One Healthy Thing-Week Three
It’s almost the middle of January and look at you! You’re glowing with the spark that comes from becoming a proactive creator of your own health and wellness.
With you well on your way, you’re seeing how the little things add up to creating a wholly healthy you. No magic, no rainbows or unicorns or wishful thinking. No ‘what if…’ Simple, logical steps you’re taking to get your act firmly together.
As we move into week three, it’s time to raise the bar, up the ante, so to speak. This week’s tips take us from the kitchen to other parts of life that, with simple tweaks, will change your health once again.
Because here’s the thing. Now…this moment is what really matters. Resolutions, plans, the future…none of that is promised us. And the past? Well, baby, that ship has sailed. We have now and nothing more. So each day, each step we take in the moment can change our lives.
It’s time we are inspired by what is and not made anxious by what we might have or be. We must celebrate what we have created in life. It’s not revolutionary, this ‘one healthy thing’ idea we have going this month. For me it was about helping us all (me included) to remember that what we do today counts. So if we can all do ‘one healthy thing,’ well, we’re on to something big for ourselves.
I don’t know about you, but all I want is to be happy, well and to do good work that makes a positive impact on the world. Let’s skip the 5-year plans and live in the now, doing our best today, even if it’s eating nuts more often or sipping green tea, reading labels or opening the windows to refresh the air in our homes. Keeping things simple and living as much as possible in the now allows us to make our lives better now, rather than anticipating how our lives will be if…if…if.
Bask in the satisfaction of how far you’ve come, even if it’s just been these weeks of doing one healthy thing a day for yourself. Appreciate where you are every day so you notice the little victories each day that make life worth living. Let gratitude drive your moments so you don’t miss a thing.
In that spirit, here’s to you…and to another week of taking care of yourself in the now, in the moment stringing together one healthy thing after another to create one healthy life.
Week 3 Tips:
January 12: Eat Nuts
While a bit calorically dense, nuts provide concentrated nutrition to fuel a healthy and active lifestyle. From healthy fats to fiver and protein, nuts are a great snack to increase stamina. And, just a little goes a long way. This Lentil Waldorf Salad is great and so easy to make. Deeply nourishing because of lentils and nuts, this main course is so delicious, no one will care that it’s good for them!
January 13: Reduce Sugar
Eating sugar is not the problem. It’s the amount of sugar we that is the problem…125-150 pounds per person a year, not to put too fine a point on it. But, you don’t have to go cold turkey. Just eat less of it. Replace a serving of candy or cookies or other dessert with fresh fruit. Switch from milk chocolate to dark chocolate. Move from table sugar to coconut sugar.
January 14: Eat An Apple
The old saying turns out to be true. An apple a day just might keep the doctor away. Loaded with vitamin c, fiber and pectin, apples are nature’s way of protecting our hearts and boosting our immune function. Not only yummy and easy to make, these Cinnamon Braised Apples cover all your bases covered. With cinnamon to balance blood sugar, pectin in apples for your heart health and Vitamin C for immune supercharging, can one dish get any better?
January 15: Drink Green Tea
Green tea is so good for us, some researchers are raving. Loaded with catechins (antioxidants that prevent cell damage), this delicious tea helps lower cholesterol, reduce blood pressure, promotes the growth of healthy cells and helps stabilize blood sugar. And relaxing? Simply brew a cup and chill out.
January 16: Open the Window
Just 10 minutes a day of fresh air circulating through our homes can help improve our health, focus and immune function. Even on the coldest…or hottest days, be sure to refresh the air in our home by throwing open the windows!
January 17: Read Labels
Essential to health, reading labels help us make the best choices our wallet will allow. A quick rule of thumb. If we can’t pronounce an ingredient on a label, don’t understand what it is or what it does…or if our grandmother would eat it…we might want to look at another option for that product. And remember, the fewer ingredients, the more wholesome the product.
January 18: Make Soup
Eating soup has more benefits than we can count. Its high water content helps us feel full so we eat less in a meal that begins with soup. Soup keeps us warm in winter and cool in summer. It’s a great way to add veggies to your diet. They are easy to make. Variety is limited only by what you can imagine or like. The nutrients from the ingredients are more efficiently assimilated in this warm liquid form. And did I mention they are easy to make? Simple, elegant and completely delicious, this Split Pea Cauliflower Bisque will help set your feet on the path to health and wellness.
