The only thing that remains unchanging is that change is a constant. Are you embracing any of the first five changes? Sometimes it can be incredibly difficult to embrace change. To be willing to change means to step away from the known. The journey into the unknown can be arduous, lonely, and even scary sometimes.
In our previous installment of living lit, I discussed the importance of acquiring healthy habits. Especially when you are trying to get away from some of the old ones. Sadly, a lot of the old habits for myself have lost their appeal, or some bear to many consequences that I can no longer afford, like hangovers. Today we will talk about habits 6 through 10, that were promised but not covered in our previous post.
6. Keep Yourself Hydrated
Drinking plenty of water is by far one of the easier habits to pick up when considering a healthier lifestyle. Keeping your body hydrated cannot be stressed enough, as one of the cornerstones to healthier living. Yet many of us choose to not drink enough, sometimes–none-at all. The avoidance of drinking water was understandable, when one out of every four people were dying of a water born illness, but now water is substantially safer, in most areas. The treatment of water has gotten so advance that we can drink that, which was once flushed. Sidenote, you might want to consider using a Brita. Nonetheless, for many, drinking water was not always encouraged in the home, consequently not being adequately consumed through life. To date myself. When I was young the only time you would catch me drinking water would be from the hose outside, from a spring on a hike, or accompanied with lots of sugar mixed in with Kool-Aid. Being properly hydrated is vital for bodily functions with such benefits as boosting energy levels, mood, aiding in digestive function, controlling hunger, and the elimination of toxins. Not consuming enough water can lead to reduced alertness, impaired concentration, even headaches. It’s easy to see how much this simple habit can exponentially impact your health, for the better, so get wetting those whistles. The formula to proper hydration is simple. The goal is to drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day to maintain your optimal hydration levels. Take the first sip towards longevity with this small change, it has the potential of rippling through your life with
so many benefits, your head will be swimming.
7. Reduce Sitting Time
One of the many unfortunate consequences of living in modernity is that we are too comfortable. Climate controlled homes, hand-held devices with more bandwidth than used during the Apollo 11 moon landing, and the advancements in services found online, offer the convenience of getting all your shopping needs, all while in the comfort of your air-conditioned home, from the super-fast handheld device. Why would you need to leave your seat, before ordering a new one? Especially, when now, more than ever, we are earning our living from our seats. Part of living a healthier life is minimizing the extended periods of sitting. Prolonged sitting is known to have many adverse effects. There are many health consequences associated with sitting. They range anywhere from diabetes, poor cardiovascular health, weight gain, depression, dementia, multiple cancers, and the list goes on for the miles we should be walking–everyday. Things to consider that will get you up and out of your seat. Designate time for short breaks to stand or walk during the day, especially if you have a sedentary job. Tools that might be useful in accomplishing this would be a treadmill, standing desk, or ball that you can lightly bounce on throughout the day. Consider exploring new hobbies that encourage physical activity like hiking, biking, paddle boarding. A steady reduction in sitting will move you further towards the healthier life you desire.
8. Build Positive Social Connections
The importance of growing strong social connections, cannot be overlooked, when trying to develop a healthier lifestyle. Setting aside time to spend with family, friends, and other community groups enables you to strengthen your connection to the outside world. Allowing yourself to be more social enables you to find outside support and fellow travelers to help you along your journey. Strong social connections have been linked to improving mental health, increasing resistance to stress, decreasing anxiety, improving sleep, and makes people more resilient to negative emotions. To create opportunities to grow these healthy social connections consider engaging in group activities, such as working out with a class or a friend to make your workouts more enjoyable. Find a hiking group on an app. This will not
only provide you with a nice social outlet and good exercise. It will also get you touch with nature, which comes with its own health benefits that we will cover at another time. Another good thing to keep in mind. When with others, try to spend less time on the phone and more time engaging those you are sharing time with. It’s a great gesture to let others know how much you value their company. Let’s all work toward bringing back the art of conversation and spending quality time together. Another thing to be considered when trying to live a healthier lifestyle. Reach out and seek support when needed, whether it’s discussing your progress with a friend or seeking therapy for added assistance. We are social creatures, it is an intrinsic feature of our species, so making those social bonds with others is crucial to
maintaining a heathy lifestyle.
9. Consider Supplements
When considering supplementation, it is important that you speak with your primary care physician. They will have the ability to order you a full blood panel. This bloodwork will inform your doctor of what deficiencies you may have. Another advantage to speaking with your doctor when considering supplements, they are aware of any illnesses you have, so they know what you definitely should not take. You, having the knowledge of what you can and can’t take, will ensure the supplements you choose won’t interact with any medications you’re currently taking. Overall, supplementation can be very beneficial in achieving your healthy lifestyle, but the use of them should not be taken lightly.
Especially, when you think about the potential health risks of taking the wrong supplements with the wrong medications, or the wrong ones with a chronic health condition. These risks include liver damage,
reduced bone strength, and birth defects amongst many others. However, once you are armed with the proper knowledge of what you can use to augment your health, supplementation can be a great way to make up for what you are not getting in your healthy diet.
10.Track Your Progress
I probably should have mentioned this in the beginning. When pursuing your healthy lifestyle, it is good to put together all the facts. This should start with where you are at. A comprehensive body scan will be helpful in establishing your starting point. These details from the scan are what you will want to begin tracking. This will include such information as: your weight, BMI, BMR, metabolic age, hydration level, and bone density. You will also want to consider what could be holding you back from achieving these goals (e.g. diet, medications, health conditions, etc.). Once you have put together all the necessary information, you will want to set clear short, obtainable health-related goals; to document your journey. When tracking your goals, consider writing down your aspirations to help you visualize success and stay motivated. Be sure to continuously monitor your progress and make adjustments as needed. If
you encounter challenges, Enlighten Red Light Therapy Center does provide additional support by using comprehensive body composition analysis software for tracking progress, also by doing an in depth consultation at the beginning of working with all of our clients, followed by periodical scans, and face to face check-ins along the way. At Enlighten Red Light Therapy Center, we provide the support you need, to get you well on your way to a healthier lifestyle.
I hope these last two installments of “Living Lit” have been helpful. I know it can be overwhelming and even intimidating, figuring out where to begin. Hopefully we gave you some good ideas of how to eat that elephant that you so want to get through. We have given you 10 starting points to consider when nibbling your way to a healthier lifestyle. Adopting any one of them has the potential of packing on pachyderm size benefits. I hope I have shed some light on your path to a healthier lifestyle. If you find, that you still feel like you are fumbling around in the dark. We will be happy to support you on your
journey to your way. Whether your goal is look younger, heal faster, or feel better, at Enlighten Red Light Therapy Center–we get you lit!
Call or text to book your next session 916-300-0916 or book in our shop redlighttherapycenter.com/shop/
