Sensational Health Tips to Incorporate into Your Life This Year

Are you ready to make 2012 your healthiest year yet?  Here are some excellent tips to integrate into your everyday life, but let’s not call them resolutions – we all know how that ends.  They are positive changes.  The 1st of January just happens to be a great day to start.

Cook More

When you prepare your own food you know exactly what goes into it and you have full control over the ingredients you use.  You certainly won’t need to add any extra chemicals or preservatives to make the food last longer and you’ll be able to avoid the high sodium content typical of most prepared foods.  (When consumed in excess, sodium is a mineral that contributes to high blood pressure.)

Increase Your Veggie Intake

Add an assortment of vegetables to every meal, including snacks.  Where you once had chips next to your sandwich put a few carrot and celery sticks instead.  At dinner, choose a leafy green such as spinach or kale instead of white potato.  And for your afternoon tide-me-over, prepare a small salad with a medley of your favourite veggies.

Add Variety to Your Workout Routine

Although working out on a regular basis is important, if you do the same exercises every time eventually your results fall flat.  When you add variation into your repertoire, you stimulate new muscles and burn calories in different ways, which in turn has a positive effect on the way your body responds to the physical activity.  Consider adding or changing exercise types, interval training, sequencing, strength training and cardiovascular exercise.

Wash Your Hands More Often

Our hands are a part of our body that we use to handle so many things as we go about our daily activities which means they tend to carry a lot of bacteria.  Wash your hands every chance you get.  It’s a simple way to fend off circulating viruses, germs and illnesses.

Say “No” to Over Commitment

We all do it.  Opportunities arise, invitations are given and we feel obligated to accept.  Over commitment at work, at home and in our social lives is stressful and dissatisfying.  Instead of giving part of yourself to a lot of commitments, give all of yourself to a select few.

Eat Breakfast
It’s easy to wake up at the last minute and race out the door with nothing more than a coffee in your hand.  When you eat fiber in the morning, you’re less hungry later in the day.  An early start on eating also keeps your metabolism more active throughout the day.  Wake up 10 minutes earlier and prepare yourself a hearty bowl of steel-cut oats with mixed nuts, flaxseed oil and soy milk.

Floss!
Flossing your teeth once a day helps you get into those deep grooves that your toothbrush can’t reach no matter how hard you try.  Flossing not only promotes healthy gum hygiene but it also removes the bacteria between your teeth that if left to linger, can actually increase your risk of heart disease.

Take Deep Breaths…Anytime, Anywhere

Breathe through your nose until your lungs feel full.  And then slowly let the breath out through your mouth.  A deep breath sends an influx of oxygen into your system that makes you feel happier and more alert.  Try it the next time you feel nervous, a little under the weather or sleepy at your desk.

Physical, social, emotional and psychological factors play important roles in our overall health.  Take a few steps in the right direction and feel the benefits all year long.