Even if you aren’t aiming to shed a few (or more than a few) pounds this year, odds are that there are still a few ways you can improve your health. Between lack of sleep, poor diets, exposure to a million different germs and too much to do with little time to relax, it’s amazing that moms aren’t sick more often! Here are some simple ways you can be a little healthier this year:
Ways to Improve Health This Year:
Drink more water: Drinking more water makes you feel fuller, which means you’ll eat less. But, did you know that if you don’t drink water your body holds onto sodium, which makes you bloated because your body is holding onto water to avoid dehydration! On average women should be drinking about 91 ounces of water per day according to the Harvard School of Health’s Healthy Beverage Guidelines (http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/). Try adding a glass of water before every meal and eating more fruits and veggies, which count towards your water intake.
Get more sleep: This is one of those rules that’s way easier said than done. But it’s also one of the most important things you can do for your health. Lack of sleep has been attributed to weight gain, slower reaction times and crankiness. Dr. Michael Breus says that the average person needs about 7.5 hours, based off of five 90-minute sleep cycle. The key to getting good sleep: Set a bedtime and stick to your schedule every single day.
(http://www.doctoroz.com/episode/break-insomnia-cycle-10-day-plan-get-good-night-s-sleep) it’s a video.
Stop drinking soda: The extra sugar and empty calories are doing you no favors. In addition to being a key contributor to weight gain and diabetes, soda is acidic which is extremely harmful to the enamel on your teeth. Swap out your soda for fruit-infused water. I like to add a drop of mint extract to a water bottle. It adds flavor without the sugar. You can also try raspberry or vanilla extract to make your water a little less boring.
Get more fresh air, earlier: If I were to be completely honest, there are days where the only fresh air I get is when I’m taking my kids to and from school. It’s a drag. The lack of sunlight and fresh air is a major contributor to depression, anxiety and exhaustion. Try to catch some early morning rays to give your body an early morning boost. If you have to work indoors, keep your blinds open to let in some sunlight and try to squeeze in a few minutes outside for a stretch.
Get your groove thing on: Sex is healthy! Not only is it a great cardiovascular workout (if you’re doing it right!) it’s a great way to boost positive hormones in your body. It’s a natural stress reliever and it’s an excellent way to get closer to your significant other.
How do you plan to improve health this year?
Image: iStockPhoto
