There is a lot of information to be found regarding proper health, nutrition and exercise. It is easy to get overwhelmed, confused and discouraged when you start out on a wellness journey. Here are eight tips that can help improve and maintain your overall health.
1. Balance Vitamins and Minerals
Your body requires a delicate balance of vitamins and minerals for proper function. Understanding how these things affect your ability to meet your goals will go a long way toward helping you increase or maintain health. Do some research based on how your body feels daily to determine what you may be missing. Consider adding in some different supplements or trying a Thrive patch to help you balance your body chemistry.
2. Drink Water
Proper hydration is a huge part of overall wellness. A lack of water can cause dehydration, fatigue, bowel issues, headaches, dry skin and a weakened immune system. Depending on your activity level, age and gender, you should drink between eight and twelve full glasses of water per day. Spread your water intake out across the day to get the most benefit. It takes time for your body to process the fluids you drink, so spreading them out allows you to operate more efficiently.
3. Improve Your Gut Health
Many people do not realize how much their gut health impacts their entire body’s function. The bacteria in your gut need to have the proper balance to help prevent severe chronic conditions. If you are looking to make improvements, be sure to consume plenty of fiber and eat probiotic foods such as yogurt. There are also a variety of probiotic supplements to help promote the growth and balance of your gut’s bacteria.
4. Sleep
A lack of proper rest can severely impact your overall health. Commit to a sleep schedule where you go to bed and wake at approximately the same time each day. Try to avoid screen-time before bed to allow you to fall asleep and stay asleep more easily. Try reading a book, meditating or listening to calming music if you tend to have a difficult time nodding off.
5. Avoid Drinking Calories
You may not realize the impact that non-water drinks can have on your diet. If you tend to go for sugary soda or juice you may want to take a look at how many extra calories this is adding to your day. Your body gets little or no benefit from these high-carb calories and they often cause other snack cravings as well. If you aren’t ready to quit cold turkey, try reducing your intake over time. Opt for one or two fewer sodas a day and decrease this each week until you don’t find yourself looking for them any longer.
6. Reduce Stress
Excess stress not only impacts your mental health, but it can have severe impacts on your physical wellbeing also. It can lead to obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. Be sure to make an effort to reduce your stress from work, family and other obligations so that you can avoid more serious issues. Taking regular breaks at work, and even indulging in the occasional afternoon nap can make a big difference.
7. Take Care of Your Heart
Problems stemming from your heart can affect all aspects of your life. Regular exercise, reduced-fat eating and regular sleep can all improve your heart’s function and reduce the risk of serious diseases. In fact, following many of the tips on this list can contribute to better heart health.
8. Avoid Alcohol and Tobacco
Keep alcohol consumption to one drink per day for women and two drinks a day for men. There are numerous long-term negative effects your body can experience from excessive or regular binge drinking. If you smoke, vape or use chewing tobacco, make a plan to quit.
Don’t let confusion or a lack of information derail your health goals. Try out some of these tips to get your body into its best shape.