"AS I SEE IT, EVERYDAY YOU DO ONE OF TWO THINGS: BUILD HEALTH OR PRODUCE DISEASE IN YOURSELF" -Adelle Davis
Everyone talks about getting "healthier". But it is tough, isn't it ? Especially when there are so many ideas on what being "healthier" even means.
We don't need a bikini body or to exercise till our eyeballs bleed to be healthy. We just want to feel good and keep those diseases at bay.
A healthy lifestyle doesn't have to begin with big dramatic challenging change. Making small changes and incorporating them into your life slowly and incrementally will increase the likelihood that you will stick with the change and want to do more.
If you view any positive change as a small gift you give to yourself, to honour your body, mind and soul, it will make the change less intimidating and more natural.
Here are a few tips which would not cost you much of your time and would not interfere with your daily routine.
- Make room for exercise
Time is precious, and for most people, today, going to the gym to workout or going on a run around in park can be too much of hassle. Where would you insert an hours exercise in your packed schedule right?
A good news!
Science says you only need 7 minutes to workout. Wow!
Ever heard of high-intensity circuit training? It's a science-backed 7 minutes routine developed to boost your power and endurance. This 7 minutes workout effects are equivalent to those of prolonged endurance training.
2. Stay hydrated
It is impossible to overstate how important staying hydrated is. In the present lifestyle staying hydrated is not a big task if we make minor additions to our schedules, such as carrying our own personal water bottle whenever we go or keeping it at our work desk or bedside table. You need a break, but can't afford even 5 minutes break? Just a few seconds, it would take to gulp down a few sips of water and you have refreshed again!
Maybe you can add hourly alarm on your smartphone to make sure you stay hydrated.
How much? Well, you need 1 litre per 24 kg of your body weight. I know it sounds like a lot, but Rome wasn't built in a day.
3. Take a probiotic
Which supplements you need and don't need can be super confusing, but science is increasingly pointing to the vast health benefits of a healthy gut, from a better mood to trillions of both harmful and beneficial bacteria, your digestive system's balance can be easily disrupted by stress factors such as unbalanced diet and lack of sleep. When that happens, harmful bacteria in your gut may multiply, which can result in poor digestion or poor immunity. Taking a probiotic drink every day can help your gut produce more good bacteria, making your belly fit and happy.
4. Choose healthy food substitutes.
Unhealthy food may be delicious, but you may not like their long-term effects on your body. If you think we are asking you to give up your comfort food our answer is NO! We just want you to substitute.
For example, if ice cream is your thing, you can make frozen bananas blend with unsweetened cocoa powder for a cold fruitful delight. It's all about being creative, so have fun in the kitchen!!!
5. Set your alarm for bedtime.
Adults optimally need 7-9 hours of sleep a night. Most of us are lucky if we get the low end of that range. Proper amounts of sleep helps to reduce stress, keeps your heart healthy, reduces inflammation, makes you more alert during the day, bolsters your memory, helps you lose weight and reduce your risk for depression.
A good idea to get enough sleep would be to simply determine your bedtime based on the time you need to wake up. Sleep specialist Dr Michael Breus writes on The Huffington Post to count back 7 hours and 30 minutes from your needed wake up call and set that as an alarm for bedtime. That way,, you get the right amount of sleep. Just don't forget to set your morning alarm as well!