Getting and Staying Well – Healthy Habits that Endure

If you have been ill then naturally you want to get well. But you do not just want to get better, you also want to maintain your health once you reach that point. Let us look at some useful suggestions for getting well and from there, staying well.

To take stock of your health you need to speak up and make sure that you are heard! Ask questions of your healthcare provider in order to understand the health issues that you are facing. An informative question and answer session will make it possible for you to get better results.

Make an effort to always keep your appointments as scheduled. Every one of the visits you have with whatever type of practitioner you are seeing builds on the one before it and gets you one step closer to a better level of maintenance for your health.

Move your body however, whenever and wherever you can! Physical activity is important because the body was designed to move. Whether you walk, bike, dance, skate, work out at the gym or play a team sport, move your body often as this improves your health and makes you more flexible.

Massage is very therapeutic for your body and your mind. It can relax your muscles and joints and it is very good for the psyche. Get a massage as often as you can to relieve stress in your body.

Better nutrition is essential to helping you to get better and to stay better. You will heal faster if you provide your body with the necessary raw materials. Eat a healthy and well balanced diet every day. Commit yourself to eating the healthiest foods that you can afford. Buy local produce and start your own garden if that is a possibility for you. Eat as much “raw” fruits and vegetables as you can as this is the best way of getting nutrients into your body.

Drink more water. Your body is made up of mainly water. You lose water frequently through sweat, urine and tears so you need to replenish it every day. It is imperative that you consume enough water every day. If you eat lots of raw foods – not meats – then you’ll get a lot of your water requirements this way.

So many people do not get enough sleep every night. Are you one of them? Restful slumber is important for your health and well-being. It is rejuvenating and restorative for everyone. You need to get enough sleep every night so your body can make the repairs it needs to make. During sleep the body works to heal itself.

Cut back on the caffeine you consume. Just like other drugs, caffeine is a drug that affects your nervous system. You need to drink less coffee and fewer soft drinks. Caffeine as well as many of the other harmful ingredients found in soda pop has been linked to numerous health problems. Drink less soft drinks or preferably give them up all together.

Stop smoking to improve your health and to remain on the positive health track. The health risks involved in smoking are well documented. It is never too late to quit.

Drink alcohol in moderation. When you do so you can enjoy the health benefits but heavy drinking will negatively impact your health and the efforts you are making to get well and stay well.

Samantha

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Protecting Your Family’s Health in the Cold Months of the Year

During winter and as you go about your daily lives you need to take extra special care of your health. The cold season brings with it plenty of chills, and dialing up the heat on your health and well-being is important for every member of the family.

When the cold and flu season strikes good nutrition is important for everyone in your household. Serve your children the most nutritious snacks you can and make sure that their daily diets are well balanced. Eating right makes it easier for the immune system to do its job properly. Some smart winter snack options for yourself and your kids include raw vegetables such as carrot sticks, celery and cut up pieces of broccoli and  cauliflower, dried and fresh fruits such as apples, oranges and pears, yogurt with flax-seed or wheat germ and some berries mixed in and whole-wheat crackers with cheese.

Make sure that your children do not become dehydrated. While we sweat less in winter than we do in the summer months it is still important to keep the body well hydrated.

Encourage your children to drink water, as well as juices that are low in sugar but high in their vitamin C content. Studies have shown that being properly hydrated can lessen the severity as well as the duration of colds during the winter months. Decaffeinated tea and hot cocoa are also excellent winter beverages as they are good sources of nutrients and antioxidants which in turn can help to strengthen the immune system.

Make sure you dress your children properly when they leave for school and when they go out to play. You want them to feel comfortable but not so bulky in their outdoor clothing that they cannot move about freely.

Dress them in layers and make sure when they go out to play that you have dry mittens, hats and scarves waiting by the door. On days when the temperature drops limit their outdoor playtime or suggest an enjoyable indoor activity instead.

