Healthy Habits For A Busy Lifestyle

Have you noticed that it’s when you’re in a really stressful period, and out of nowhere you start feeling that tickle in the back of your throat? That slight body shiver? You know immediately what’s coming, but there’s no time to waste taking a day off work for the flu.

That report on last quarter’s sales is due, the kids need school supplies, the cars licence disc needs renewal, and the list goes on. Our bodies are not built for the amount of stress we put ourselves through nowadays, and so when things become super chaotic, suddenly flu.

Slow It Down

As we can’t entirely eliminate the stress, as the bills need to get paid, what we can do is manage and minimize stress. First off is doing our best to ensure we are healthy, in body and mind. Once we become too stressed, our immune systems weaken, and illness creeps in. If there was a magic silver bullet, we’d all be completely fit and healthy all the time, never age, and how boring would that be right? Right?

Well, we can only do what we can, and so we at Body20 have drawn up a list of habits and focal points to try balance out the chaos and give back to ourselves to maximise our bodies defences against unwanted surprises.

Try incorporating the following habits into your lifestyle, you don’t need to make major changes. Small steps, and build up gradually:

• Drink plenty water – 6-8 glasses.
• Exercise daily, even if it’s a brisk walk to get your heart rate up.
• Take a daily vitamin supplement – don’t overdo it, a multi-vitamin is all you’ll need.
• Spend at least one to two hours outdoors a week, recent studies have proved this to be essential. The American Psychological Association has even found this to improve your cognition.
• Manage your expected stresses by doing your best to schedule and plan your week ahead.
• Avoid social media as best you can, and maybe start an online course in something you’ve always had an interest in, there are many sites to look at, such as Udemy or Skillshare.
• Try including in your schedule small, attainable goals, you will feel incredibly successful as you move through your list.
• Aim for at least eight hours of sleep a night.

If you feel the cold or flu symptoms starting to appear, try the following as soon as you can:

• Increase your intake of Vitamins C, B, D, Zinc and Echinacea to help boost the immune system and fight illness.
• Drink plenty of hot water with lemon and honey, green tea, or eat chicken soup to help relieve congestion and dehydration, it’s not just an old wives remedy.
• Increase your intake of fresh fruit, vegetables, herbs, and spices.
• Avoid sugary food and drinks and heavily processed or oily food.
• Increase your intake of good fats such as olive oil, coconut oil, seed, and nuts.
• Take a good probiotic to help keep your gut regular. Also try sauerkraut, kefir, and plain yoghurt, as well as ensuring you are eating plenty fibre.

Motivation Tip:

A technique that can be used with great success to change my mindset in any traumatic or stressful situation is the ten positives technique. In any challenging situation, ask yourself: What is my attitude at this very moment? Do I know that I can change it? Take a deep breath and ask yourself which ten positive things may result from this situation and write them down. Even when not stressed, try to do this at least once a week. Going back after the year is a wonderful way to see how much good has happened over the year.

Body20 is an all-encompassing, holistic approach to physical, and mental well-being. The mind & body are an ecosystem, and we understand the value of taking care of it all.

Body20 Members get access to Nutrition Doctors and Wellness Coaches to assist in improving the quality of their lives. To find out more, book your free demo at your nearest Body20 Studio.