Easy habits to make you healthier!

Whether you're trying to eat better, get more active or ward off germs, a healthier you doesn't have to mean a total lifestyle makeover. Instead of jumping in at the deep end, start small and focus on one goal at a time to avoid overwhelming yourself. When those habits become part of your weekly routine add a new small goal, you’ll be amazed at how much one small change can go a long way to a healthier and happier you.

Here’s a list of good habits, which focus on the vitality of your body and healthy eating. These can be slowly introduced until they become second nature.

Habit No 1:  Drink more water

Staying hydrated is one of the easiest healthy habits to adopt. Drinking water regularly helps with brain function, keeping muscles strong and boosting metabolism – and it can even help you weight.   Adding fresh lemon slices can encourage you to drink more and even assist with digestion.

Habit No 2:   Supplement

Supplements are important to ensure you get the correct amount of vitamins and minerals, add in the following as the weeks go by:

• Fish Oil - provide the body with essential omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for regulating inflammation
• Magnesium - magnesium intake has been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and other condition
• Vitamin D - helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body
• Probiotic - When the gut becomes unbalanced with unhealthy levels of certain bacteria, probiotics can help restore the balance. They've been shown to secrete protective substances, which may turn on the immune system and prevent pathogens from taking hold and creating major disease.

Habit No 3: Learn to read food labels and make small changes to your food choice

By learning about what you are consuming and becoming more aware of what you put into your body, you’ll be taking a small but crucial step towards better health. Making a habit of always reading food labels and understanding what they mean will assist you and your family in making healthier food choices.

Some ingredients to avoid or limit include:

• Total sugar – which should be limited to roughly 25g or 6 teaspoons of sugar a day
• Saturated fat –rather opt for products that contain heart-healthy poly- and mono-unsaturated fats.
• Salt can raise your blood pressure and increase your risk of developing heart disease or having a stroke.
• Avoid “E” ingredients as much as possible.

Habit No 4:  Balance & Move

Simply standing up and taking a few more steps throughout the day can have a major impact on your health. Incorporate balance exercises into your routine, it’s a part of neuromotor training, which helps you improve your balance, agility and mobility — all things you need in everyday movement and in other form of exercise balance on one leg for 10 seconds at a time, then switch to the other leg which can simply be done while brushing your teeth or standing in a line. When you get really confident, try the same but with your eyes closed – this is really good for proprioception.

Habit No 5:  Quality sleep

Resolve to keep a regular sleep-and-wake schedule, which can improve your circadian rhythms. Solid sleep doesn’t just give you more energy, it can also help with healthy eating goals. When you’re short on sleep, it reduces your body’s production of hormones that suppress appetite, which can contribute to weight gain. Those seven to eight hours don’t have to be consecutive. If you’re feeling particularly tired, try to sneak in a short nap early in the day.

Habit No 6:  Cook at home and pack your lunch 

Cooking at home is often cheaper than going out; fresh fruit and vegetables with reduced processed ingredients are a far healthier option than store bought ready-made meals that can often be loaded with hidden fats and sugars.

Habit No 7:  Switch off  

Taking breaks can improve your mood, boost your performance, and increase your ability to concentrate and pay attention. Enjoying an uplifting book or cooking a healthy meal can go along way to recharging your batteries.  Unplugging from social media and all screen technology can also do wonders to your health.

Small shifts can often make a big impact over time, especially if you are consistent. Including small habits into your daily routine can be essential for your mental, physical, and even social health, especially if you are mindful of ensuring these become part of your daily routine over the long term.