Do you routinely push your health and well-being aside? Are you mindful of how everyone around you is doing, but never seem to prioritize your needs? Do you constantly make excuses as to why you don’t have to time, energy and resources to dedicate to bettering your health? If you’ve answered yes to these questions, it’s time to change course. The fact is that if you’re not looking after yourself, then you can’t possibly function at your peak levels.
Placing your health and well-being as a priority isn’t selfish; it is smart and will ensure you’re the strongest, healthiest and happiest possible. To help you on this journey, here’s a look at six healthy items and practices you can introduce to your daily routine so you can start to enjoy the benefits and improvements – mentally and physically.
Start Tracking Your Water Intake
Staying hydrated is one of the easiest habits to adopt, and it will likely shine a light on just how little water you have been drinking. Drinking water is essential to your overall health and well-being and should not be minimized. Experts recommend you drink 6-8 cups of water (8 fl oz or 250 ml) each day. If you have a hard time keeping track or hitting that amount, there are plenty of tips that you can use. These include:
- Start drinking water as soon as you wake up
- Use a water tracking app
- Use an insulated water bottle that can accommodate the full day of water
These are all habits that can take time to form but will be well worth the effort.
Oil Of Oregano – It’s Not Just A Great Tasting Herb
When it comes to commonly used herbs in cooking, oregano is one of the most popular. It helps to give food a distinct and delicious taste. Just imagine what your homemade pasta sauce, meats, salad dressings and stews would taste like without it. But besides being able to elevate several recipes, did you know it also has wellness benefits?
Oil of oregano is simply the extract that comes from the oregano plant – so it is a concentrated form of it. When ingested, this oil acts as an anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial. Oil of oregano is something that Dr Ruscio’s Clinic discusses in length. They highlight what it is, how it is extracted and what the many benefits are for your overall health and well-being. They also point out how important it is to buy the right type, i.e., therapeutic grade, which can be ingested safely. The typical oregano essential oil is not meant for ingesting.
Some of the specific ailments and issues oil of oregano can help with include:
- Healing wounds
- Sore throat
- Bronchitis or a cough
- Relieving diarrhea or indigestion
- Athlete’s foot
Learn The Joys Of Walking
You likely don’t need to be told how important regular exercise is to your health, but that doesn’t mean it will sway you into daily workouts at the gym. Why not choose an activity that you find more approachable? For many people, that activity can be walking.
Walking is something that all ages and all fitness levels can embrace and benefit from. You will set the pace, and you can decide how far you go each day. You might want to change up your route to make it interesting and challenging, and you can enjoy it on your own or with others. Experts recommend you aim for 30 minutes of brisk walking per day to get the maximum benefits. And even better, the only equipment you’ll need is a pair of good quality, supportive running/walking shoes.
Below are some of the health benefits of walking:
- Lose and maintain a healthy body weight
- Build muscle and tone
- Reduce stress and anxiety levels
- Improve your cardiovascular health
- Lower blood pressure
- Lower your risk of stroke or heart disease
- Improve your endurance
- Build flexibility
- Keep muscles and joints healthy
If walking isn’t possible outdoors, then you can always walk indoors as well. This makes it a year-round activity.
Eat More Leafy Greens
Looking to improve your diet but you feel overwhelmed with where to begin? A good place to start is with leafy greens and incorporating more into your routine. The darker the greens, the more nutrition they pack, so you want to focus on those items. Greens such as kale, spinach, arugula, chard, watercress and collard greens are all great examples.
If you don’t enjoy the taste of leafy greens, try adding them to a smoothie. You can use other items to help mask the flavor and still get all the health benefits.
Get Creative With Smoothie Recipes
This leads perfectly into the next tip which is to get creative with smoothies. Smoothies are a great way to ensure you are getting all your essential vitamins and nutrients. You can add a massive array of fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices and other ingredients concocting some very powerful results. As mentioned, they are also a great way to mask flavors you may not love.
To make your foray into smoothies easier, be sure you’ve got a high-quality blender that is capable of blending smoothies efficiently.
Cook At Home More Regularly
The final tip is to start cooking at home more regularly. Dining out can still be a nice treat, but it shouldn’t be a regular thing. Cooking at home means you can embrace healthy fresh ingredients, be in control of what gets added, embrace portion control and try some new ingredient pairings and recipes. There is a real joy to be discovered in cooking, so why not allow yourself to tap into your inner chef?
If you are on a quest to live a healthier lifestyle, each of these tips can be pivotal in your success. Remember, changing your daily routines will require patience and effort until it is a new habit. Keep your eyes on your goals and remind yourself that all this hard work will pay off.
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Nice post!! I second with the water intake.
Water is so important 🙂👍