The New Year is almost here, and you know what that means—time to set some goals! At the top of most people’s list is the goal of promoting a healthier lifestyle. The best ways to do this are to get more exercise, eat healthier foods, get more rest and reduce stress levels. You already know this, but maybe you don’t know where to start. Here are some specific ways to improve your health in 2018:
Exercise 30 Minutes Per Day
Cardiovascular exercise is one of the best ways to improve your heart health. There are a lot of options out there, and you can do as many of them as you want. If you love sports, try joining a softball league or meeting up with friends for a friendly game of basketball after work a couple days a week. If you prefer to go solo, a brisk walk around the neighborhood is a great way to burn up calories, give your heart a good workout and take the time to get the stress out all at the same time.
Keep in mind that you don’t need to get all those minutes in at a single session, and you don’t have to do the same exact workout every day. You can break it up by parking an extra block away from the office, eating lunch as you walk around on your lunch break and then hopping on a stationary bike while reading a good book in the evening.
Eat One Meatless Meal Every Day
Cholesterol is a killer, and guess what kinds of foods have cholesterol—meats, eggs and dairy. If it came from an animal, then it has cholesterol in it. If it came from a plant, then it has zero cholesterol. You can see where this is going.
But nobody’s forcing you to go vegan and live in the wilderness or move to Los Angeles. You can lower your cholesterol, improve your blood pressure and trim a few pounds off your waistline by simply eating one meatless meal per day. Most Asian restaurants have plenty of options that are packed with veggies and grains with no meat, eggs or dairy. If Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese grub isn’t your thing, then hit the pasta bar and smother your plate with marinara and steamed veggies.
Get More Sleep to Rejuvenate Your Mind and Body
Think about this for a second. Your body knows what it needs, and what it needs is to get enough sleep every night to fully rebuild your cells and recover from the physical stresses of the day. Your brain will not wake you up until your body is fully rested. The problem is that modern society cuts off this natural repair process, starting from childhood. Alarm clocks are The Devil.
Most people’s natural sleep patterns have been interrupted nearly every day of their lives for decades, and as a result they suffer from chronic fatigue, low energy levels, health problems, brain fog and stress. The only way to reverse chronic sleep deprivation is to get more sleep. There is no other way around this, so make it a priority to get an extra hour or two of sleep every night to get your body back on track.
Use Supplements to Reduce Nutritional Gaps
Modern diets are notorious for their highly-processed junk foods and nutritional deficiencies. The best way to combat poor nutrition is to prepare home-cooked meals using fresh, whole foods. If you have time for that, then you’re all set. Go do it, but if that’s just not realistic for you, then the next best thing is to use high-quality nutritional supplements, like those from ASEA on LinkedIn, to fill in those gaps.
The crazy pace of modern life, with all its conveniences, can make it difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but there are things you can do to move in the right direction. Follow these four simple tips to improve your health in 2018. Once these behaviors get locked in, then add another—and another.