How are you doing on your new year’s resolution? If your promise to stick to a ketogenic diet or start marathon training fell to the wayside before Punxatawny Phil saw his shadow, don’t despair. You have a fresh opportunity to begin each morning anew.
Plus, it doesn’t take as much time as you think to improve your physical and mental well-being. Here’s an 8-step plan that will only take you one week to achieve better health.
1. Brush Twice, Floss Once
Americans tend to regard their teeth as luxury bones instead of acknowledging their vital role in maintaining human health. However, one large study recently led the National Institutes on Aging to associate gum disease with dementia and Alzheimer’s development. Other evidence suggests mouth bacteria may influence heart disease.
You should brush your teeth twice daily, once in the morning and once at night. Make one of these hygiene practices the complete package, along with flossing and adding a mouth rinse. It’s best if you do so in the evening, as saliva production declines when you sleep, giving bacteria more opportunity to flourish.
2. Get Organized
You might be one of the many folks that have way too much stress. It can have severe health consequences, including high blood pressure and increased aches and pains. Too often, feelings of overwhelm stem from having so much on your plate that you don’t know what to tackle first.
Buy a planner or download an app it doesn’t matter which you use as long as you are consistent. Each evening, make a to-do list, adding a time estimate to each task and tackling your most unpleasant chore first. Once you wrestle that bear into submission, the rest of the day will feel like a snap and you’ll calm your mental outlook.
3. Move Your Body
Exercise is marvelous for mental and physical health. How much you need depends on who you ask. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity weekly or 75 minutes of more vigorous movement. If you’re aiming for the mythical 10,000 steps, you should know that recent research suggests that benefits level out at approximately 7,500 per day.
What can you do? Thirty minutes of heavy-duty house-cleaning cut the mustard, as does cranking the jams and boogying down in your living room. If you prefer a more formal program, you can find various fitness apps if the thought of returning to the gym still gives you pause.
4. Eat Healthier Meals
Even if you don’t believe that food is medicine, there’s no mistaking the influence of diet on overall health. According to the WHO, consuming red and processed meats increases your risk of various cancers. Excess salt pulls water into vessels, increasing blood pressure, and sugar and processed flours raise Type 2 diabetes risks.
However, the siren song of the fast-food drive-thru sweetly sings when you are in a rush. Learn how to meal-prep healthy freezer meals so that you always have something nutritious to zap in a jiffy.
5. Get Social
Loneliness affects your physical and mental health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the risks may rival those of smoking, obesity and inactivity.
The pandemic does make it trickier to socialize. Take advantage of Zoom happy hours and online support groups to connect with others. Reach out to that old college buddy of yours call instead of texting.
6. Do Some Good
When you volunteer, your body releases a flood of feel-good neurotransmitters that improve your mental state. Helping others qualifies as self-care!
The next time you feel depressed, ask yourself what you can do to help someone else. Even if you only hand a dollar and share a few kind words with the person holding up a sign, you both come away enriched by the encounter.
7. Meditate
You don’t have to embrace an Eastern religion to meditate don’t worry. Anyone can practice mindfulness. It’s as easy as going for a distraction-free walk or focusing on your breathing. It puts you in touch with your thoughts and lets you analyze your emotions and reactions free from judgment.
If you need help quitting smoking, losing weight or adopting a more positive outlook, guided meditations can help. These recordings or sessions get you into a relaxed and suggestive mental state, then use affirmations to help you reach your goals.
8. Sleep Tight
A lack of sleep can do anything from temporarily hindering your immune response to increasing your risk of mortality from all causes. Please make your bedroom conducive to slumber and keep a regular bedtime.
It’s best to keep electronic devices out of your bedroom. The blue light these screens emit can impact your body’s melatonin production, a vital sleep hormone. Why not create a charging station in your kitchen and keep a novel instead of your phone on your nightstand?
Follow This Guide for Better Health in One Week
If you want to have better health in one week, follow this handy guide. You don’t need year-round perfection to make a significant difference in your overall well-being.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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