8 Simple (Actually Doable) Health Tweaks
January is the month of abstinence for many people, and part of me watches this unfold every year with admiration. But the reality is, I’m a person of moderation. I still like my treats. I’m not interested in drinking my coffee black. I want to live healthy and well and I don’t want to torture myself. Things are hard enough as is right now!
So I figured that it would be a good time to share my favorite simple health tweaks. This is all about taking small steps to improve on what you are doing and being gentle along the way. If you have other ideas that have worked for you, please share in the comments!
1. Prioritize Sleep
I have learned that one of the key things that contributes to me getting run down and my immune system getting vulnerable is when my sleep is not going well. In some cases (like when my dog James got up to barf at 4am earlier this week) I can’t control what is happening, but sleep solves a lot of problems. I try to get 8 hour a night (9 is optimal); I am usually moving toward the bed between 9:30 - 10pm. Yesterday I was feeling under the weather and no joke, turned off the lights at 8:45pm and slept for 10 hours and felt completely better today! If you need more detailed sleep advice, check out this post on 7 steps to better sleep.
2. Hydrate (more than you think you need to)
This is a really simple tip, yet it’s so easy to lose sight of! I always start my day with a big glass of water (it is the must do before I enjoy my morning coffee). And otherwise, my one easy tweak is to keep a 32 oz. Nalgene bottle right next to my laptop in my office. I usually try to drink 32 ounces through the morning and another 32 ounces through the afternoon while I’m working. That said, in cold weather I often switch up my plain water consumption and do a lot of hot beverages; either hot water with lemon (literally drinking a cup right now) or herbal tea. When I wasn’t feeling well yesterday, in addition to prioritizing sleep I drank a ridiculous amount of hot beverages. I’m convinced that the key to crushing colds for me is sleep and fluids!
3. Pulverize fruits and vegetables
In any other season than winter I eat a ton of raw fruit and lots of salads but in the winter, I’m just not feeling it as much. So one simple way to get both is with smoothies. In my Vitamix I can make 5 smoothies at a time; I store them in to-go cups I have saved and washed — no fancy cups necessary! Below is an old video I shot for green smoothies and here is another green smoothie recipe.
4. Play with proteins
Many years ago we adopted the approach of consuming meat and fish as a side dish (versus a giant main course). We also have a vegetarian in our house which has inspired us to play with different proteins (e.g., tofu, beans). It’s nice to go with plant-based proteins and also is less expensive!
5. Add nuts
Nuts add good nutrients; I like adding walnuts or almonds to yogurt and salads (when I don’t toss my greens in a blender!) and this easy chocolate cashew milk recipe makes for a good afternoon snack.
6. Enjoy treats in moderation
Don’t torture yourself. Enjoy things in moderation. The best, most appreciated bites are the initial ones anyway!
7. Ease up on the coffee
Ever since publishing this article on 7 steps to better sleep, I have shut down the afternoon coffee train. I realized that I liked the routine of an afternoon coffee but it actually didn't sit that well in my stomach. Ideally, I just have one cup of coffee in the morning, though more regularly it’s one cup first thing in the morning and a second cup in the late morning. When I’m craving a hot beverage in the afternoon I’ll opt for tea or hot water with lemon and honey.
8. Seek movement every day
Healthy food tweaks are important, but I think the best thing you can do is be active every day. And it doesn’t have to be a crazy work out -- a walk around the block counts too! The point is just to move and if you are outside, extend your gaze. Right now I am doing Yoga with Adriene’s 30-day program and also periodically doing this 15-minute qigong practice to shake off the dust at the end of the day.
