Small Changes with Big Health Benefits

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If you aren’t exactly the perfect specimen of health (and who of us is), now is the perfect time to quit the excuses and start thinking about what you can do to change that. Get a head start on the New Year’s resolutions by making one or more of these small changes for big health benefits today!

 

Increase your Water Intake

 

Did you know that the human body is 60 percent water? It seems mind-boggling when you think of all the organs and stuff we carry around inside us, but it’s true, and that means that water is so important to us all. If you don’t already drink plenty of water every day, now is the time to start. Why? Because it can prevent headaches and fatigue, clear up your skin and stop you from needlessly snacking (sometimes thirst feels like hunger), oh – it’s really easy to do too!

 

Give Up Smoking Cigarettes

 

I shouldn’t have to say it, but smoking is really one of the worst things you can do for your body, and it can have a harmful impact on your family. Even if you don’t do it around them, the chemicals that linger on your clothing can have a detrimental effect!

 

You might be thinking that giving up smoking isn’t a small change, and it isn’t  -it’s really hard – but if you at least switch to using an e-cig and vaping supplies from Ecigwizard, you won’t be taking in all of those nasties. It’ll be easier for you too, and lots of people do end up quitting completely after making the switch, with relative ease.

 

Get Your Walking Shoes On

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Walking more is a very easy way to help maintain a healthy heart, body and mind. So, after dinner, get the family together for a brisk walk around the block – you’ll all feel so much better for it.

 

If you can, then walking in a more natural area, such as a park or forest will be even better for you all because the air in areas where there are lots of trees and little pollution is richer in oxygen and great for better breathing. Being in nature is great for boosting mental wellbeing too.

 

Up Your Fruit and Veggie Intake

 

Adding an extra serving of fruits or vegetables to each of your meals won’t take long or cost much money, but it will make a big difference to your health, helping to deliver more vitamins and minerals to your body. They’ll fill you up more, so you eat less ‘bad’ stuff too.

 

Start Meditating

 

If, when you think of meditating, you think of shaven-headed monks cloistered away from the rest of the world or cranks who claim they can communicate with interdimensional being just by closing their eyes and staying quiet for a while, you might naturally think that meditation isn’t for you.

 

However, meditation isn’t anything weird or other, and it certainly isn’t just for the religiously inclined. In fact, more and more people are meditating right now as a means of controlling their stress and fighting against depression. Using an app like Headspace or Calm, you’ll get the hang of it pretty quickly and spending those few minutes in quiet contemplation will bring more clarity to your life. Give it a try.

 

Breathe More Deeply

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Most of us don’t breathe nearly as deeply as we should. Taking the time to really breathe from the diaphragm whenever you remember to do so, will help to keep you calm, improve your sleep and, according to some studies, could even help you to maintain a healthy weight!

 

Start Taking the Stairs

 

Taking the stairs instead of using the elevator whenever you can, might not seem like a big deal, but it will increase your activity levels a little, which will make a bigger difference to your health than you might imagine.

 

Show Your Love with a Hug

 

Who doesn’t love hugs? They’re warm and comforting, right? Well, you know what? They can also be really good for you too. How? Because when you give someone you love a hug, oxytocin, which is a feel-good hormone, will be released into your bloodstream, helping to beat the blues, That’s why, when you’re depressed, you should make an effort to remain in contact with your loved ones, instead of isolating yourself, even if it is difficult to do.

 

Read

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Spending even just 15 minutes a day reading will help to keep your brain in good shape and give your intelligence a little boost. It’s a great way to relax too!

 

Make Time for Relaxation

 

Speaking of relaxing, doing more of it is a great way to boost your health. If you’re a busy wife and mother, it can seem like it’s almost impossible to get any time to yourself, but you need to carve some out if you want to be less stressed, avoid getting depressed, balance your hormones and actually enjoy just being you for a little while. It doesn’t matter how you exercise – visiting the Larchmont Sanctuary Spa, watching the birds in the garden, playing with a puppy – whatever makes you feel calm and content will be of benefit. Now, to find some time!

 

Prep Some Healthy Snacks

 

Taking a few moments each day to preps some healthy snacks, like carrot sticks, fruit salads, hummus and hardboiled eggs, for the family to snack on should they get hungry between meals will ensure that you all maintain a balanced weight and balanced blood sugar levels.

 

Start a Gratitude Journal

 

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It might seem cheesy to some, but taking time out to write down at least three things you’re grateful for at the end of every day has been proven to have positive mental health benefits, and it takes a couple of minutes at most.

 

Make Your Own Cleaning Products

 

Throwing out your house and body cleaning products, which contain lots of chemicals, and replacing them with more natural alternatives made with baking soda, lemons, vinegar, coconut oil etc., will help to prevent allergies, lower your cancer risk and improve your skin and hair!

 

Add Epsom Salts to Your Bath

 

If you ever suffer from aches and pains, adding a cup of Epsom salts into your bath is a great way to ease the tension and start feeling a little better. Just make sure you soak for a good 20 minutes to let it absorb.

 

How are you going to change your life to improve your health today?