Guest Blogger:
Jennifer McGregor
If you’re thinking about making physical and emotional changes in your life, you are already taking a huge step forward for your health. While it's true that exercise and stress relief are crucial for mental and physical wellness, true wellness involves so much more. To truly boost your quality of life, you need to take control of a variety of habits that can significantly improve your overall health. Here are some simple steps to help you get started.
Tackle the Clutter
There’s a scientific explanation regarding the connection between clutter and stress. Our brains are wired to perform better in an organized environment. When we see clutter, our bodies release the cortisol hormone, which is known to cause stress. Stress can then lead to poor coping choices, like eating junk food. Instead of turning to unhealthy strategies, remove the clutter once and for all. It will get rid of that stress, plus you’ll sleep better and even improve your physical health. After you declutter, maintain these health benefits by keeping your home clean. If it’s an affordable expense, you can hire a maid service for this.
Make Time for Exercise
Yes, it’s true: You need to exercise on a regular basis if you want to stay on top of your physical health and your overall well-being. Of course, how you go about it all depends on what you feel comfortable doing. For some, that might include hitting the gym a few times a week. For others, it's maintaining a regular fitness routine. Whatever you do, make exercise a priority. If time or money constraints make this hard, think outside the box. If you prefer to exercise at home, pick up an inexpensive streaming device that allows you to access free or low-cost workout videos; a simple streaming device comparison can make it easy to find the right model. If time is an issue, sneak in extra walking whenever you can, like parking farther from a store entrance, taking the stairs at work, or even getting up from your desk for 10 minutes every few hours to take a stroll. Remember, small bouts of activity are better than no activity.
Make Healthy Eating a Priority
No amount of exercise can cancel out poor eating habits. Over time, poor eating habits can contribute to weight gain and a variety of health issues like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. To properly fuel your body, make sure you're getting all the right nutrients and supplementing wherever you have shortfalls. A proper diet consists of whole grains, plant protein like beans, leafy greens and colorful vegetables, fruits and lean proteins like fish or chicken. If cooking is your Achilles' heel, consider weekend meal prep so you can put together a menu for the entire week and always have something close at hand for lunch or dinner. Not only does this keep you from eating more calories when dining out, but you also save money.
You can also look to quick shakes and bars (the healthy versions, of course) to fill in the gaps. Look for products that are organic and contain superfoods like Organic Greens from BN Labs. Adding probiotics to your diet is another great way to ensure you maintain optimal gut health, which can affect you inside and out.
Enjoy Your Morning Cup, or Two, of Joe
It’s not surprising that probiotics can help you look and feel better. But did you know your morning caffeine fix can have some big health benefits too? Once considered a carcinogen, multiple coffee studies over the last few decades have dismissed previous claims that drinking coffee increases the risks for certain cancers. What some studies have shown, however, is that consuming small amounts of coffee may decrease your vulnerability to heart disease, Parkinson’s and a handful of other chronic diseases. So having a cup or two in the morning could be an easy preventative health step. Before you pour that third cup though, know that caffeine can worsen anxiety, so cut yourself off if you begin to feel nervous or jittery. Plus, too much coffee may disrupt your sleep cycle.
When it comes to your health and happiness, you don’t want to pull any punches. Being mindful of overlooked habits, like getting enough exercise and eating healthy can have such a major impact on how you look, how you feel and how satisfied you are with life.
About Jennifer McGregor
Jennifer is passionate about health and wellness topics. She loves sharing and writing reputable health and medical information. She wants her writing to help make the world a better, healthier place.
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