Wellness tips with the highest health payout
It’s that time of year again, New Year’s resolutions! The very nature of resolutions can be both inspiring and overwhelming. Many well-intentioned people abandon their resolutions within weeks of making them. Regardless of your resolutions, the key to a healthy life is to have a good health foundation. So what makes up a strong health foundation? I’ve put together a list of simple things that you can do with the highest health payout.
SLEEP
Sleep is important. Really important! Some experts claims that sleep may actually be the MOST important thing we can do for our health. Lack of sleep has been linked to blood sugar imbalances, higher stress levels, obesity, mental problems, immune problems, as well as many other issues. If you have trouble sleeping, try relaxation techniques such as meditation or yoga. Or eat a small bedtime snack of foods shown to help shift the body and mind into sleep mode: whole grain cereal with milk, oatmeal, cherries, or chamomile tea. Darken your room more. Write down worries or stressful thoughts to get them out of your head and onto paper. This will help put them into perspective so you can approach these thoughts constructively.
EXERCISE DAILY
Did you know that daily exercise can reduce biomarkers of aging? This includes normalizing blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, improving lean muscle and improving bone density. Not to mention what it can do for our mental health, energy and cognitive function. If you want to live well and live longer, you must exercise! Dance in your living room. Go for an urban hike in Portland’s many trail systems. Sign up for dancing lessons. Hula hoop. Jump on a trampoline. Bike to work. If you still don’t know where to begin with an exercise program make an appointment with our exercise experts, Craig and Dalton, who can help customize a exercise plan for you. They have 1 hour sessions available, and can help you with a customized program for your goals and lifestyle.
EAT YOUR VEGETABLES
There are countless health benefits from eating a variety of green foods. They are the most nutrient-rich form of carbohydrate available to us in a natural form. They’re anti-inflammatory, cancer fighting and immune promoting, to name a few benefits. Adding greens (spinach, kale, chard) to smoothies are an excellent way to get your daily serving of vegetables. Don’t stop at the smoothie, incorporate vegetables into all of your meals. In addition to vegetables, it is important to eat a whole food, well-sourced diet. For further guidance on nutrition, schedule an appointment with me and we’ll customize a plan for you.
PREVENTION – SEE YOUR DOCTOR REGULARLY
Why should you see a doctor regularly? Because investing the time in your physical body is the most precious gift that you can ever give yourself. By planning annual exams and check ups with your primary care physician (PCP), it is much easier to stay abreast of the state of your health. It is also important to have a good rapport with your PCP so that you feel heard. Here at Hosmer Chiropractic Health we offer naturopathic primary care. If you are looking to establish care with a PCP, consider making an appointment for a 15 minute consult to see if this is a fit for you.
Another important consideration in maintaining your physical body is to address any chronic of acute pain through chiropractic medicine. Our chiropractors are musculoskeletal experts whose noninvasive, balanced approach to treatment will help relieve your pain and get you back to the activities you enjoy faster.
MAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF
Each day give yourself permission to do something that you love, that brings you joy. Even if it’s for a few minutes, carve out time for you. It is so easy to put other people and deadlines first. You need to take a turn too. Start by creating a list of 10-15 activities that make you happy. Make a pledge to do at least one thing from the list each day. Even better, do it with gratitude. A grateful heart is a happy heart – literally. Research shows a healthy, positive attitude helps to build a healthier immune system and overall health. Your body believes what you think, so focus on the positive, make yourself a priority. One thing to consider adding to your list would be to book a massage with one of our fabulous massage therapists.
Building a strong health foundation is like growing a garden. Your bounty is dependent on how you tend to your garden. Healthy soil, good nutrients, weeding out the unwanted, watering when thirsty – by continually attending to the basics, you will yield a healthy product. Let us be part of the equation in helping you tend to your wellness.