7 DAILY HABITS FOR BETTER HEALTH

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2 7 DAILY HABITS FOR BETTER HEALTH Ready to take charge of your wellbeing and take a step towards feeling your best? Make a small change one day at a time and by the end of the week you will be well on your way to establishing healthy habits in your daily routine. Each day focuses on a new step that will bring you closer to feeling energized, refreshed, happy and healthy.

3 Day 1: Nourish Yourself Eating nutrient dense whole foods will undoubtedly lead to more energy, better mood, less illness and disease. Here are some simple tricks to increase the nutritional value of your food: * Incorporate more colour in your diet: add blueberries to morning oatmeal or baby spinach into your scrambled eggs * Snack on an apple instead of a muffin * Sprinkle hemp hearts on your salad * Grate some beet into your salad * Have a green smoothie often * Commit to having a minimum of two handfuls of greens daily * Snack on raw walnuts and almonds, about ¼ cup total each day * Add a slice of lemon to your glass of water * Get used to checking food labels; avoid anything with artificial colours, flavors, corn syrup and hydrogenated oils

4 Day 2: Sleep Better, Sleep More Get a good night s rest by creating a nightly routine to help you drift into a deeper, more refreshing sleep. Quality sleep allows us to feel energized, stay focused and be productive. It is also important to our general happiness and immune system function. Make good sleep habits your priority. * Enjoy a cup of herbal tea in the evening: teas that include the herbs passionflower, holy basil, lemon balm or chamomile are especially calming * Take a 30 minute evening walk to help you process the events of the day * Take a bath with epsom salts and lavender essential oil to relax tense muscles * Remove electronic devices from your bedroom; read a real book instead * Make sure your room is cool and dark, use blackout curtains if needed * Get to bed by 10:30 pm at the latest to make sure you catch enough zzzzs

5 Day 3: Reduce Toxicity Environmental toxins are widespread and affect our health negatively in a number of ways. They can disrupt hormone balance, wreak havoc with our immune system and increase our chance of disease. Take these steps to reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals. * Choose local and organic when possible to reduce exposure to pesticides in your food * Learn about the farmer s markets in your area and support them * Choose personal care products that are natural, organic, have no parabens, sulfates and are free of synthetic fragrances and preservatives * Eliminate plastics from your life as much as you can: use reusable grocery bags; get a stainless steel or ceramic coffee cup; use your own glass water bottle * Use natural plant based cleaners for home and laundry * Get indoor plants. Aloe vera, spider plant, gerber daisy, weeping fig, azalea, English ivy and peace lily are especially good at filtering indoor pollution * Open your windows and let the fresh air in each day, even in the winter!

6 Day 4: Move your Body! Aim to move your body for a minimum of 30 minutes daily. This could mean taking a walk at lunch, going for a bike ride, doing a yoga dvd or lifting weights in your living room (or at the gym). The hardest part is getting started, but once you incorporate activity into your life your body will crave it! The following are the side effects of daily movement: * Improved energy * Better digestion * Happy mood * Better fitness * Glowing skin * Improved productivity * Less stress * Better sleep * Prevention of disease

7 Day 5: Manage Stress Stress is part of everyday life. Prolonged periods of stress can have a negative effect on your physical and mental well-being. Chronic stress and feelings of overwhelm can contribute to fatigue, insomnia, headaches, high blood pressure, anxiety, depression and many other health ailments. Learning to cope with stress in a healthy way takes practice. Try a few of these approaches to see which one works for you: * Keep a gratitude journal each evening write down three things you are grateful for that happened today * Take a holiday you don t necessarily need to travel to an exotic place, sometimes a staycation at home can help as well * If you are having multiple cups of coffee per day, reduce caffeine consumption, which can contribute to feelings of anxiety. Instead try my favourite tulsi tea. * Connect with others talking about your stress is one of the best ways to help relieve it. If you feel stress is affecting your life negatively talk about it with a friend, family member or your doctor. * Meditate take 10 minutes at the start of the day, especially if it is a particularly hectic day ahead. Bringing meditation into your morning routine helps you become more focused. If you skip morning meditation, do it in the evening before bed to help clear away stress and anxiety. * Take a yoga class movement and deep breathing can bring on a sense of calm * Play outside spend time in nature every week

8 Day 6: Take your Vitamins A custom supplement formula can help prevent nutritional deficiencies, recover energy, improve mood, support digestion and immune health and help balance hormones. You don t need to be taking a handful of pills each day. Targeting specific needs to promote health is the key to helping restore balance. Always talk to your doctor, especially if you are taking prescription medications or are pregnant, before starting any vitamin formula.

9 Day 7: Celebrate Celebrate the positive changes you have made each day, be kind to yourself knowing you are doing your best. The mind and body are an interconnected system; making positive choices in one area of your life will directly benefit other areas as well. Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending. - Maria Robinson

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