10 Ways to Boost Your Health Beyond Good
Does getting healthier sound intimidating or even impossible? It doesn't have to be. Spoiler alert: Shortcuts permitted.
Hi, and welcome back! If you are a new reader, it’s nice to have you here, and I hope you enjoy.
One reader left this comment on my last piece about September feeling like a brand new year and a fresh start:
Your post was inspiring. Don't know what to start first!
To which I reply:
Yes, life can get in the way. But that hardly means you should throw up your hands in despair. Healthy habits are sometimes a matter of taking shortcuts or rethinking the way you do things. Important: Don’t beat yourself up if you slip up. It can take up to 10 weeks for a new habit to stick, say experts.
The Goal: Exercising 30 minutes a day
If you don’t have 30 minutes - an expert-agreed-upon good amount of time - take smaller bites and divide your exercise into three 10-minute mini-workouts. And you don’t have to stop at 30 minutes, either. Earn extra movement minutes like this: If you’re on a phone call, get up and pace rather than sit. While bingeing your favorite show, get up and march in place. Make an extra trip upstairs to put something away, rather than wait to bring it up later. It all adds up!
The Goal: Reducing your blood pressure
If it’s not going down, try switching things up. People who took one of their blood pressure pills at night were less likely to have heart attacks than those who took all their pills in the morning, found a five-year study published in Chronobiology International. (Always consult your HCP before switching to a different routine.)
The Goal: Brushing your teeth
Don’t rush to brush after a meal: wait at least 30 minutes, especially if you’ve eaten something containing acid. That’s because acids from foods and liquids can temporarily soften or weaken the protective enamel of your teeth. Brushing too soon will brush away that valuable protection before it can re-mineralize and build back up. Can’t stand the wait? Rinse with water in the meantime.
The Goal: Preventing breast cancer
You’ve likely heard that living a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the risk of some cancers. Studies show that those who exercised at least moderately hard for a minimum of five days a week for 20 minutes a session, had no more than seven drinks a week, and maintained a body mass index of less than 25 were less likely to develop breast cancer. That was true even among women with a family history of late-onset breast cancer.
Breast cancer is most common in middle-aged and older women, with the median age at the time of diagnosis at 62. Adopting healthy habits is always important, but it’s especially important now.
The Goal: Being happy
Try as you might, you don’t feel happy even though your job is great and your finances secure. Try things like community involvement, nurturing your relationships, and/or helping others: They’re all proven to predict happiness more than professional or financial success.
The Goal: Eating more fruits and veggies
I adore fruits and veggies and feel like I can never get enough...but not everyone necessarily feels the same. If you find it impossible (or improbable or distasteful) to get enough into your daily diet - enough means four servings of fruit and five of veggies - try adding fruit to your morning cereal or yogurt or throwing some veggies into your eggs or omelet. Add bean sprouts or shredded carrots to your salad or sandwich, or puree vegetables to thicken your soup. Here’s a helpful infographic from the American Heart Association.
The Goal: Lowering your sodium intake
Too much sodium can be dangerous: If your kidneys can’t remove enough sodium, it builds up in your blood, and your blood volume rises. This makes your heart work harder to pump that blood. As a result, pressure in your arteries can build up, increasing your risk of heart and kidney disease or stroke. Some people are more sensitive to sodium than others, and they hold onto it more easily. The result? More fluid stays in their bodies, and blood pressure climbs. (More on that here, from the Mayo Clinic.)
FYI: Most sodium does not come from a salt shaker, but more from processed and packaged and restaurant foods. Beware of bread and rolls, pizza, cold cuts, and cured meats and poultry (especially chicken nuggets).
The Goal: Eating less sugar
“Other sugars:” They may have unique origins, but they’re still considered the same when it comes to sugar consumption advice. So if you’re hoping to alleviate your guilt with things like honey, molasses, agave syrup, simple syrup, or high fructose corn syrup, you should still heed the advice from The Dietary Guidelines to limit added sugars to less than 10 percent of your total calories consumed (which means less than 50 grams for every 2,000 calories).
The Goal: Getting a better night’s rest
So many people say they’re poor sleepers and have trouble getting a good night’s sleep or logging enough hours (the ideal amount is between 7-9). Incorporate small habits into your nighttime routine every week (Don’t expect miracles overnight (pun intended:), If you don’t already use it, a sleep mask helps block out light that could interfere with your sleep. Earplugs can similarly help with noises. Keep the room at a cool temperature (around 65 degrees Fahrenheit), and avoid caffeine too late in the day (it can take 6-8 hours to completely wear off).
The Goal: Reducing stress.
You don’t need an hour-long yoga class to gain some calmness (although if you can spare the time, you should!) Instead, engage your senses for quick relief: Smell: Light a scented candle, essential oils, or incense. Sight: Look at a photo or picture that makes you feel calm. Touch: Wrap a warm blanket around your body. Taste: Savor a piece of your favorite treat, chewing slowly and mindfully while noticing its taste and texture.
For a Pause…
Don’t want to use meds to control your blood pressure? The Mayo Clinic gives you ways to do it without medication.
Don’t want to go to a gym to work out? Here’s just one example of how to do it at home.
The DASH diet - The Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension - is a highly rated, flexible, and balanced nutrition plan that helps lower blood pressure. And, I might add, pretty easy to follow, as it contains lots of veggies, fruits, whole grains, and other goodies.
Here are some personal recommendations for some of the above: Blissy makes a great sleep mask. Aera has a wonderful diffuser. One of my very favorite cookbooks. Comfy and effective earplugs.
One More Thing:
Got a question or suggestion for thePause? Interested in contributing to, being featured or supporting thePause? Let us know by leaving a comment.
Good reminders, always engagingly written! Will give them a try!