Taking Your Health Back To The Basics – Simple Tips For Staying Well

As the world has shifted, so have our priorities. One thing that has come out of the situation is that a preventative approach to health is finally getting the recognition it deserves!

However, most people also have less energy and focus right now, which means that we need to be focusing on the little things – the basic habits of good health you can do today to keep yourself healthy.

Simple Tips For Staying Well

Stay hydrated

One of the simplest, easiest and most effective ways to support your health is to drink water! Unfortunately, when life gets tough, it’s often the first thing to go out the window.

Even I have dealt with this recently. Because I was out of routine and on a break with my kids, I lost the habit of drinking water. I started experiencing frequent headaches, low energy and general malaise.

Once I realised that water might be the culprit, I drank just 2 x 800ml bottles of water over the period of a day. Straight away, my headaches were gone and my energy returned!

Start drinking more water today - make sure it is purified water not from the tap or a plastic bottle. Kick off with 1 or 2 big glasses of water with lemon or apple cider vinegar to kick start your hydration and digestion, then just keep sipping throughout the day.

Get outside

Depending on where you live, you may be in partial or total lockdown right now. But being locked down does not mean you need to be cooped up indoors all day. In fact, it’s best that you don’t stay indoors all day!

Fresh air and sunshine have countless benefits for your health, including boosting your mood, regulating your sleep and increasing your vitamin D levels.

Try to spend a minimum of 20 minutes outdoors every single day. You can even read a chapter or two of a good book in your own backyard!

Add more movement into your day

Something else that has dropped for many people is movement. This isn’t just about formal exercise sessions – it’s the little bits of movement you do throughout the day. Movement is good for both your mental health and your physical health.

For example, if you were working in an office previously, you might have walked to the printer, stopped by a colleague’s desk or walked around the corner to the local café. But now that you’re at home, your incidental movement has probably dropped through the floor!

Find ways to add movement back into your day, even when you’re cooped up at home. You might like to set an alarm to go off every hour to remind you to get up and make a cup of tea or do some gentle stretches.

Eat a vegetable (or two)

When it comes to eating habits, people seem to have gone one of two ways. Some have gone on a full-on health kick, but others have slipped into the habit of snacks all day and Uber Eats for dinner!

If you’re in the latter category, make sure you prioritise eating at least a couple of serves of vegetables per day. Ideally, you’d be aiming for 5-7, but for the sake of those with limited access and/or budget, let’s say 2 as a minimum!

You’ve probably got more time on your hands now, so why not get creative with the veg you eat? Try a new vegetable or form of preparation. You could even make your own root vegetable chips at home instead of buying chips from the supermarket.

Find a moment for mindfulness

The one habit I hope that everyone picks up while in lockdown? Taking time to be mindful.

Mindfulness is a practice of awareness in the present moment. Although it can include meditation, it is not just that – you can be mindful while washing the dishes, going for a walk or even eating your lunch!

Practising mindfulness calms the nervous system and decrease cortisol. This has a beneficial effect on every cell on the body. By spending some time being mindful, you also relieve yourself of the constant stress that we experience when using screens and social media.

If you’ve been meaning to establish a habit of meditating or deep breathing, there has never been a better time. Even just 10 minutes for 2-3 times a week is enough for you to see the benefits.

Want to start working towards being your healthiest, happiest self? Book an appointment with Tara here