The Best Wellness Tips You’ll Ever Read: Part II

Welcome to Wellness Wednesday!  We are continuing the series on Self-renewal today.  Committing to achieving a better you in 2010 is in itself a “powerful health booster.”  Yes, simply thinking about getting fit and eating healthful foods, watching what you put into and on your body, seeing a healthcare professional for screenings and advice puts you on the track in a ready position.  At what speed you want to drive on your road to health is totally up to you.

Try incorporating any or all of the following for a boost (think of them as supercharged gasoline for your car).

1.  Mentally prepare yourself for change.  Think through your desires; prioritize them; and visualize yourself as a vibrant, youthful woman ready for anything.

2.  Have more sex!  Yes, sex not only improves intimacy with your partner but relieves stress, improves heart function, builds self-confidence, and burns calories – all important for health.

3.  Add almonds to your diet.  Almonds are full of fiber (3.5 grams in around 23 nuts) and also contain an amazing amount of calcium.  You can easily add them to cereal, fruit, or trail mix.  Hint: kids usually love them, too!

4.  For God’s sake eat breakfast!  Those women who skip the morning meal tend to weigh more.  They get hungrier between meals and have less energy for daily tasks.  If your tummy is sensitive in the morning, try eating a banana to ready your digestive system for additional food.

5.  Dance!  Channel your inner dancer with ten-thirty minutes of no-holds-barred movement a day.  You shy girls can do this alone.  For you more adventurous types, try a hip-hop or ballet class.

6.  Don’t worry; be happy!  Believe it or not, being happy takes practice.  If your used to only being happy when things go well, you might have to reprogram your brain to see joy as something you can have anytime, even when circumstances are not ideal.  I find thankfulness to be a key to this perspective.

7.  Cut down on or cut out High Frutose Corn Syrup(HFCS).  In case you haven’t noticed, most pre-prepared foods contain this sweet additive.  For more information on how to axe HFCS, check out A Life Less Sweet.

8.  Stop tanning.  Believe me, I love basking in the sun as much as the next person, but really, it’s not worth the negative health risks.  Do I even need to talk about going to the tanning salon?  Ladies, you are not getting sexier or more beautiful by tanning.  In fact, you are cutting short the time that you will have youthful, supple skin.  You are also increasing your chances for getting skin cancer.  I am Pasty by Choice!

9.  Invest in a Wii and Wii Fitness Plus.  Even if you are a little sluggish in the activity department, you will love the variety of fun exercises on this system.  My family has literally tripled time spent on daily fit activities.  As an added bonus, the Wii Fit program keeps track of your progress; including, weight, BMI, and calories burned.

10.   Spread some love!  There’s nothing like showing others how much you love them to boost your overall health.  Kindness and acceptance are both actions that promote goodwill in your experience and in that of others.  If enough people would get this right, the world would be a better place.

I hope you are able to incorporate some of these powerful health boosters this week and throughout the coming year.  Please leave your tips for self-renewal in the comments.  Be well-be beautiful.

Photo by Zonca