7 Wellness Tips for a Healthy, Happy 2019

Are you thinking about making some healthy lifestyle changes this year? Simple modifications to your diet and lifestyle can make a big impact on your health. As you start to make healthier choices, you’ll feel better and become motivated to make more positive changes.

Check out my Top 7 Wellness Tips to help you make this year your healthiest year yet.

1. Eat Clean in 2019: Consume a diet made up of whole, good quality, unprocessed foods that are full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Avoid refined sugar, flour, and processed foods whenever possible. If you nourish your body with high-quality foods, it will provide the nutrients needed for optimal health. Examples of whole foods include vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds, eggs, fish, and unprocessed meat. Choose organic whenever possible, for the best quality.
2. Drink plenty of water: Clean water is essential to good health. Every system in your body depends on it. Your requirements are determined by many factors, including your health, climate and how active you are. A good average is consuming eight 8-ounce glasses of clean, filtered water per day. Start your day with a glass of warm water with a squeeze of lemon to help cleanse your liver and rehydrate your body.
3. Stay active doing what you enjoy:  Regular physical activity is one of the best things that you can do for your health. Include a variety of well-rounded activities to make it fun and keep your fitness routine balanced; aerobic fitness, strength training, core exercises, balance training, flexibility and stretching. Staying active will help with weight management, increase energy levels, improve muscular strength, tone and endurance, as well as reduce stress levels and increase productivity.
4. Get adequate sleep: Getting enough sleep is very important for your health. Aim to get 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep each night, so your body can detox, heal and repair.
5. Manage and minimize stress levels: Reduce stress levels by incorporating a few practices into your day that help induce the relaxation response. Manage daily stressors through physical activity, quality sleep, meditation, deep breathing, massages, journaling, reading, expressing yourself creatively, and spending time with loved ones.
6. Make time for fun and laughter: It’s true that laughter is the best medicine! Taking time for pleasure and fun increases endorphins, leaving you happier and healthier. Commit to a minimum of thirty minutes of true enjoyment every day. Not only will you feel better, you’ll be able to approach tasks with more energy and a better outlook.
7. Reduce exposure to harmful chemicals: It’s very important for your health to reduce environmental toxic exposure from chemicals found in your personal care products and throughout your home.  Your skin is your largest organ and it absorbs what you put on it. According to the Environmental Working Group, the average women use 12 products, containing 168 chemical ingredients. Men use an average of 6 products, containing 85 chemical ingredients. The EWG researchers have evaluated hundreds of safety studies and thousands of ingredient labels, to give you their recommendations for safe personal care and home cleaning products, along with helpful tips. Visit their website at www.ewg.org