more important things than annoying commercials, celebrity gossip and superficial materialism.
35. Limit your online activity. Almost everybody does a certain amount of personal business and socializing online, but try to limit your online activity, especially going to fluff sites and playing online games. You’ll be more productive and will probably end up using the time you would have wasted on something more fulfilling.
36. Don’t participate in gossip. Thinking and spreading nasty thoughts about others brings your own mood and self-confidence down.
37. Stretch. Believe it or not, low back pain affects 60 to 80% of adults sometime in their lives. What’s more, back pain symptoms are among the 10 leading reason for visits to emergency rooms, outpatient departments, and physician’s offices. Stretching and exercise can reduce the risk of these problems and create a great warmup before diving into a stressful workday.
38. Take care of your finances. Only 39% of Baby Boomers have given “a great deal” of thought to their retirement and 15% haven’t given retirement much thought at all. Getting ahead in your financial life can improve your overall health and well-being—period. Take a financial planning seminar, use Dave Ramsey’s Debt Snowball to get out of debt, or read “Your Money or Your Life” by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez (a must read!)
39. Read, Read, Read. Less than half of the U.S. population reads more than 10 books per year. I know it may not make sense when related to wellness, but reading material that interests you will help to keep the creative juices flowing. Brain health is just as important as body health. Make it a point to get your nose in the literature! It’s guaranteed to keep you mentally stimulated.
40. Write. Use writing as a way to stimulate your mind, release thoughts, and improve your memory. Journaling has a positive impact on mental and physical well-being. Start a blog for free at http://blogger.com, or a private online diary at http://livejournal.com or http://opendiary.com.
41. Get rid of clutter. Allergy sufferers can keep symptoms under control by avoiding stacks of books and magazines, stuffed animals, and pillows, all of which are great environments for dust mites. An uncluttered environment is also good for your stress level and sense of well-being.
42. Sleep at least 7 to 8 hours a day. Get rid of all sources of distraction and light in your bedroom. A white-noise maker may help you to sleep better.
43. Cut down on your coffee consumption. Don’t put yourself on an energy roller coaster-avoid using caffeine as a way to get energy throughout the day, and use water and healthy food instead.
44. Take a nap. Refresh yourself with a quick afternoon nap.
45. Take a yoga class. Yoga is an ancient practice that connects the mind, body, and spirit through body poses, controlled breathing, and meditation. The practice of yoga has many health benefits associated with it. To read a huge list of the benefits of yoga, check out this page.
46. Try rebounding. It aids lymphatic circulation, promotes fuller breathing, and is good exercise.
47. Try dry skin brushing. This technique involves stimulating your skin in order to increase “its rate of elimination of toxic waste products, which decreases the demands placed on the kidneys.” A dry skin brush can be had for around $10.
48. Hydrotherapy. This alternative health practice can be done at a spa, sauna or even in your shower. By alternating the temperature of the water, you can reduce inflammation, stimulate your body’s circulation and remove waste from body tissue.
49. Buy a juicer, and use it. Juicing is a great way to get all the nutrients from large amounts of fruits and vegetables (stick with mostly vegetables, limit fruits) into your body without having to eat all that bulk.
50. Don’t drink or smoke. This is a no-brainer. Drinking and smoking can accelerate the aging process and bring on harmful diseases.
51. Do a colon cleanse. Colon cleansings are believed to remove the body of parasites and other toxins that can interfere with digestion and general health. A good one to try is Colonix.
52. Aromatherapy. Natural aromatherapy can be a great help to simple ailments, colds and viruses, and it’s also a good stress reliever.
53. Take herbs: There are a number of natural herbs that can be used for internal and external detoxification, like yucca root and licorice root, which are laxatives; milk thistle seed and dandelion which support the liver; pumpkin seed which expels parasites; and cranberry and witch hazel, which are anti-inflammatory and antioxidant herbs. Find an experienced herbalist to help you.
