Photo via Pexels
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of daily life and let our health slip out of focus. Many of us feel overworked, overwhelmed with never-ending to-do lists, and with little time for self-care. The good news is you don’t need much time to improve your whole-body health. Making simple lifestyle changes can do wonders for your mental, physical, and emotional well-being. By prioritizing sleep, movement, healthy eating, plant-based products, and creating a healthy home environment, you can significantly improve your head-to-toe health! Here are some tips from Nutrition Facts to help you get started.
Swap Artificial Products for Plant-Based Alternatives
Swapping out products you use every day for natural alternatives is one of the easiest ways to boost your health. Cosmetics and skincare products can contain various harmful ingredients like DEA, DBP, formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, phthalates, parabens, petrolatum, PAHs, and undisclosed fragrances. These chemicals can cause a range of negative health effects and many are carcinogenic.
Move More Often
If you only do one thing to improve your health, make it exercise. The CDC explains that regular movement can improve your cognitive health, help you manage weight, reduce your risk of disease, and much more. Short bouts of regular exercise are just as good—if not better—for your overall health as single, longer sessions. So, make a point of getting up and moving as often as possible! If you work a sedentary job, for example, you could walk on your breaks, take the stairs instead of the elevator, and schedule walking meetings with coworkers. Even parking a little further from the office will help you get those steps in!
See Your Doctor
There’s no substitute when it comes to being proactive about your own medical health, and that includes keeping up with check-ups. Another great idea is to keep an active file containing all your medical records so that you can access the file as needed to ask any questions you may have. Rather than trying to keep track of multiple different files, try using a free merger tool; this could help you stay organized and make it easier to stay on top of your own health.
Add Vegetables to Every Meal
Few have the time, energy, and relentless motivation required for major dietary changes. Instead of making dietary swaps, see if you can simply add a serving of vegetables to each of your regular meals. Eating plenty of vegetables will ensure you’re receiving essential nutrients, including fiber—which 95% of Americans are lacking. Just steam, roast, or stir-fry vegetables to serve with each meal. You could even throw together a quick salad with whatever raw produce you have on hand.
Sleep on a Strict Schedule
It can be tough to get enough high-quality sleep when you lead a busy life. Did you know that simply going to bed and waking up at the exact same time every day can help your body sleep more efficiently? Sleep.com recommends sticking to a strict sleep schedule and varying it by no more than 30 minutes to an hour throughout the week. If you need to reset your sleep schedule, make shifts in half-hour increments, and keep in mind that it can take over a week for your body to adjust.
Ditch Chemical Cleaning Products
While keeping your home clean is important for protecting your health from harmful bacteria, mold, allergens, and viruses, chemical cleaners can actually worsen your health. Cleaning supplies like aerosol sprays, air fresheners, detergents, rug cleaners, and oven cleaners often contain toxic substances and VOCs that linger in our household air. Most of the time, soap and warm water are all you need for general household cleaning. Use baking soda for scrubbing and vinegar for polishing glass. And unless there are sick people in your home, sanitizing and disinfecting are likely not necessary.
It doesn’t take much to optimize your head-to-toe health. Walk more often, add vegetables to your meals, choose plant-based skincare products, avoid using chemicals in your home, and try to stick to a strict sleep schedule. By incorporating a few simple lifestyle changes into your daily routine, you can enjoy significant improvements to your health!
Nutrition Facts has all the information you need to improve your diet and live your best life. If you have any questions, we’d love to hear from you!
