8 Actions to Reset and Revitalize Your Health and Life!
The clock strikes midnight. The glittery ball drops and a brand new year, a clean slate is set in place to improve our health and our lives.
Each year throngs of people will make their annual New Year’s Resolutions only to find them slipping away a few weeks later. According to a study conducted by the University of Scranton, just 8 percent of people achieve their New Year’s resolutions, while around 80 percent fail to keep them. Let’s concentrate on what the 8% are doing right.
This year, instead of creating resolutions, recommit to your health and employ a RESET to optimize health and weight.
Take These 8 Actions to Reset and Revitalize Your Health and Life
1. Write It Down
Neuroscience shows that simply writing down the actions we need to take to create changes, results in success for most. Writing things down happens on two levels: ‘external storage’ such as the piece of paper with your reset actions and as a result ‘encoding’ which helps you to remember. This helps your mind by focusing on what is vital to your desired changes.
2. Drink Enough Water
One of the easiest ways to reset and revitalize your health is to simply drink adequate water. So many are mildly dehydrated and do not even realize it. They are suffering symptoms such as joint pain, fatigue, lethargy, weight gain, headaches, sugar cravings and more.
Water is crucial for cellular health as every process in the human body requires water. When there is a lack of water, cellular function slows and so does your metabolism leading to weight gain.
If you feel a lack of motivation or fatigue, drink water consistently throughout the day to maintain energy. I recommend drinking half your body weight in ounces of water each day. If you weight 120 lbs., drink 60 ounces of water daily.
3. Add Anti-Inflammatory Foods to Lose Weight
Low-level or silent inflammation is the core cause of most illness, disease, faster-aging and weight gain. Our diet is key to optimizing our health and our weight. Surround yourself with foods that are delicious but will also help you lose weight.
It’s easy to do – simply choose anti-inflammatory foods at each meal such as:
· Blueberries
· Wild Salmon
· Spinach
· Olive Oil
· Broccoli
· Spices such as Turmeric and Ginger
· Almonds
· Eggs
· Green tea
· Coconut Oil
· Dark Chocolate
· Peanut Butter
4. Eat More Nuts – Peanuts!
All nuts are nutrient-rich with antioxidants, healthy fat and protein. However, one of my very favorites is actually not a nut at all but a legume. Peanuts are packed with nutrients, are much more affordable, low-cost than all other nuts and why I use and highly recommend them.
Just a handful of peanuts (approximately 35) or 2 tablespoons of peanut butter a day delivers significant health benefits. Peanuts and peanut butter are easy to incorporate into a healthy diet and active lifestyle. They also fit into most dietary plans. Check out these health benefits:
One serving of peanuts contains:
- 7 grams of plant protein
- Contains 19 vitamins and minerals
- Is gluten free
- Is cholesterol free
- Is a source of heart-healthy fats
One serving of peanuts/peanut can:
- Reduces the risk of cancer
- Protects against diabetes
- Helps prevent Alzheimer’s
- Reduces the risk of heart disease
- Eating peanuts regularly can reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by 30%.
- May promote longevity due to the resveratrol in peanuts
Peanuts are excellent to use in many recipes – savory or sweet. Here is one of my very favorite treats to make Dark Chocolate Peanut Clusters! Here is my latest batch. They are super easy, healthy, sugar-free, only three ingredients and takes only minutes:
Dark Chocolate Peanut Clusters
Ingredients
1/2 cup peanut butter (without added sugar)
6 ounces sugar-free dark chocolate bars – chopped in large pieces
10 ounces salted and roasted peanuts
Instructions
Place a heat-resistant bowl over a pan of simmering water. Add chocolate pieces and peanut butter. Stir as the ingredients melt.
When melted, stir-in peanuts and coat well. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto a waxed paper lined sheet pan. You may need two sheet pans. Chill for 25 minutes or until firm
Also, I found this recipe Thai Chicken and Peanut Lettuce Cups that is absolutely delicious!
5. Move Your Body
The human body is meant to move. Exercise is an excellent reset choice but I want to add another layer to that: simply moving throughout the day is key to optimizing health and longevity. Many sit for long periods of time and this causes potential health concerns even if we get our exercise sessions in. Whatever you do, your body becomes very good at doing that…
In fact, there is much research showing that being sedentary and sitting too much will shorten one’s lifespan, reduce quality of life and contribute to the development of chronic disease.
Reset your health and/or weight by moving as much as possible during the day by taking every opportunity to get up and move. Set an alarm to get up and move on your phone if you need to. Walk to deliver that message rather than email it. Get up and move your body every half hour when sitting. Use a standing desk if possible.
6. De-Stress Every Day
Stress has become as ubiquitous as not sleeping well. This creates a myriad of health conditions from inflammation to weight gain to heart disease. If we can’t remove the stressors, then we need to protect ourselves from the effects.
There is great news however, just as we have a stress response, we also have a “relaxation response,” during which breathing slows, blood pressure decreases and you even use less oxygen.
Every day, no matter where you are, you can simply practice deep breathing and prevent the effects of chronic stress. This will physiologically stop the stress response in its tracks.
Use the 4-7-8 technique developed by the Navy Seals:
· Breathe in for 4 seconds
· Hold for 7 seconds
· Exhale for 8 seconds
You can use this anywhere and most any time such as driving, before a presentation, during a negative situation, to fall asleep, etc. Deep breathing will have a major impact upon your health and weight. There are other options such as progressive relaxation, guided meditation, meditation or tai chai.
7. Practice Gratitude
Research now shows that gratitude changes our lives. When we are appreciative of what we have (no matter how small), perceive or experience, biochemical changes occur within the body that promotes health and longevity.
Research shows we cannot feel both negative feelings and positive feelings at the same time – we get to choose which one. To create a healthy and happy life, appreciation and gratitude are key.
8. Remember Nobody’s Perfect
Expecting yourself to achieve perfection is unrealistic and costly. The amount of energy it takes to create perfection is enormous and stressful. Remember, you are inherently unique, worthwhile and beautiful.. and It takes courage to be imperfect.
We are all imperfect. Slip-ups happen. Being imperfect only means that we get to learn from our missteps by acknowledging that something needs to improve and then change. So as you move forward in this brand new year and decade, know that simply using the past as wisdom and immediately getting right back on track toward your goal, will create an amazing, successful and healthy new year and a new you.
Here’s to a Happy and Healthy New Year!