Simple habits to boost your health and wellbeing

One of the easiest ways to improve your health is to gradually incorporate new healthy habits into your existing diet and lifestyle.

Some simple ideas include:

Drink a glass of water before every cup of tea or coffee

It is not uncommon for people to tell me that they only drink one or two glasses of water each day (sometimes even none). Instead, they rely on tea, coffee or soft drinks to quench their thirst. Unfortunately, caffeine in higher amounts acts as a diuretic as it increases urination, so people who drink many caffeinated drinks throughout the day (without any water) are likely to be dehydrated.

Try a new vegetable each week (“eat the rainbow”)

Vegetables are nutritional powerhouses - packed with fibre, essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Many people don’t eat enough vegetables, or only eat a limited selection on repeat. I challenge you to try a new vegetable each week to increase the diversity in your diet and give your health a boost!

Get some (safe) sun exposure every day

Daily sun exposure is essential for vitamin D production in the body. The amount of exposure required depends on the time of year and where you live. Regular sun exposure is particularly important for those who have naturally dark skin, work indoors or cover their skin for religious and cultural reasons.

Make time for 5 minutes of “belly breathing” (also known as diaphragmatic breathing)

Diaphragmatic breathing slows a person’s breathing rate and allows more oxygen to enter the body. This type of breathing helps to control the nervous system and is calming for people who are anxious or stressed. It can be done anywhere and only takes 5 minutes so I encourage you to find a moment in your busy day to give it a go! For more information about diaphragmatic breathing see https://www.med.unc.edu/.../11/Diaphragmatic-Breathing.pdf

Go to bed 30 minutes earlier

Getting enough sleep is critical for our physical and mental health as it is the time when our body relaxes, recharges and repairs. Many of us are not getting enough sleep for a variety of reasons, including small children, busy work schedules or staying up too late watching tv or scrolling on our phones. Lack of sleep contributes to reduced immunity, mood changes, irritability, anxiety and depression, memory issues, cognitive decline, reduced physical performance, increased hunger, hormonal imbalance, increased blood pressure and blood sugar dysregulation. A manageable way to get more sleep is to create a habit of going to bed 30 minutes earlier.

Why not give some of these a try and create some new healthy habits?