5 Things You Can Do Everyday to Improve Your Health

There's a lot of health information out there prescribing how to live longer and healthier. It can be confusing and misleading too. Keeping it simple is really important for long-term success so let's start with a short list to help you! (Some of this sounds really familiar...)

1. Drink water.

Our bodies are mostly made up of it (60%, our blood 90%). And it helps us digest, absorb and circulate all the nutrients we consume. So without it and when dehydrated, we feel fatigued, reduced energy, impaired mood and concentration and increased frequency and severity of headaches. The 8x8 rule of 8, eight oz glasses a day is great starting point.

2. Move every day.

Even if it's a 30 minute walk outside (ideal!), or moving around your house every hour or so, it is important to keep our bodies moving. This will prevent an extra 10 lbs a year from creeping up on you alone . The benefits from this FREE activity are lower body fat and blood pressure, strengthening of the bones and cardiovascular fitness just to name a few.

3. Sleep.

Getting sleep is as important as eating a healthy diet and exercising. Getting at least 7-8 hours per night are optimal. Anything less than 6 hours per night consistently keeps us from losing weight and metabolizing our blood sugar, which can lead to type 2 diabetes. It also increases our risk of heart disease and stroke. Here's a link to the National Sleep Foundation for some helpful tips: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/healthy-sleep-tips

4. Eat whole foods.

With growing evidence of how processed food contributes to obesity and illness, getting back to eating real whole foods is more important than ever. Whole foods, fruits and vegetables provide us with much needed vitamins and nutrients we need to thrive. The power of plant-based diets has been proven over and over again to reduce heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure.

5. Avoid sugary foods.

Make no mistake, our bodies need carbohydrates for energy. We just don't need processed sugary foods and added sugar. That kind of sugar contributes to type 2 diabetes, weight gain and heart disease. A balanced diet with some whole grains, fruit and legumes can provide us with the right kind of energy we need every day.