Keep your kids prepared for the time of year it is. Tuck an extra pair of gloves or mittens in their school bags, as well as an extra pair of socks. Buy small packs of tissues and put them into one of the pockets of their school bags as well. Make sure you let them know that they are there if they need them! The tissues will help your children blow their noses and will prevent the spread of germs.

If they get snow in their boots when they are playing in the school yard then an extra pair of socks will come in handy. Gloves get wet and sometimes one will go missing so  having an extra pair can help out your child if that happens to him or her during the school day.

Being outside in the winter is not only fun but healthy and keeps everybody sane – just make sure your kids are well-protected from the cold and change wet or damp clothes when they come indoors.

Becca

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Five Ways to Manage Stress in Your Life

Even if you were suddenly to be living your dream life there would still be stress to deal with!

Yes, even those in the fairy tales of your childhood days still experienced stress, only they probably did not define it as such! Here are five ways to bring the stress you are experiencing way down.

1. Exercise on a regular basis. Do not think of physical activity as something you only do once in a while or every second Saturday afternoon but get out and get moving as often as your schedule allows. It is best to choose exercises that are non-competitive in nature. If you do not like to exercise alone then choose something that you can do with a family member or friend.

Vary the type of exercises you do and set reasonable goals for yourself. Studies have shown that aerobic exercise releases endorphins in your system which makes you feel good and can contribute to a more upbeat attitude.

2. Eat healthy and drink as sensibly as possible. Do not devalue the role that eating nutritiously can play in your busy life. We are often tempted to eat too much (and to eat too many of the wrong foods, i.e. fatty, fried or sugary foods) when we are feeling overwhelmed by stress. The same goes for alcohol consumption. This actually can make stress worse. Be smart and sensible about what you eat and drink!

3. Let go of the feeling that you must be in control of everything. Wouldn’t it be great if everything was within our control? Perhaps it would but it is not so accept that reality of life. Take responsibility for the things you do and let the rest go. It is exhausting trying to control the uncontrollable and you will not be successful at it anyway. Let go of futility and just live your life!

4. Be realistic in your expectations of yourself and others and set goals that you can reach. There is nothing wrong with setting the bar high but if you set it to a place that is unattainable then you are likely to get discouraged and to abandon whatever it is you are pursuing. We all have potential but we all have limitations as well. Do not lose sight of this when it comes to yourself and to others.

5. Developing effective time management skills can help to reduce the stress you are feeling. If you feel that you do not have enough time for the important things in your life such as family and friends then take a close look at how your spend your days. You may find that there are things you do that you can reduce or eliminate all together in order to concentrate on what matters most to you.  Look for meaning in your life and remember that being busy and being happy and fulfilled are not the same things.

I have some more to share so look out for my next post where I’ll share even more ways to reduce stress in your life.

Becca

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Nutritious Meals for Work that are Speedy!

When your day is busy from beginning to end finding ways to eat as healthy as possible can be problematic. This is particularly the case when it comes to eating meals at work.

There are plenty of ways to eat healthy at work without suffering from all out boredom. Let us take a look at how to accomplish this.

Eating healthy at work does not have to be a problem if you keep your meals basic and simple. Make your meals as easy as possible. Salads are an excellent way to get the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants you need during your workday.

Prepare your salad the night before instead of in the morning to reduce the chance that you will feel rushed.

If you do not have time for all of the cutting, chopping and preparing that a salad entails then purchase the salad blends that are already precut. If you like croutons with your salad instead of buying the prepackaged croutons just pack a piece of whole wheat bread to tote along with your salad. When it is time for lunch break up the bread into small pieces and add it to your salad.

It is important to add a source of protein to the salads you eat. Good choices for toppings include unsalted nuts, chopped eggs, low fat cheese, tuna or chicken. If you like to add fruit to your salads then some of the optimum choices include diced apples, raisins, orange wedges, grapes and strawberries.

