Baby Steps to Better Health

With so many health tips out there, it can be overwhelming trying to start your health journey. So here five simple steps to start.

A common challenge nearly every client I work with has is figuring out how to realistically be better with their nutrition, health, and wellness. Many people get overwhelmed trying to figure out where to start or what to do, and because it can be confusing to know exactly what’s correct and what’s not, many aren’t successful. In addition, while a lot of people try to be better about their health and make improvements, it’s very common to find them unable to consistently maintain the positive changes because the changes are difficult and overwhelming.

But making lasting improvements doesn’t need to be overwhelming or difficult at all! With some very basic and simple changes to the things most of us do daily, our health can be strongly and positively impacted.

Some really small changes might not seem very significant. However, when we stop to realize how small each cell that helps run our bodies is, it’s easier to understand how some really small things can have a big impact to our body’s cellular system’s ability to run and operate more efficiently. We may not notice right away the impact to our body and to our health when we eat foods that are highly processed and have poor ingredients. However, on the cellular level these things have a big impact, and over time the body is less able to efficiently excrete these toxins and recover. The ending result is illness, disease, and loss of optimal wellness.

So what are some basic and maintainable changes that will truly make an impact for our health? Here are some simple ways to improve our health without feeling overwhelmed!

1. Water!

One of the best ways to improve our overall health is to make sure we are adequately hydrated with pure, clean water. This is especially important for those who tend to drink soda, fruit juice, sports drinks, alcohol, and too much tea or coffee. Drinks like this not only have health-damaging effects, but some, such as alcohol or soda, are dehydrating. Because our bodies are made up primarily of water, not having sufficient amounts of water will have a significant impact to how well our cells are able to function. Over time, the effects of dehydration will become more clear and noticeable as the cells lose their ability to function well.

So begin by aiming to first drink a minimum of eight glasses of water per day. If you’re active, even more water should be consumed. For those who drink soda, alcohol, and similar drinks, it will be important to begin by trying to replace these with water or better alternatives, such as kombucha or fresh coconut water.

2. Sleep!

Getting adequate sleep is one huge area where many people fall short. In our busy society, getting less-than-adequate amounts of sleep is far too common. In fact, it has almost become viewed in the business and “success” world to be a good and admirable quality when people sacrifice sleep for the pursuit of success. However, doing so can lead to some serious health problems. Sleep can make or break your health, despite improvements in nutrition and exercise. Without proper sleep, your immune system, detoxification, and regeneration will be impaired, and the body will not be able to function properly.

A simple way to begin improving health today is to ensure adequate sleep, which generally speaking is approximately eight hours per night. If you are nowhere near the eight hour mark and don’t think you have the time, at least aim to start adding in at least thirty more minutes to your current sleeping pattern.

3. Exercise!

Getting enough proper exercise is also critical to maintaining good health. This includes both cardiovascular and strength training. To make improvements doesn’t mean you need to spend hours on end at the gym. Simply start by adding in 20–30 minutes a day of walking, running, stretching, or a strength building routine. You can always increase the time from there. Being as active as possible during the day—such as getting up at least once every hour for those who have desk jobs—is another simple way of improving wellness.

4. Breathe!

Most people breathe very shallowly. This means the body isn’t able to get as fully oxygenated as it ought. Making sure to focus on breathing deeply from the diaphragm is a way to help better oxygenate the body and release muscular tension as well as toxins from the body. It is believed breathing shallowly puts the body in a more acidic state, and in an acidic state a number of health problems can arise. So to easily improve the wellness of the body, breathe fully and deeply, allowing the stomach to rise and fall with each breath.

5. De-stress!

Taking the time to engage in stress relieving methods that are effective for you go a long way in balancing and improving health. When we are physically or emotionally stressed, every system in the body is impacted. When we are stressed, the hormones of the body fall out of balance. When the hormone-regulating organs are taxed and our hormones are out of balance, we can experience any number of health problems, including low thyroid or adrenal fatigue.

So a simple and enjoyable way to improve overall wellness is to take at least ten minutes a day to focus on de-stressing. This can be any activity that works well for you as an individual, from meditation to yoga to a hot bath or a walk. This simple change can do incredible things for your wellbeing!

As you strive to improve and incorporate these five methods into your everyday routine, you’ll soon find that you feel more energized, healthy, and whole!

Relax with a good salt soak!