54. Choose Love. When you choose to love, you experience what pianist Arthur Rubinstein famously said “Love life, and life will love you back.”
55. Forgive. Holding a grudge hurts you worse than it hurts the person you are holding a grudge against. Resentment is a slow poison which can be detrimental to your mental and physical health. Forgive the person who wronged you, even if you never tell them you will feel better. Hold them in your consciousness and tell them “I wish the best for you”. Even if you don’t feel it now, keep practicing and soon the resentment will melt away.
56. Have sex. Having sex can give you energy, help you sleep better, reduce cholesterol, reduce stress, increase the flow of oxygen to your brain, and can even be a natural pain reliever. On the other hand…
57. Avoid promiscuity. This bad habit increases your chances of catching an STD and feeling emotionally dragged down.
58. Talk. Sometimes you feel bad because something’s on your mind. Keeping it bottled up will sabotage your well-being, inside and out. Talking to a trusted friend can help you sort out what’s really going on inside—and map out steps to make it better.
59. Laugh. Laughter helps to tone your abdomen…it is also a blood-oxygenator, endorphin-releaser, and general body relaxer.
60. Avoid watching the news as much as possible. Concentrate on thoughts that make you happy, avoid thinking about things that you can’t do anything about that make you feel bad. Napoleon Hill wrote about the power of our thoughts in “Think and Grow Rich”.
61. Practice mindful breathing. Try taking ten long, mindful breaths, feeling clean oxygen come smoothly into your body, CO2 and toxicity gently flowing out. This is a great way to release tension and reduce stress.
62. Give back. Studies have shown that volunteering your time can help alleviate depression and may even contribute to longevity. Here are 10 ways that giving back can help you.
63. Play. Play takes many forms, from a romp around the yard with the dog and kids to doing a jigsaw puzzle to climbing a tree to attempting a cartwheel. Playing helps you to feel healthy and alive!
64. Create. Doing creative activities not only engages your brain more actively than everyday activities do, it is believed to contribute to better heart health and even longevity.
65. Sing. Sing like no one is watching. Sing in the car or the shower. If you’re brave, check out karaoke night at a local venue. Singing requires deep breathing, and deep breathing oxygenates your blood and makes your body happy.
66. Dance. Dance like no one is watching, too! Dancing is great exercise, reduces stress, and is a lot of fun! Turn on some music and move your body.
67. Meditate. Anyone can meditate, regardless of religion or lack thereof. Neuroscientists have found that meditators shift their brain activity to different areas of the cortex – brain waves in the stress-prone right frontal cortex move to the calmer left frontal cortex. This mental shift decreases the negative effects of stress, mild depression and anxiety. There is also less activity in the amygdala, where the brain processes fear.
68. Plant a garden. Gardening will get you in touch with the earth and the seasons, is good exercise, can beautify your environment, and can provide you with healthy food right from your own backyard. Also, I have found that working in my garden is one of the best stress-reducers I have.
69. Keep plants indoors. Having plants indoors increases oxygen production and zaps up extra carbon dioxide, purifying your air.
70. Get a pet. Having a pet can decrease your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels, and feelings of loneliness, as well as increase your opportunities for exercise, socialization, and outdoor activities.
71. Nurture your spirituality. While people use many different religions and paths to find a “higher power”, research has shown that those who are more religious or spiritual, and use their spirituality to cope with life, experience many benefits to their health and well-being.
72. Love yourself. Notice your own negative self-talk, and cut it out. Treat yourself as you would treat a beloved friend. Refuse to belittle yourself in any way. Make a list of all the good things about yourself, and post it on your refrigerator or bathroom mirror.
73. Find your tribe. Surround yourself with healthy, positive people who share your passions.
74. Follow your bliss. Do what excites you and makes you happy. Happiness breeds healthiness.
75. Invest in your health. Hire a health coach to help you set goals and make changes. Spend the extra money on quality organic fresh food. Every dollar that you spend on your health now will save you many dollars on medications and doctors later. http://jennifershearin.com
