Okay guys, I gotta be honest, this was not the original post I wanted to write this week, but the idea for this post just kept nagging at my brain and wouldn’t leave me alone, so I thought I’d put my other post aside and share this one instead! I talk a lot about being healthy and why it’s good for you, but I haven’t really gone into detail about the how you can be healthy, so that’s what this post is all about! Just a few changes you can make that will help your health, both physically and mentally. I hope you enjoy!
1. Eat Healthy Fats!
American culture has painted fat out as the bad guy, and while there are some foods that you should limit (potato chips, I’m looking at you) because of the high amount of trans fats they contain, there are so many other foods with healthy fats that are essential for the vitamins and nutrients they contain. Avocados, olive oil, fatty fish, and nuts all contain healthy fats that help boost your immune system, increase fat burning, help you feel full, and promote healthy growth of your hair, skin, and nails. Sounds like a no-brainer to me!
2. Get quality sleep (at least 7 hours)
Quality sleep has many benefits on your brain and your body. Studies have shown that by only getting 6 hours of sleep a night, your risk for obesity goes up by 23 percent! Not to mention the mental health aspects, such as reducing risk of anxiety, depression, and overall increase in mood and productivity. If you do nothing else from this list, please prioritize your sleep; it affects nearly every aspect of your health.
3. Drink water!
Staying hydrated is essential for your body to function properly. 8 glasses a day (or 64 ounces) will lead to an increase in energy, healthier skin, and helps to rid your body of toxins. It also helps your joints and muscles work better, which is why hydrated while working out is so important!
4. Get moving.
While doing a vigorous, one-hour workout is great for your body, studies have shown that it is not enough if you are sitting for the entire rest of your day. So if you have a job where you are sitting for most of the day, try to get up and move around every hour. Take a walk around the office or take the stairs; investing in a step tracker can also help you keep track of your activity and remind you when you need to get up and move.
5. Take care of your gut health.
Eating foods high in fiber, probiotics, and prebiotics will help keep your gut healthy and happy. Leafy veggies, yogurt, and other fermented foods (like sauerkraut and kombucha) are all foods that will help the growth of healthy bacteria in your gut, which will in turn boost your immune system and boost your mood. If you don’t like these foods, investing in a probiotic supplement can also be beneficial. Just make sure to do your research and get one with the right bacteria for your specific needs.
6. Prioritize lovemaking.
You probably don’t need convincing for this one, but I’m going to tell you the benefits anyway; orgasms have been shown to be good for your brain, improve your immune system, help you sleep, decrease stress levels, and many other things as well. Also, as a side note, having a partner is great, but you don’t need a partner to get the benefits of sexual satisfaction.
7. Keep an eye on what is in your products.
Focusing on what you put in your body is important, but what you put on your body can be just as detrimental to your health. Your skin absorbs all the chemicals that you put on your body, so if you’re using low-quality ingredients that have tons of fragrance, parabens, phthalates, etc., it’s going to affect your body’s hormones and throw you off-balance. My best suggestion is to do some research on ingredients and the common ones to look for to avoid, and then look out for those ingredients on the labels of the products you’re buying. Look for products that have shorter ingredient lists, and try to avoid fragrance when possible; when you can’t, make sure it’s a natural fragrance (from essential oils), and not an artificial fragrance.
I hope you find these changes helpful! Thanks so much for reading! Comment below some healthy changes you’ve made, and let me know if you’ve tried any of these things! If you have, tell me how it went! Don’t forget to subscribe for more content like this!
Great post. You’ve laid everything out so simply but every word of it is true. Now more than ever, our health is so important!
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Thank you, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I 100 percent agree! Being as healthy as possible is very important right now.
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Love the look of your site, and this post is great as well! Such a good read. Thank you for sharing!
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Thank you, I appreciate that! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
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Love these tips! I started to become aware of what ingredients are in my products and I’ve changed a lot of them because they had too many chemicals.
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Yeah, once you know what to look for it isn’t too hard of a switch! There’s tons of stuff out there that’s good for your health and also doesn’t break the bank! And thankfully it’s not too difficult to find the information these days, thanks to blogs and YouTube!
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I really need to work on my
Gut health! You don’t realize how important it is. Thank you for sharing this!
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I started having stomach issues almost 4 years ago, and it’s just starting to feel normal again. You really don’t know how much it affects your life until it’s not going right anymore. I definitely recommend being proactive and taking care of it before it gets out of hand! Thank you so much for reading!
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You are so right!!
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Love it Lex! I’m definitely on board for the more lovemaking – good for emotional health and feeling connected too! And yes on the healthy fats! 🙌 Love avocado, salmon, olives, and nuts! Great post, thanks!
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Thank you Clarissa! Lovemaking has so many emotional health benefits, I always wonder why it’s not mentioned more on health blogs! And I’m glad you’re not afraid of your healthy fats! They are so good for your brain function!
