New Year – A WELLthier You!
All of a sudden, the clock strikes midnight on December 31st and the first thing people think about is all the things they want to accomplish in the new year. Well…maybe not the very first thing. For many it may be more like…”how am I going to survive this hangover tomorrow”…but that’s another story for another time. Ok so maybe it’s the second thing you think about but regardless when you think about it…inevitably your mind goes there. For some reason, the new year brings upon all these expectations for ourselves, internally from our minds and externally from society. Lose weight. Workout more. Be happier. The list goes on and on. I have to admit, I, myself, am not a new year’s resolution type of girl. I adhere more to the “every passing moment is a chance to turn it around” type of philosophy. But I recognize that I may be in the minority. So, in an effort to support those who love to kick off the year with making some changes and creating better habits, I thought I would share some simple tips that everyone can ADD to their life in hopes of making it better in the new year. New year…a WELLthier you!
NEW HABITS: I find the easiest way to create new habitats is to attach your new desired habit to something you already do. This creates an automatic prompt to remind you to do your new habit. Some say it takes 21 days for a new habit to stick. Who knows if that’s exactly right but what I do believe is that when you attach a habit to something in your engrained routine…it’s a bit easier for it to stick!
WATER: We all need to consume more water. An easy way to do this is to start each meal with a glass of water. This has two wonderful benefits. First, it will help you consume more water. Second, it helps regulate your portions. Often time when we feel hungry, it’s really just thirst in disguise. (bonus tip - begin each morning with warm/room temperature water with half a lemon…this helps kick your metabolism into gear and helps support your detox pathways)
AIR: There are some people who believe there is no such thing as cold a flu season…sickness happens when people are less exposed to natural vitamin D (from the sun). Find one time of day to talk a walk outside…even if it’s around the block. I love to couple it with a meal. Eat then walk. This helps you digest your food while also getting the sun and fresh air you need to keep you healthy. (bonus tip - open your windows…even in winter months…your indoor air is MUCH dirtier than outside air even if you live in the city…this also helps to eliminate potential cold and flus from staying inside dead air)
SLEEP: Creating some type of ritual before bed helps signal your body it’s time for bed. Here are some favs. Shower or a warm bath…increasing your body’s core temperature prepares it for sleep. Reading a physical book…something that is easy to escape into. This isn’t the time to read those hardcore self-help or business books. (bonus tip – turn off your home’s wi-fi. This is one of the best tricks I’ve found to get great quality sleep. If this is too difficult just put your phone on airplane mode. The wi-fi signals that are constantly emitting from your devices disrupt your body’s ability to sleep. Try it…it really works!)
COMMUNITY: When thinking about wellness, most don’t consider community and relationships. In today’s society, you can spend an entire day (or days) without connecting with a human being in person. As connected as we are, we are seeing the highest rates of loneliness that we have ever seen which leads to more illness and shorter life spans. Find an excuse to talk to at least one person a day…even if it’s your barista. It’s amazing what real conversation and connection will do for your wellbeing. (bonus tip - give of yourself. Volunteer for an hour or just buy the person behind you in line their coffee. It will brighten up their day and yours.)