There are many lifestyle choices you can make that help keep your body in optimal shape and support overall wellness. These five strategies to support your health are simple and completely natural.
1. Eat a Varied and Balanced Diet
If you are looking for one thing that can support a healthy lifestyle, take steps to improve the overall quality of your diet. Increasing variety by adding extra fresh fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats is an excellent way to start. Reducing processed foods and a lot of added sugars are two other good steps to take. Look at recipes from the Mediterranean and DASH diets for inspiration on some new dishes that can support your health.
2. Add Supplements to Your Daily Routine
The best way to meet nutritional needs is through a balanced diet that pulls from all of the food groups. However, food allergies, sensitivities, and unavailability often make this difficult. Supplements can be an excellent choice if your diet is not providing what you need, or if you want to support overall healthy body systems.
There are many natural supplements to choose from, which can quickly make finding the right ones overwhelming. It is a good idea to look for products that are supported by science. For example, many wellness professionals recommend omega 3 supplements to support overall health.
3. Stay Physically Active
Current recommendations are that most people should try to fit in about 30 minutes of physical activity on most days, for a weekly total of at least 150 minutes. This can seem impossible when you look at it together, but breaking your exercise up into smaller, easier-to-handle chunks makes it more accessible.
Try doing a quick Tabata set for four minutes before you jump in the shower, or relax with a quick yoga stretch after work. It is also helpful to incorporate activity into regular daily activities. For example, you can take the stairs instead of an elevator when you go into office buildings, park a little further away from the entrance at the grocery store, or ride your bike on local errands instead of jumping in the cr.
4. Aim for 8 Hours of Sleep Every Night
While the exact amount of sleep each person needs varies throughout life stages and with activity levels, most adults need about seven hours per night to maintain optimum health. Unfortunately, hectic schedules and competing demands on time cause many people to fall short of this goal. This often results in sleep deprivation, which undermines physical and emotional wellness.
Luckily, there are relatively simple steps you can take to improve the quality and quantity of sleep you get. Some of the most effective strategies include:
- Establishing a sleep routine that you follow every night
- Removing extra lights and mirrors from your bedroom
- Avoiding caffeine and alcohol in the afternoon
- Eliminating screen time in the hours immediately before you go to bed
5. Spend Time Outdoors
It could be argued that there is no better natural method of maintaining your health than embracing the power of nature. Medical professionals have begun to embrace the traditional wisdom that spending time outside is good for your health. There are several reasons for this.
First, the fresh air helps to disperse germs, making it less likely you will have enough exposure to fall ill. However, the benefits don’t stop there. Sunlight itself supports good health by stimulating vitamin D production within the body. This helps build strong muscles and bones, which supports a more active and fit lifestyle.
Spending time outdoors is also directly linked to lower levels of stress and anxiety. It may speed up internal healing processes, which makes it perfect for those looking to maintain health in natural ways.
Eating a healthy balanced diet with supplementation as needed, a good blend of physical activity and rest, and spending time outdoors are all excellent ways to support healthy body functions.
