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The key to a healthy lifestyle is creating new habits by building up smaller and attainable individual goals that can add up over time. A few of my daily health non-negotiables include getting optimal quality sleep, moving my body every day, which usually looks like walking or taking a hike, and prioritizing nourishing foods and filtered mineral water. Another actionable lifestyle tool I use is sweating, whether through movement or using a sauna.
Eating whole and REAL foods is at the top of my list regarding my healthy lifestyle. Making sure the foods I consume are from their original source is key, and limiting highly processed foods and replacing them with real, whole foods is a great start.
Another key ingredient to a healthier life is optimal hydration, which people often associate with drinking adequate amounts of water. However, the key to hydrating is through the utilization of electrolytes which water is not always equipped with on its own, especially water that has been filtered and tap water.
Putting a deeper focus on mental health is also important. A few ways I naturally do this without pharmaceutical drugs involve eating real foods that are good for gut health (there is a direct connection to the gut through the vagus nerve) and utilizing the power of meditation. Another underrated but very important tool I use for optimizing my health is having a strong and nurturing community of people around me.
I am not immune to nutritional gaps in my diet. Some of my favorite supplements I add to my diet are Matcha, Coconut milk creamer, Methylated vitamin B12, Collagen, and Vitamin C. The matcha helps maintain my energy levels while motivating me to stay hydrated. I love using a coconut milk creamer for whole foods and dairy-free addition to my morning beverage. In addition to the coconut creamer, I also love adding collagen to my diet, which diminishes as we age. Vitamins in our soil have been depleting over the years, so I prioritize taking easily absorbable vitamin C in the form of liposomal capsules. I also take methylated B12 to optimize my energy and intake of these important nutrients from my food.
Starting with sleep, there is a lot of information surrounding sleep and its importance regarding the function of our bodies and brains. It's a well-known fact that people function best when they’ve had a rested night's sleep. Many attribute this to the amount of time someone has their eyes closed. Even though the timing is a factor, there is more to the story. Research continues to validate that the quality of sleep is just as important, if not more important, regarding our health. Here are some actionable tips to optimize one's sleep quality, and a lot of them have to do with the timing of certain things we do daily. Something that’s helped me improve my sleep is prioritizing a routine to wind down at the end of the day to destress and calm my nervous system. I find supplementing magnesium to be beneficial before I sleep. This allows my nervous system to calm down and get ready for sleep.
Studies show that people who subject themselves to sunlight early in their day (around 60-90 minutes after waking up) tend to have a better sleep quality than those who don't. In actionable form, this looks like going outside right after you wake up to get sun in your eyes (not directly, of course) or going for a short walk outside upon waking..
Something else to remember when trying to optimize our sleep health is the timing of our meals. Food is something that's nourishing to us. However, it's important to take in nutrients in a timely manner in accordance with your circadian clock. Eating within 3 hours before your sleep has been associated with poorer sleep quality along with disruptions to the circadian rhythm. This study states that meal timing in accordance with your sleep pattern significantly improves your sleep quality, which in return benefits overall health and Circadian eating.
Research has shown that avoiding blue lights at night (tv, cell phone, LED lights) is best for optimal sleep. I like to dim all my overhead lights and only use amber or red lights in the evening. This helps to stimulate the brain to start producing melatonin. In order to benefit from healthy sleep patterns, these tips can drastically improve not only the quality of your sleep but the quantity as well. And by implementing these tactics, you should see improvements in your health over time.
Moving my body is a huge priority in my healthy lifestyle. Not only is it linked to physical health, but also mental and emotional well-being. Data shows moving your body has many benefits for the overall outcome of your health. There are strong associations between the utilization of movement being linked to the improvement of cognitive function. This is hypothesized to be due to the production of endorphins when exercising.
Exercise doesn’t need to be complicated either, it can be as simple as a walk or as intense as circuit training. As long as it’s benefitting you and it’s something you can maintain consistency around, then it's improving your health. In conjunction with movement, getting a sweat in throughout the day is also beneficial. This can be done using a sauna, a hot bath, or by exercise. Sweating is useful for detoxifying the body as well as releasing excess water. According to this study, small movements have a great impact on glucose and overall metabolic function as well. Sweating is a great way to help our bodies detoxify. To improve my body's ability to detoxify and support the liver's detoxification pathways.
I take a liver support supplement to reap the full benefits when sweating. Overall getting in a sweat and moving your body will improve multiple areas of your life, therefore making you healthier.
My top priority is ensuring I eat nourishing whole foods, which I do by eating as close to nature as possible. Foods I love to incorporate into my lifestyle include grass-fed and regenerative-raised meats, pasture-raised eggs, the occasional full-fat organic dairy, coconut yogurt, healthy fats like salmon, olives, & avocados, organic vegetables, and fruits, gluten-free sourdough, as well as minimally processed products.
I want food to be something I enjoy and can gain nutrients from, and by providing my body with these whole food ingredients, I feel my best. Everyone's diet varies because we are all bio-individuals. However, no matter what philosophy or diet you follow, prioritizing food that’s organic and as close to nature as possible is something attainable and a huge step in a healthier direction.
Another thing I do when taking my food into account is intuitive fasting which is not as strict as it may sound. I don’t eat right when I wake up and wait to eat until I am hungry. Depending on the day, this looks different almost every day. I consider my body’s signals and eat as intuitively as possible.
Overall, ensure you eat in a way that makes you FEEL your best. Hydration is also important. As mentioned previously, evidence indicates electrolytes are a stronger factor in hydration, specifically sodium intake. If you drink water without minerals, chances are you are not hydrated. Drinking electrolytes in your water throughout the day is an easy way to optimize your health.
Mental health is better understood today. As we continue to study this corner of health, it’s becoming more evident that medications and other pharmaceuticals are not the only solution. I prioritize my mental health through meditation, community, and minimizing my use of social media. I also do everything in my power to reduce any stressors around me. It's not always possible with the endless noise in our environment, so having a shortcut like a stress-supporting supplement can make all the difference.
Meditation is associated with higher levels of discipline as well as being linked to better concentration and control of anxieties. This can be done in as little as five minutes to as long as an hour. No matter the amount of time you use to meditate, there will be results.
Having a community of people who support me is also something I prioritize, especially when it comes to my close friends. Ensuring we have a strong support system is a great way to minimize the risk of harmful behaviors and mental health issues associated with feelings of loneliness.
Ironically I do my best to minimize my use of social media. I do this by deleting the apps I use off my phone every night so I am not tempted to waste time on social channels and timing my use of the apps. This has hugely implicated my health, and studies support this.
Overall, health is something we all deserve, and these tops are ways I make sure I am doing my part in making my lifestyle the healthiest it can be. Health shouldn't be complicated, and we can make strides in our future by taking small steps. Unfortunately, our food doesn’t have as many nutrients as it should because of declining soil health, so supplementing helps fill the nutritional gaps. Feel free to take what feels most aligned to you and leave the rest. We are all doing our best here. Let's be supportive of each other in our journey to health.
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By Courtney Swan, MS