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In terms of gut health and nutrition, I think it is so, so, so important to consult a doctor or registered dietitian before making drastic changes or using a new supplement, because everyone’s health situation is just so very different – so talking with a professional is definitely part of that research that’s critical to finding what works for you!
Great post and thanks for sharing.
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Yeah definitely! No drastic changes without consulting a doctor for sure! These are just a few of the small things that I wish I had done before my gut health took a nosedive. Since not everyone has access to a doctor or dietitian, I thought I’d share my experience in the hope it could save some pain! Thanks for reading!
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Nice post. For me it has to be eating healthy and getting enough sleep. I don’t seem to be sleeping well these days.
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Oh no, that’s such a bummer
sleep is so important for your mental health! I hope that changes and you are able to get some proper rest soon! Thank you for reading!
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I hope so too. Thanks 😊
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It is so important to know what you are eating or using on your skin, so I love that you spread some awareness about that! Exercise and water are two of the things that always make my day better. 🙂
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Yeah, a lot of people don’t think about what goes on their bodies! And proper nutrition is key to healthy brain function! Thank you for reading!
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Thank for sharing this. I never really thought about looking at the list ingredients of my skin care products. I need to make sure the ingredients are good.
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Yeah, definitely! There are lots of harsh chemicals in products that aren’t good for your skin or your hormonal health. Definitely look into it!
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Wonderful tips – and I love that you mention it’s important to be careful about what you put on your skin, not just in your mouth. Our skin absorbs just as much as anything we swallow so thank you for raising this!
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Yes, thank you! Not a lot of people focus on that but it’s just as important to maintaining your body’s natural state! Thank you for reading!
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These are really great tips. I really need to get better at drinking more water.
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Great tips! These are really pretty easy changes, but I think we all get distracted by too many activities, too much media, and too much junk food around us. It’s a good time to focus on the basics! xo Nipa
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Yeah, it’s always a lot easier said than done, that’s for sure! Baby steps is the key! Thanks for reading!
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I’ve never really thought about the things I put on my body that could be affecting my health. Such a great tip that I will now start looking into. Awesome tips, love this post!
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I think you’ll be surprised by what you find! Thank you so much for reading!
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I try to get at least 8 hours a night and I’ve both succeeded and failed a lot recently! My colleagues could go to bed at 3am and come to work looking fresh and I can’t ever fathom how they do that, it’s so crazy to me as I’d be a zombie!
🌿 Marissa Belle × marsybun.com 🌿
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I aim for 8 hours too, but it definitely doesn’t always happen. That’s crazy about your colleague! I can for sure not do that! I’d be spaced out all day, haha
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Great tips and reminders! One thing I’m trying to do is drink more water, sometimes I go way too long without having any. And yes to more avocados haha!
Anika | chaptersofmay.com
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Yeah, water is so easy to forget about, especially when you’re busy! I love avocados too! Haha, thank you for reading!
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I try my best to drink lots of water throughout the day but what I’m struggling with is sticking to a consistent exercise routine. And I agree it’s so important to get quality sleep 🙂
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Exercising is a tough one to prioritize, but it is very worth it! Once you get in the habit it becomes a lot easier 😊 sleep is a great thing to prioritize!!
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In recent years I have really sought to reduce the chemical load in my home and in our food. I try to make nontoxic products whenever I can. I buy only organic produce. I know I can continue to learn and do more! I want to decrease the amount of plastic we use as well!
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That is so amazing, I’m so glad you are making the effort! There’s so many benefits to using less chemicals! Thank you so much for reading!
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I love this! It’s rare to find a list that covers so many ares of your life! I definitely need to be better about gut health and getting moving – sometimes its hard to find the time!
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Yeah, it’s definitely a hard thing to get into the habit of, but after a while it gets easier and easier! Thank you for reading!
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I love to drink water tea and eating lots of fruits.
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Water and tea are great for hydrating, and fruits have lots of beneficial nutrients! That’s great!
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These tips were so helpful! I struggle with sleep a lot and I feel like I need to prioritize more of that in my night routine especially when I get up at 6am every morning. Thank you for sharing xxx
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I’m so glad you found them useful! Thank you for reading! 😊
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Thank you for all the helpful tips! Def gonna start using more of these in my daily routine.
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Thank you, I’m glad you found it helpful!! 😊
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This is such an amazing post! It is so important to take care of our minds and our bodies. I totally agree with the points you made.
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Thank you, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🥰
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Absolutely loved this post! I agree sleep is so important, now I have a 4-month baby my sleep is suffering but I’m trying to improve my quality of sleep and it’s helping. The phrase ‘you are what you eat’ is so true!
Steph | http://www.stephhannam.com
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It’s always tough with a baby, but I hear it gets easier! Improving the quality of the hours you do get is definitely helpful! Thank you for reading!
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You have a strong writing voice, and I liked how clearly you defined these tips. Nice work! 🙂
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Thank you so much, that means a lot!! 🥰
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This is the perfect Time for this post as people can really work on their healthy routines !
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Yes, thank you! Definitely a great time to start some new habits!
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