HEALTHTASTIC 2023!

10 Tips for a Healthier Year, a Sexier You 

By Jennica Anusua

Self-care is not a passive pursuit. Leaning into a health-care plan doesn’t have to be overwhelming, either. Remember the lockdown? That entire year reminded us that health was not only important, necessary, and precious, but it also forced us to spend more time inside and away from others. 

Now that we are beginning to re-integrate into the outside world, we can begin to think critically about how we take care of ourselves while leading busy lives. More dialogue is emerging that reminds us that our health is not just integral to our overall well-being, but it is something we can and should be addressing daily. 

Here are 10 easy, adaptable, and daily things to improve and focus on your health this year. 

Harness Your Sense of Direction (aka, Set Goals). This can sometimes feel daunting, but setting goals incentivizes you to dedicate your focus and attention – and staying healthy. Accomplishment is a self-fulfilling prophecy: once you hit that first goal, you’ll want more of that positive feeling.

Drink water (Accessorizing Opportunity, too!). This seems so obvious, but when was the last time you tracked or noticed how much water you were consuming? A great way to stay hydrated is to always keep a water bottle nearby. That means personal ‘hydration stations’ for work, car, backpack, purse, and home office. Maybe you can decorate yours with lovely stickers to incentivize yourself to keep it close. If you want to put one on a chain around your neck, that’s OK, too.

Exercise regularly and reduce idle sitting time. Research has shown that those who sat for more than eight hours a day with no physical activity had a risk of dying similar to that posed by obesity and smoking. Put another way: staying seated increases mortality. Wow! Even if you just need to stretch your legs or have a chance to get outside - find ways to keep your body moving. Set an alarm, if necessary. Or find another sort of reminder to stand up, move around.

GET ENOUGH SLEEP. See those all-capital letters? Yeah - this one’s a big deal. Sleep is vital to your mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. The average adult requires 7.5 to 8.5 hours of good sleep per night. During sleep your body is working to maintain healthy brain function and processes, and maintain the physical health you are aiming for in your waking hours. 

Moderate your inputs. Drink alcohol and enjoy other substances in moderation. This can feel like micromanaging yourself, but we definitely want to remind you that your body uses and runs on what you put in it. Have a great time and enjoy life but do make sure to balance with water and whole foods too!

“Give yourself a chance to slow down your breathing and re-center.”

Practice breathing and rest. It is no secret by now that your breathing is an integral part of your body’s health and regulation. Give yourself a chance to slow down your breathing and re-center. This can help in times of stress, but also reduce how elevated you become when stressful moments arise. Rest is just as important as the hustle. 

Start journaling. This could be good for meal planning and prep, tracking your exercise goals, creative work and/or mental and emotional health updates. Writing helps to cement things in your mind, and it allows you to return for reflection. When we see how far we have come it is a cause for more celebration and self-love!

Eat in a way that is healthy and makes you happy. Far too often we are told to diet in order to find happiness and a healthy relationship with our bodies. Let this be the reminder that you are able to eat in a healthy way, and you CAN and should enjoy the occasional treat when you feel like it fits in with your life. Don’t let food become your enemy!

Take phone and social media breaks. Studies have found that limiting social media use for a week improved well-being by preventing sleep problems in young adults, and that students who took social media breaks reported positive shifts in mood, reduced anxiety, and improved sleep within days of a social media break. Our brains and bodies were not designed to be staring at screens and being constantly connected to apps. 

Limit UV exposure and wear sunscreen. The sun is our friend, and our foe. We all need sun exposure to get Vitamin D, but we also know that UV rays can cause damage to the skin, eyes and immune system. In order to enjoy the sun without overdosing on UV rays, it is best to have sunscreen, protective lip balm, and to monitor your time in the sun. It is also important to note what medications you are taking (including over-the-counter medications) to see if they cause sun sensitivity. Being careful with sun exposure is a great way to keep youthful healthy skin and prevent skin cancer. 

Ten is not only a nice, round number, but it’s also an attainable number of daily goals that lead to healthier, happier, satisfying, and positive lifestyles.

Photos by Rich Lego @richlegg