Far too many of us take our health and wellness for granted, until an illness or injury happens. But living a healthy life often means leading a happy life and a longer one too.
For greater wellness, follow these five tips and you might be surprised to find that relatively small changes can make a major difference.
Aim to Take Frequent Breaks in the Fresh Air
If you work indoors, you probably don’t get outside often enough but going outdoors and enjoying the fresh air can actually raise levels of the feel-good hormone known as serotonin to make us feel better. Aim to get out for at least a few minutes once every hour or two. You’ll not only be giving your eyes a break from the glare of the computer screen and harsh lights but it will reduce your stress levels, enhance energy, strengthen your immune system and even improve blood pressure.
Move More
While getting outside regularly will get you moving at least a bit, try to move as often as you can. Even brief periods of exercise can help. Take 10 minutes to walk the stairs or walk around your building, with a goal to get at least 30 to 60 minutes of cardio exercise a day. It’ll go a long way in helping your waistline, relieving stress and reducing the risk of countless health problems from migraines and depression to heart disease and diabetes. It will instantly put you in a better mood and provide an energy boost too. According to Harvard Medical School, the secret to better health is exercise.
Eat More Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
They say at least three-quarters of your health is linked to what you eat, which means it’s important to feed your body with what it needs for total wellness. Greens are one of the best sources of vitamins, minerals and fiber, but aim to eat a rainbow of colors from purple grapes and orange carrots to yellow squash and green spinach. If you don’t like veggies, toss some into a smoothie with a banana or another sweet fruit and you probably won’t even notice they’re there. Your body will thank you with a healthier weight, better cholesterol levels, improved digestion, more beautiful skin and a stronger heart.
Breathe
Obviously if we don’t breathe, we don’t live, but did you know there is a significant difference between actually breathing properly and the shallow breathing that most of us do automatically without a second thought. Taking just a few minutes to check to see if you’re breathing the right way can almost immediately transform a poor mood into a better one and even ease anxiety and sadness. You should inhale deeply, from the belly and then exhale deeply which aids the body in eliminating carbon dioxide while helping to replenish it with oxygen. Check periodically to see if you’re breathing the right way.
Embark on a Wellness Retreat
Travel is a great way to enhance wellness as it often brings opportunities for more exercise, and usually in fun forms. Take that up a notch by embarking on a wellness retreat in Queensland, Australia or perhaps another destination you’ve been dreaming of. Retreats like these not only help to motivate, but often they bring the chance to learn more about nutrition while enjoying all sorts of outdoor adventures too.
