If you start to think about improving your health it can be quite overwhelming. There is so much information both on and offline which can be confusing and quite misleading at times. The trick is not trying to give your health a complete overhaul all in one go, break it down into stages and like most things take one small step at a time.
That being said here at Team Thomas we have come up with some small things everyone can do to improve their health a little at a time without any confusion and without any drastic changes to your life style.
So read on to learn 10 natural ways to boost health and well-being.
1. Drink a glass of water every morning when you wake up.
During sleep your body can become dehydrated and by drinking a large glass of water as soon as you wake up can start the rehydration process straight away. Another great effect of drinking a glass of water before breakfast is that it can increase the feelings of fullness and therefore reduce calorie intake during the day.
2. Stand up and move at least every hour
The bottom line is our bodies are built to move and long periods of inactivity can have the effect of slowing down our metabolism. This can then have a knock on effect of interfering with our body’s ability to regulate blood pressure, blood sugar levels and the ability to break down fat.
The best way to remember to move more is as easy as setting an alarm to go off every hour which will tell us to get up and move around. Other good habits to get into could include, standing if taking the bus or train, meeting friends for a walk in the park or just walking up and down the stairs on a regular basis during the day.
3. Be aware of your posture
Having good posture is very important to our overall health as it can improve balance, stop muscles becoming tired, limits wear and tear at joints and thus reduce pain.
Many of us sit in a very weak position for extended periods which can lead to a weakening of the muscles that are needed to maintain a good posture, It is therefore good to make sure you are sitting up straight and tall, not for too long and with plenty of movement breaks.
It can be hard to assess your own posture so seeking the advice of a health care professional can be useful in identifying any problem areas.
4. Read food labels
How foods are described on adverts can be somewhat misleading and not a true representation of what it actually contains in its ingredients. This can lead us to not being in complete control of what we are eating. A great example of this is in the ‘low fat’ labels which implies it is a healthy option, however on further investigation very high quantities of sugar may be present which isn’t healthy. Food labeling can be very confusing but if you try to eat a majority of whole and unprocessed foods and get into the habit of reading food labels to see what is actually in the food you are eating will be a great help to your health.
5. Check yourself for any irregular lumps and bumps
Checking your bodies for anything out of the ordinary is a great routine to get into once or twice a month.
Men check your testicles
Women check your breasts
Men and women should also check for new moles and any existing moles for changes in colour, size or shape. Any questions or doubts please get in touch with your GP sooner rather than later.
6. Look at going to bed earlier
Going to bed earlier can be a great help to health and well-being. Avoid too much stimulus before going to bed can also help with the quality of your sleep, try to limit screen time and starting new projects late at night. A good nights sleep will improve productivity, reduce fatigue and give a feeling of restfulness.
Initially going to bed earlier can feel unnatural so take some time to wind down before going to bed by reading a book, listening to some relaxing music or a short meditation.
7. Eat Brazil Nuts
Eating as little as 2 Brazil nuts per day can provide you with all the selenium we need for that day.
What is selenium you ask?
Well, selenium is great at keeping cells of the body healthy and the immune system in tip-top shape. It reduces
oxidative stress that can occur in the body due to stress, poor diet and pollution.
So as you see it is well worth cracking a couple of nuts and helping out your body and immune system.
8. Deep breathing exercises
When we are busy and/or stress many of us take sort and shallow breaths when breathing leading to a rise in blood pressure and heart rate which keeps us in a prolonged state of heightened alertness.
By taking deep, full breaths using the muscles of the stomach we can take in more oxygen in relation to Carbon Dioxide being breathed out. This will relax the body and reverse the effects of rapid, shallow breathing.
9. Chew your food slowly and thoroughly
Chewing our food is often over looked and taken for granted however if you pause throughout your meal we can be more aware of what we are eating and gives the brain more time to register if we are full or not. Digestion starts in the mouth with the saliva so combine this with chewing each mouthful of food properly we can help the stomach and intestine out so food can be digested easier and quicker.
10. Keep your social media positive
Lets face it social media can be great, it helps us stay connected and discover new opportunities. Unfortunately the reverse is also true. The social media we view can have a significant impact on our mood and if we are connected to the wrong people or publications on line this can be detrimental. This is why it is important to keep what you look at online positive and if you are seeing a lot of posts that can negatively effect you it might be time to unsubscribe or block those sites.
To sum up
The most valuable thing we possess is our health as it is in direct proportion to living a fulfilled and productive life. Improving our health choices doesn’t have to be drastic it can be just changing one thing at a time and not all in one go.
There are a lot of little things you can do to improve your health and this is in no way a comprehensive list however a few small changes can offer immediate benefits and have a big impact. These changes do have to be consistent though so small steps is key to making lasting benefits.
Team Thomas
