Sometimes, the most seemingly insignificant steps we take for our health can have the greatest impact. Don’t feel like you have to make drastic changes to your lifestyle in order to improve your health. Instead, focus on the smaller things; for example, prioritize preventive health strategies, learn to forgive yourself, and practice a little more self-care. Here are some concrete actions you can take for your health today!
Remove Clutter to Reduce Stress
According to Verywell Mind, clutter can get in the way of your health in a number of ways. For one thing, excess mess causes us to feel stressed and frustrated, as we’re forced to navigate our messy homes to get things done. Being surrounded by clutter is extremely mentally draining. And it’s nearly impossible to enjoy hobbies and engage in home fitness activities when you don't have space for them. Plus, clutter often hides dust and germs, which can trigger allergy symptoms and make you sick. If deep cleaning your home seems overwhelming, consider hiring cleaning help. According to HomeAdvisor, most homeowners in Milwaukee spend between $114 and $236 to hire a professional maid service. Having your home cleaned is well worth it for greater peace of mind.
Start a New Hobby
Another excellent way to reduce stress in your life is to pick up an enjoyable hobby. With all your clutter out of the way, you'll finally have space for it! In addition to busting stress, hobbies can stave off mental illness and even improve your cognitive skills. For the best mental benefits, choose a hobby that genuinely challenges your mind. Learning another language or picking up an instrument, for example, are excellent options to explore.
Get Moving
While some hobbies are amazing for your mind, others are great for your body. If you’re not ready to adopt a fitness routine, consider picking up an active hobby. Dancing, yoga, tennis, hiking, rock climbing, and gardening will get your body moving in all the right ways. Even better, choose a variety of hobbies so you’re working different muscles with each activity.
According to the US National Library of Medicine, regular exercise will improve your full-body health on several levels, helping you to sleep better, avoid disease, and even live longer! On top of adopting physical hobbies, make your everyday activities more active. Park farther away from work, take the stairs, or fit in a quick workout while watching TV.
Add a Cup of Veggies to Every Meal
Adopting a healthier diet can also be easy. Simply by focusing on getting more vegetables in your diet, you can support your health from head to toe. Vegetables are packed full of essential nutrients used by our skin, hair, organs, and brain. Unfortunately, only 10 percent of Americans meet the guidelines for vegetable consumption, which is two to three cups of veggies per day. If you can add just one cup of vegetables to each meal, you’ll be doing wonders for your overall health. Since it can be difficult to eat veggies with breakfast, check out these delicious ideas.
Cut Back on Refined Carbs
Avoiding certain foods is often more difficult than incorporating healthy options into a diet. However, if you really want to be healthier, you’ll cut back on just one terrible ingredient — refined carbs. While complex carbohydrates can be healthy and nutritious, simple carbs are empty calories that increase your risk of several diseases.
So, try to avoid sugar and refined wheat. This includes white bread, pasta, and white rice. If you need some motivation to pass on the sugary donut or swap out your morning toast for a bowl of oatmeal, think about all the great ways you’ll feel better. You will burn fat faster, feel hungry less often, and have more consistent energy throughout the day. You’ll likely feel happier too!
Getting healthy may be easier than you thought after all. With just a few tweaks to your daily routine, you can make a significant positive impact on your head-to-toe health. All it takes is a little effort to enrich your life with more happiness and energy.
Submitted by: Jennifer McGregor
jmcgreg@publichealthlibrary.org
PublicHealthLibrary.org