November is Healthy Lifestyles Month
We all know the basics: eat good food, get enough good, quality sleep, get some exercise. But as we head into the holidays and winter weather, it can be harder to check all these boxes. The good news is that there isn’t only one way to create your healthy lifestyle – and incorporating even a few of the following tips can make significant impact on your physical and mental health.
- Choose Nourishing Foods
When we are surrounded by pies, cakes, cookies, and other seasonal sweet treats, it is important to remember that we also need the vitamins, minerals, and fiber found in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and lean protein. This also means to limit highly processed foods – like packaged and frozen foods.
- Keep Hydrated
Drinking between 8 – 13 cups per day of water or unsweetened tea not only quenches thirst, but can also improve your digestion, increase your energy levels, decrease joint pain, and improve your heart health.
- Exercise/Add Some Movement to Your Day
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, adults should aim for 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise weekly. However, even 10 minutes per week has been linked to increasing life span – so it’s ok to start small. There are many ways to achieve that goal – and the best exercise is one that you will enjoy and actually do. There are plenty of no-cost, no-equipment ways for you to move your body, so do what feels good! Bonus if your chosen movement gets you away from your screens, and even better if it gets you outside – which has proven mental health benefits of its own.
- Get Plenty of Sleep
Most adults need somewhere between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night. And sleep isn’t just down-time – your body is busy while you sleep restoring energy levels, repairing muscle tissue, maintaining bodily functions, and processing new information and memories in the brain. Without enough sleep, you may feel out of sorts, but may even increase your chances of developing more serious illnesses.
- Some other Easy Additions/Subtractions:
- Don’t smoke or use tobacco products
- Limit alcohol intake
- Consider a multivitamin
- Check in with the doctors and dentists regularly
- Don’t forget personal time/connecting with friends or loved ones
You don’t have to change your whole lifestyle – even small changes add up. Look at your health and lifestyle habits and evaluate where you may be able to make some changes. It could be the best gift you receive this holiday season – and your future self will thank you for your efforts.
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