So 2020 dragged us all through the mud, it’s true. But as the numbers on the calendar roll over, so too shall our attitudes and outlooks moving forward into a New Year. There is so much that has been out of our control this past year, but we continuously forget that there is SO VERY MUCH that is still well within our control on a day to day, moment to moment basis.
Our attitude is NUMERO UNO!
Our health is right up there too.
Although I support the idea of a 30 day break from some of your unwanted habits around food and health, I am much more pro-long-term changes and permanent thriving health, than I am for a temporary break. And although I’ve put together a list of 5 awesome ways to kick your health into an upper gear for January, really, what I’d prefer to see is folks applying short-term goals and shifts towards long-term, life-improving health and overall greatness. Do keep that in mind as you read on 😉
I’m all about helping people find easy ways to improve their health and, thus, their lives. You won’t ever hear me say that there is one path to solve all health issues, because there isn’t. But there ARE simple, everyday things that ALL PEOPLE CAN DO to keep their bods functioning well, keep their minds clear and focused, help to stabilize mood, and decrease stress & anxiety.
Simple things.
We like those.
5 Ways to Rock Your Health this January
Drink a Smoothie a Day: We used to believe that if we just popped a multi-vitamin every day that we could ensure that our minimum requirements for vitamins & minerals would be met, regardless of what we put in our mouths. Most health practitioners have ditched this notion with the understanding that there is so little value to those horse pills and that the damage they may be doing to our kidneys, liver and GI tract, may far surpass any minute nutritional value we may or may not absorb. Nowadays, we give more credit to real food and real food products that can actually drive our nutritional intake into higher levels and help to meet some vitamin & mineral requirements more naturally. Introducing: THE SMOOTHIE! As long as you have a cup of blueberries, a half a banana, some nut butter and coconut milk in there, I swear, you can sneak all kinds of goodness into your morning smoothie and make it palatable, if not delicious! Find my favourite morning smoothie recipe here!
Ditch the Booze for Water: Listen, let’s be real here: it is difficult for your body to be healthy while regularly putting back 3 or 4 beers or a couple of glasses of wine per night. Alcohol has detrimental health effects, we all know this. Sure, a drink here or there is manageable, but any amount outside of occasionally is damaging to your liver, your heart, your digestive system, your cells, your blood, your brain, and your mental/emotional being. What would support all these functions instead? WATER! Good ol’ fashioned, clean (& super cheap!) WATER. If it’s been awhile since you’ve taken a step back from alcohol and given your body a break, now’s the perfect time. Drink water instead - 1-2 litres of water per day is a good goal, room temperature is best, add a squeeze of lemon, and let the body have a much needed rest.
High Intensity Exercise: If you want to shift your health into a higher gear, get to the sweating. High intensity exercise does not equal a million squats and pushups and pounding jumps that hurt aging knees, high intensity just means that your heart is pumping harder than at rest and you are working the body hard enough to be sweating. Cardiovascular exercise is definitely my favourite and one of the daily additions to my own health regime that helps me feel as though I am fighting degenerative disease every single day. It’s a New Year, so think about how to integrate some more challenging physical exercise to your life in a way that suits you! Even if your gym is closed, there are plenty of online platforms and outside options to keep you going! Hit it!
Go Plant Based: I know my face has now turned green from advocating for predominantly plant-based eating, but I just can’t promote it enough. Lighten the load on your organs, your cells & blood, AND the environment, and choose plants as much as possible to maximize your nutrient intake and fuel your cells in a cleaner, more disease preventing way. If you need inspiration, pop on over to my recipes section and take a browse, you will find plenty of plant-based enthusiasm & deliciousness there! Here are a few weeknight favourites to try!
Get to Bed: Yes YOU! Go to bed!! Those of you out there who undervalue your sleep are depriving your poor body of the rejuvenation & repair that it NEEDS in order to function properly. Going to bed earlier in the evenings and getting up at a reasonable hour in the morning supports working with the body’s natural biocircadian rhythm which supports the workings of ALL BODILY PROCESSES. Late nights often support negative habits and can contribute to depression and anxiety, as well as mood disorders. Try to climb into bed by 9pm at the latest, read a good novel or put on your favourite meditation recording, and go to sleep by 10pm, setting your alarm for 7am. Aim for a solid 9 hours per night, AT LEAST 5x/week. You work hard and are up against endless stress; the body, mind, heart, soul, needs time to rest, to mend & repair, and to rebuild in order to start again the next day. Let it.
In a busted up world where so many struggle to simply put one foot in front of the other, it is your responsibility to look after what you have: body, mind, heart, soul. Stay the course, keep the rhythm, be brave in a world that asks so much endless bravery of every one of us.
And Remember: We MUST show up for ourselves first, before we can ever begin to have an affect on the world around us. You got this!
REACH OUT if you want to work with me!