9 Ways to Take Control of Your Health
Ever watch those 21-step beauty regimens and three-hour morning routines and start to feel like your life isn’t as together as it could be? Same.
But here’s the thing: Most of those reels and stories are strictly made for clicks and likes – it’s not how real people really live.
Let go of the idea that you have to follow the perfect routine, wear fancy matching outfits when you work out or create an organized and aesthetic fridgescape. Nobody needs to decorate the inside of their refrigerator!
If you want to take control of your health and well-being, forgo trends and focus on your foundation. Start with these healthy habits to cover your bases and live your best life.
1. Treat sleep like an appointment.
Adults need at least seven hours of sleep per night – but too many of us aren’t getting enough. Stop thinking of those hours as a line of credit, time you can borrow from when you don’t accomplish all you need to in a day. Instead, think of sleep as a time when you build your nest egg and accrue interest.
Add sleep to your calendar the same way you would an important appointment or meeting, and stick with it. Set reminders to tell yourself when it’s time to wind down – and then put yourself to bed. Sleep is when your body catches up on its daily to-do list, repairing and replenishing your cells, tissues and organs. You deserve rest, and exhaustion isn’t a badge of honor.
2. Put on your own oxygen mask first, every day.
Caregiving is one of the hardest and most rewarding things we can do in life, but we can’t sustainably care for others if we haven’t cared for ourselves first. There are phases of life (and some days) when this is a challenge, but do your best to prioritize yourself right alongside others. This sets a good example, especially for kids.
Make time to exercise – put it in your calendar like you did with sleep. Keep your favorite healthy foods on hand, so you feel your best. Schedule “me time,” whether it’s a solo afternoon, a night with friends or a date with your sweetheart. You can’t fill from an empty cup! Self-care is not selfish, and you matter as much as those around you.
3. Move your body regularly, in a way that feels good.
Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your mind and your body. Beyond your heart, lungs, bones and muscles, exercise can boost your mood, immune system and energy levels. Aim for the recommended 150 minutes per week, which can be divided into smaller chunks of time that works for you. You don’t need to go all-out every time. Moderate intensity is ideal. That’s defined as exercise that is hard enough where singing or having a conversation would be a challenge but you can still talk.
To keep your bones and muscles strong now and as you age, you also need two days of muscle-strengthening activities per week. Lifting weights, yoga and Pilates can all help build and maintain strength.
4. Stay hydrated throughout the day.
Our bodies are about 60% water – and your brain and heart are nearly 3/4 water! Your skin is 64% water and your muscles and kidneys are a whopping 79% water. Even your bones need water, as that’s 31% of their mass. In other words, drink up! Sipping on water, herbal tea and other calorie-free, noncaffeinated beverages throughout the day boost your overall health and keeps your body running optimally.
When you lose even a small amount of water, it’s normal to feel a dip in energy, some discomfort in your head and muscles – and even a little dizzy or foggy. Staying hydrated can help you avoid those occasional discomforts and more.
Hydration helps you maintain proper pH in your urine, and it contributes to healthy digestion and regularity. If your body doesn’t have enough water, it will take “borrow” from your food as it passes through your intestines, which can lead to hard stool and occasional constipation.
5. Focus on recovery as well as workouts.
What happens after you exercise is as important as what you do during a workout. As you increase your activity levels, you may notice you need more sleep and your hunger and thirst levels increase. Honor your body by taking care of yourself after exercise, which will help you see results and feel better faster.
Recovery should include replenishing with protein as well as carbohydrates. Consuming adequate amounts of protein is especially important for active individuals, those who are intermittent fasting or restricting calories and older adults. Muscle mass begins to decline around age 30 (a natural process that speeds up even more after age 60), with decreases of 3% to 8% per decade.
6. Deal with stress daily.
Stress is, unfortunately, a natural consequence of being alive. But we need to deal with it regularly to keep it in check. Stress is not only emotional but also physical and environmental. Finding ways to minimize and release stress on a regular basis can benefit mental and physical health.
You don’t have to devote a lot of money or time to stress relief. Find something quick and simple that works for you: Cuddle a pet or loved one. Dance to a favorite song. Go for a short walk or run. Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Sigh to stimulate your vagus nerve (which is in charge of the “on switch” to your rest-and-digest system). Laugh at a silly meme or video. Color or journal. Pray or meditate. Set a timer for five to 10 minutes, turn off your notifications and get ready to let it all go! Consistency is key here.
7. Streamline your eating habits.
We are creatures of habit whether we like it or not. Each day, the decisions we make force us to withdraw from our limited supply of self-control. By streamlining certain choices and turning them into routines or habits, we have more self-control leftover for those one-off surprises that take willpower. (Like the “quick” end-of-day Zoom that runs late, enticing you to pick up fast food instead of cooking.)
Find one or two healthy breakfasts you can eat each week, with variations to keep them from getting too boring. Put lunch on autopilot by always having a big salad with whatever’s in the fridge or packing leftovers from yesterday’s healthy dinner. In the evenings, there’s no reason to cook a new-to-you meal every night. Set up a simple weekly menu: Mondays are meatless, Tuesdays are tacos, Wednesdays are for burgers, etc.
8. Bookend your day with positive thoughts and gratitude.
This is another variation on stress relief, but positive thoughts and gratitude are backed by science. While you’re in bed each morning and evening, silently list three things you’re grateful to have in your life. This simple, free practice is quick and can help you break thought cycles and reframe challenges.
You can also do this practice at dinnertime with your family, write down your list in a journal or share a high and a low instead.
9. Cover your bases with probiotics.
Taking care of your gut – by nourishing your microbiome with probiotics – is key to a healthier, more vibrant life. Why? A healthy gut – and a healthy microbiome – supports not only digestion and regularity but also the immune system, mood, vaginal and urinary health and more.*
For example, your digestive tract is lined with hundreds of millions of neurons, known as the enteric nervous system. This “gut brain” is connected to your actual brain and central nervous system, thanks to all those neurons and your vagus nerve. About half of your dopamine and 95% of your serotonin and are supplied by your gut bacteria. That connection means that what you do for your gut impacts the brain — and vice-versa. Probiotics help maintain a healthy balance of gut bacteria and keep the brain and gut connected. Once-daily SubCulture™ Probiotics can help you cover your bases.*
