Get up earlier, exercise, lose weight, cleanse, detox, stop drinking…. are these on your resolutions list for this new year? Unfortunately, most resolutions can be pretty negative when you think about them, and it’s no wonder that over 90% of resolutions made are never accomplished. Before you challenge your body to reach a new standard, or remove something you love from your life, let’s take a minute and ask what your body really wants and needs this year….
I’m pretty passionate about natural living and pursuing a healthy lifestyle. Although my own personal goals include a variation of “get fit” or “lose weight”, my resolutions are not a daunting list of impossible and exhausting goals that I’m going to practically kill myself to achieve. Instead, I’ve created a list of my priorities and steps to help me to feel my best this year! Instead of simply focusing on losing weight, I want to take steps to support balanced hormones and metabolism through food, exercise, and healthy habits. Treating your body right and promoting healing from the inside out is the best resolution you can make this year!
So instead of encouraging you to deprive your body by limiting your calories, cutting out sugar, going gluten free, or purely paleo, or jumping into the latest cleanse or fitness program to beat your body into submission- let’s talk about ten healthy new year resolutions that your body, my body, and everybody will love this year….
1. Make sleep a priority
Become BFF’s with your pillow! Normal adults need at least 8 hours of sleep each night, but most are getting fewer than 6 hours. Lack of sleep can be linked to disease, a weakened immune system, hormone imbalance, metabolism issues, weight gain, etc. If you are feeling fatigued, focusing on getting enough sleep each night is your first step to feeling your best! If you suffer from adrenal fatigue, adequate sleep is a MUST to help your body repair and heal!
As a parent I am always careful to make sure that my children get plenty of sleep, but then I turn around and neglect getting enough sleep myself. At first you may assume that I’m up working hard, but in most cases it is simply self indulgence and my much coveted “me” time to relax and read a book without interruptions. If you are a parent, you will know that the evening hours when the house is quiet (currently between 8-11:00pm in my home) are some of the most mentally restful times! I cannot live without some quiet time to read before I go to sleep. Although I have not been able to force myself to go to bed at the times my doctor ordered – 10pm during the summer and 9pm during the winter- I have been making sleep a higher priority and it has made a remarkable difference in my energy level and attitude each day!
A few tips to get better sleep:
- Establish a relaxing bedtime routine. Just like babies need quiet and relaxing before they sleep, perhaps you need that bath and bedtime story.
- Limit coffee intake and don’t drink it too late into the morning or it may keep you up.
- Avoid blue lights after dark (tv’s, computer screens, cell phone screen), or use a filter on your devices such as f.lux. learn more about it here https://justgetflux.com
- Invest in a pair of orange tinted glasses for watching tv or doing computer work that does not already have a filter. I use these from Amazon link
- Use a sleep tracker tool like a Fitbit to track how much sleep you get each night.
2. Eat REAL food
If you have been wanting to eat healthier, now is a perfect time to do it! Focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, high quality meats, eggs, dairy, good fats (like coconut and olive oil), nuts, and probiotic foods like yogurt, saurkraut, kombucha and kefir. Avoid boxed and packaged foods whenever possible and try to buy foods with 5 or fewer ingredients. Due to food allergies, I have discovered that there are healthy foods that for some people are not supportive foods. Try to be watchful of what foods make you feel good and which give you unpleasant feelings that you would be better off without. I do encourage you to buy organic and non-gmo foods whenever possible. Be sure to go to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) site to discover which foods to buy organic or conventionally grown. http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/
Tips for real food success:
- Consider making one day a prep day to wash and package your fruits and vegetables into salads for on the go, or snack bags of cut up fruits and veggies, nuts and dried fruit. Whole fruits like apples and bananas are easy to grab and head out the door.
- Utilize a crock-pot or an Instant Pot to help make meal planning and preparations healthier, easier, and more cost effective. My husband bought me this Instant Pot (pressure cooker) as a black Friday deal and we are already loving it!
- If you really don’t have time to prepare a meal, pick up a whole rotisserie chicken and some lettuce and other fresh produce to make a healthy and delicious salad.
3. Get your body moving
You may have already jumped into a fitness routine already, and that’s great! If you have the time and energy to go to the gym and have a plan for strengthening your body, go for it! Inactivity is a danger to your health and is linked to obesity and higher risk of disease. If you struggle to find time and energy to exercise, take a brisk walk, get up and stretch and move around, enroll in a fun fitness class or try out some new exercise or dance videos at home. Start out at a rate that is appropriate for your health and energy level and then move on from there. Even simple walking, yoga, or pilates would benefit your body and get your blood flowing and aid in your energy level, sleep, digestion, etc. I have four young kids and this is a daily struggle for me, but something that I aim to make a high priority in this new year. Having my fitbit to track my steps is a great way to show if I was really moving, or had a turtle kind of day. Whatever your situation, I encourage you to pick something (anything!) and get your body moving!