A healthy meal is one that is well balanced and includes food from at least three (or ideally four) of the food groups. When you sit down to eat a meal half of your plate should contain vegetables, while one quarter should be protein and the final quarter should be starch.

Drinking water throughout your workday is also a very healthy habit to get into.

It is imperative that you replace the fluids that are lost from your system throughout the day. If you do not do this then dehydration can set in. This can lead to such discomforts as mild headaches, muscle cramping, drowsiness and a general feeling of sluggishness. All of these things can make getting through your workday much more difficult, not to mention downright unpleasant!

To avoid meal boredom if it is an issue for you add new foods to your regular routine to spice things up a bit. For example, leftovers are excellent choices for lunches at work because they do not involve a lot of work. In most cases all they require is a quick reheating in the microwave.

Sandwiches are another workday staples that you cannot go wrong with. However it is a smart idea to replace the sandwich bread with whole grain pita, wraps and bagels and then add your favorite vegetable toppings to it. Always remember that you are eating to be healthy but you are also eating to increase your energy. This is particularly important for meals eaten at work.

It is recommended that you eat away from your desk or work area if possible. This gives you the time to sit and relax. It also takes your thoughts away from the work that is waiting for you back at your desk. This gives you the opportunity to refuel your mind at the same time as you are refueling your body. Both are equally important after all!

Samantha

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The Importance of Caring for Yourself

When was the last time you put caring for yourself at the top of your priority list? How often does it make your monthly, weekly or daily to-do lists?

So many of us spend so much of our time and energy taking care of the needs of those closest to us that we somehow forget to care for the person who is with us all of the time- ourselves!

It is essential that you take care of yourself in every way possible. You can do that by incorporating some very basic self care strategies into your life. Here we look at a few ways that you can start caring more for your health and well-being right now.

Get Enough Sleep:

Sleep is such an essential part of being healthy. It makes it possible to cope with stress, to be productive and in general to function effectively on a day-to-day basis. When you are well rested you are able to face all of your responsibilities and tasks with more energy and vitality.

If you are not able to get enough sleep at night then take a power nap to re-energize yourself.

Proper Nutrition is a Priority:

A poor diet affects not just your physical health but your mental and emotional health as well. Studies have shown that stress hormones have a tendency to cause a person to put on weight. If your diet is unhealthy then your body knows that it does not have the right amount of nutrients for the brain to function at its optimum best.

The key to eating healthy is to plan ahead. If you have a hectic schedule then always have healthy snacks on hand. Examples of these include carrot sticks, whole grain crackers, fresh fruit and granola bars. These helps to prevent trips to the vending machine or the closest McDonald’s.

Exercise Regularly:

There are lots of forms of exercise. Find one that works for you and one that you enjoy doing.

Try walking, hiking, biking or playing ball with your kids in the yard. Exercise should not be a chore but should be fun. Even doing ordinary household tasks counts as exercise. Incorporate as much physical activity into your life as you can. Walk to the store, take the stairs instead of the elevator, vacuum and rake leaves. Even 30 minutes of exercise per day can maintain your overall level of health.

Connect with Other People:

A significant aspect of taking care of yourself is to develop as well as maintain supportive relationships with family members and friends. You need to put effort into cultivating lasting relationships with those you can trust, those you can communicate with effectively and those with whom mutual support is a given. There are many ways to do this.

Share with others; do volunteer work, join groups. Most of all spend quality time with the people who mean the most to you.

Connect with Yourself:

Caring about yourself begins with having a healthy respect for yourself as well as exhibiting self-awareness.

What this means is that you have to stop being your own worst enemy. Become aware of the times that you berate yourself and put yourself down and then replace those thoughts and words with positive, self affirming and empowering ones instead. In order to connect with yourself you need to do nice things for yourself as well. Be kind, loving and thoughtful to yourself.

Go have a massage, buy something special for yourself, go see a movie or go enjoy some laughs with friends. Be good to the most important person in your life – you!

Becca

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