Does snacking on an apple a day truly keep the doctor away? Will drinking enough water really improve one’s skin – or is it better for the body with a bit of lemon? What are some quick and easy ways to stay healthy day in and day out, all week long? From 5-minute exercises to quick switches to make when it comes to breakfast, lunch and dinner, there are tons of small changes to try and become a happier and healthier person and it can all start within the week!
Cultivating and creating a healthy lifestyle is key for improving daily life and its longevity. Unfortunately one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. is heart disease, among other illnesses that can be prevented by eating better, staying active and making better choices on a daily basis. Begin a journey to feeling better this week by including small, realistic changes in the kitchen, in the gym and even at work. Reinvigorate interest in a better life by adding a few of these suggestions into a new, daily routine. With these 15 ways to stay healthy all week long, those weeks will soon turn into months which will soon turn into an entirely new life that looks and feels so much better.
15 Add Beans To Your Smoothies
According to Everyday Health, adding beans to one’s smoothies can not only up the protein but also up the creaminess with an “extra dose” of fiber to boot. But don’t worry, with the right spoonful that bean flavor won’t overpower or even show up in any of the morning or afternoon sips. It’s a great tool for adding the right kind of nutrition and texture without going for more sugar or carbohydrates. Some popular bean additions include: black beans in chocolate smoothies or cannellini (white) beans in vanilla bases smoothies.
14 Keep Your Sheets Clean
There is far more to being healthy than keeping one’s weight under control. It’s important to keep clean around the house, which includes the sheets! Every week, take a day to strip the beds and blankets covering the living room couch, and throw them in the washer with warm water for a quick cleaning. Dust mites will always be taking home inside the bed and they’re a major allergy trigger. This keeps the dust mites and even pollen from hanging out in the bed too long causing unwanted sniffle sessions.
13 Go Commando – At Night!
That’s right, take off those panties once it’s time for bed. According to Health, going commando couldn’t hurt, especially if prone to UTIs. Allowing the downstairs to breathe and dry will reduce bacteria growth that can go into the urethra and cause a bladder infection. But some aren’t too comfortable flying free under the sheets, and if so, a pair of purely cotton panties can do the trick as well.
12 Eat Chocolate
Break off a piece of dark chocolate as a late-night snack or grab a handful of chocolate-covered almonds for a boost in the afternoon, it’s good for the body and the mind! Most would suggest that this sugary-treat is far from “diet” friendly, but as Prevention states, “it’s hard to deny the cold, hard facts that chocolate can be a healthy addition to our diets.” It’s been found that chocolate could boost one’s brainpower and those with the highest-levels of chocolate intake were seen to have a 37% less chance of developing cardiovascular disease!
11 Learn How To Meal Prep With Mason Jars
This is quite the trendy way to go but it’s also quite genius in terms of staying healthy and not over-indulging. Start planning meals out at the beginning of the week for work or school. Commit to one meal a day being a salad fresh from a jar. Layer, load it up and try different recipes with textural ingredients and bursting flavors. All the while, overeating will be put to bed and so will calorie-ridden and processed meals.
10 15 Minutes A Day Of WHATEVER
Even if there’s only 15 minutes free in the day, then use it to work out. From yoga to walking around the neighborhood, even mere minutes of exercise is better than nothing. Mix up the routine and try something new every day, making the idea more fun than chore-ish. All the while, calories will be burned, heart health will improve and body toning will begin. Dancing sessions or jumping jacks and sit-ups before dinner count!
9 Yes, Drink Water
Well, drink more water. Everyone knows that water is a great rule to follow when trying to stay healthy, but that doesn’t mean that everyone follows it. Water is beneficial to so many parts of the body from keeping the skin hydrated to eliminating excess sodium. And 6 of the most beneficial reasons to drink water include: maintaining a balance of body fluids, controls calories, energizes muscles, keeps skin glowing, helps the kidneys and maintains normal bowels.
8 Add Spinach To Everything
Whenever possible, add spinach to a meal or a snack. These green leaves are filled with fiber, antioxidants, vitamin-A and even cancer-fighting flavonoids. The best part about spinach is how much can be done with the ingredient. From creating a fresh side salad to adding a handful to everything from omelets to smoothies. Give the next sandwich on the lunchtime menu a boost with this topping or sprinkle a pizza with some green.
7 Get Enough Sleep
Yes, everyone has heard this “trick” as well, but it’s vital to one’s overall health. Everyone needs sleep and everyone needs enough of it to not only feel better but to focus throughout the week. Who knew that skipping out on sleep can create a higher risk for heart attack? If all one has to do is take more naps and go to bed a bit earlier to decrease the chances of hurting one’s heart or losing one’s life, then go to bed 30 minutes earlier every night.
6 Pop The Dish Sponge In The Microwave
Who can guess the germiest item in a family’s home? Is it the remote control? Is it the handle on the toilet? Or is it the sponge used to cleaned the dishes every evening after dinner? According to Health, it’s the dish sponge and around 15 percent of these cleaning pals contain enough bacteria to make a person sick! So, to keep one around for more than just one washing, cleaning it is necessity. Pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds – while damp – or run it through the dishwasher!
5 Keeping The Doctor Away – With An Apple!
The saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” may be more than just an overused phrase. In fact, it may even cut pharmaceutical bills in half, according to CBS. Although eating apples every day has never been found to be true – with any hard evidence – it was shown that avid apple-eaters were less likely to use prescription drugs. So, why not add an apple to a morning smoothie or having one – with a side of peanut butter – as an afternoon snack?
4 Start Taking Vitamin D
Without enough Vitamin D – on a daily basis – “a slew of health problems can be triggered,” according to Prevention. Experts even agree that most people have a Vitamin D deficiency! Fortunately, there are capsules one can take to stay on the straight-and-narrow. And it’s been proven that getting enough of this essential vitamin can improve one’s asthma, help create a lower risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes and have anti-inflammatory benefits.
3 Park Farther Away
Whether it’s at the mall or at work, start parking farther away from the front door and – of course – use the stairs. This puts in a bit of extra work and extra steps which results in extra calories burned. Being and staying active is key for overall health –especially in the heart- and most office jobs remain sedentary. It may even be a good idea to get off the bus early when taking public transportation. Hopping off just one stop before work or before home can make it so much easier to fit in a bit of exercise.
2 Nix The Smoke & Drink
Here’s another obvious choice that’s so beneficial it had to be featured on the list. There’s no argument that over-indulgence in alcohol and any puff of smoke is detrimental to one’s health. And it’s time to stop. Work on getting better at putting the cigarettes away and go for one glass of red wine rather than the 2-3 mugs of beer at dinnertime. So many calories are wasted on alcohol and so much harm is done to one’s insides (from the heart to the lungs) from the “occasional” smoke break.
1 Keep In Touch With Your Feelings
Mental and emotional health is just as important as physical health. It’s important to be able to express one’s emotions, thoughts, concerns and the like. Keeping feelings bottled up will cause extra stress on the body which can result in problems with sleeping, excess weight gain and eating disorders, depression and, in some cases, actual, physical pain. Look to a friend or family member, but if all else fails, don’t be afraid to visit a counselor or therapist to stay sound in the mind.
Sources:everydayhealth.com, health.com, cosmopolitan.com, cbsnews.com