4. Drink more (pure) water
Drink up! The recommended daily water intake is around 9 cups of water per day. Because our bodies consist of about 65% water, it is important make sure you are consuming enough each day. Replace those unhealthy beverages in your life (coffee, soda, etc) with fresh clean filtered water. If you like carbonated beverages, try Perrier sparkling water or club soda for a more exciting beverage, or add in a fresh lemon or lime wedge for flavor. Whatever will get you to drink more water each day, go for it! But speaking of on the go, try to avoid drinking out of plastic water bottles (which leach toxins into your water) and consider investing in a glass or stainless steel water bottle such as this.
5. Explore natural remedies
If you haven’t jumped onto the “crunchy bandwagon” yet, now is a perfect time to do it! I love natural remedies because I know that our bodies handle natural foods and natural products much better than synthetic. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see the truth of it, and if you haven’t embraced more natural options for your health and wellness, now is the perfect time! Before buying a box of pills, a synthetic cream, or a bottle of pink stuff, consider natural plant based remedies that can support your health without the side effects of synthetic. Essential oils are my “go to” to solve daily little emergencies and have helped my family be prepared and empowered with natural items to promote health and wellness in our home. Go to my essential oils page of my site to learn more. Some of my other favorite powerful natural remedies also include apple cider vinegar, garlic, bone broth, and charcoal tablets. Also, don’t forget to explore lifestyle and /or food changes that can help to deal with the root cause of your symptoms. If stress is causing chronic heartburn or raised blood pressure, pills aren’t the solution. Natural options can help, but addressing the underlying cause of your symptoms is the best solution.
6. Choose natural products
If you need to wear gloves or a face mask to use it, and it has a lengthy list of ingredients you can’t even pronounce- it might be time to throw it in the trash! Did you know that many of the products that you use on your body and in your home EVERY SINGLE DAY contain toxic ingredients that are endocrine disrupters and can be linked to cancer? Switching to a paraben and aluminum free deodorant is an important first step. Also look at switching out your other personal care products such as shampoo and conditioner, soaps, lotions, makeup, and nail polish. And don’t forget about your home! The products you use to clean your home, your dishes, and your laundry can contain toxins and be hard on your skin and lungs. Buy natural plant based cleaners such as Dr Bronners, and utilize powerful and inexpensive natural cleaners such as vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils. Ready made natural cleaners can be that first step to get you into green cleaning, and DIY recipes are both easy and cost effective when you want to dive in all the way. See my favorite cleaning DIY recipes here The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is also a great source to rank popular products and rank them according to their level of toxicity. See their guides here
7. Take care of your gut
It isn’t just the weird people who are unashamedly talking about their “gut”. More research is coming out about the importance of a properly balanced gut. Your gut is linked to your immune system and your brain health and function. An imbalance in your gut bacteria can cause conditions like “leaky gut”, and can be linked to many health conditions, food allergies, inflammation, etc. You can support your gut health by eating real foods, limiting sugars, eating probiotic foods like yogurt, kefir, saurkraut, and kombucha, and taking a high quality probiotic. Try to avoid antibiotic use whenever possible. Learn more about having a healthy gut here
8. Get some sun!
Sun exposure is not the enemy to your health and skin that it has been touted to be! 15 minutes of sun (without sunscreen) is recommended each day to help support proper vitamin D levels in your body and boost mood. If you don’t get adequate sun, consider having your vitamin D levels checked by a doctor and focusing on foods high in vitamin D and taking a vitamin D supplement. In situations of serious deficiency and lack of natural sun exposure, special lights or tanning beds may be recommended by your doctor.
9.Detox the yuck
Your body is literally begging to be cleansed from all of the toxins that it is has been exposed to on a regular basis. Eliminating toxic items, substances, (and people) from your life is the first step towards healing. I suggest focusing on fresh produce in salads or smoothies and drinking lots of lemon in your water to cleanse safely and gently. My favorite way to detox is to enjoy relaxing Epsom salt baths several times a week. It is physically beneficial and having 20-30 minutes to myself is just what I need to feel refreshed and relaxed. All you need is a bathtub, hot water, and some inexpensive Epsom salts to detox in a way that is calming to your body and soul. See my favorite DIY scented bath salts recipe here
10. Make time to do something you love
Do you love knitting, sewing, reading, painting, music, or photography? Whatever it is that you enjoy doing, make time to do it each day or week whenever possible. It will be be a good outlet for your passion and skills, and will be a stress reliever at the same time. I love reading and find it to be a great way to unwind at night and quiet my mind for sleep. I also love painting, drawing, music, cooking, learning about essential oils, blogging…. uh oh, if you are like me and have a lot of “loves”, you will need to prioritize so that you don’t become overwhelmed by all of the things you love doing. Instead of pushing your interests aside, find time to do something you love, and then you will be better prepared to love the rest of your life!
What are your healthy new year’s resolutions?
2016 is a blank canvas. A clean slate. A year full of possibilities. If you have already started implementing healthy changes in this year, I applaud your discipline and want to encourage you to continue your efforts! YOU CAN DO IT! Just don’t forget to make your goals realistic and to give yourself some grace when you need it! Nobody is perfect, and ultimately your body needs nurturing to help it be at its best health. So set those goals, but also go easy on yourself! Temporary goals can sometimes lead to disappointment, but lifestyle changes have long lasting benefits that extend far beyond this year!
Happy 2016 my friends! I hope and pray that this is a year overflowing with health and happiness!
XOXO
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