I’m regularly asked by patients for health tips that work for me. The majority of my recommendations involve ways to care for ourselves physically, nutritionally and mentally. Here, in no particular order are some of my favorites:
1. Exercise at least 3 times a week. Regardless of your schedule, you have the time.
2. Get more active. Overall try to do more physical things like running, walking, hiking or even just working outside. Before settling into a full day on the couch to relax, get out and do something because you’ll feel much better.
3. Implement posture “check points”. Most of us slouch while we work at computers, drive our cars, and sit or stand for longer periods of time. Train yourself to check your posture every so often. I used to slouch badly while driving and over time trained myself to sit up straighter anytime I came to a stoplight or stop sign.
4. Eliminate as many processed foods as you can. If it comes in a box and has ingredients you couldn’t understand with a Google search, you’ll want to avoid it.
5. Eat more foods WITH an expiration date. Following along with #4, try to increase fruits, vegetables, healthy meats and more. Foods that spoil quickly do so for a reason, they’re fresh and better for you!
6. Drink better beverages. Our country has an epidemic of unhealthy drinks from alcohol to soda to energy drinks. There’s too much material to cover in a sentence but my advice is to focus on drinking more water and far less coffee, alcohol, sugary or artificially sweetened drinks.
7. Set specific goals. Whether it’s a to-do list for the day, financial goals for the year or signing up for a race in 3 months, your results are always better when you set goals. Once you have the ultimate goal in mind it becomes much easier to plan small action steps to achieve it.
8. Stop complaining. I have yet to read a biography about a person that complained their way to the top. People that do well in any field or task are those that problem solve, take responsibility and overcome obstacles.
9. Be diverse. We all have several roles to play – spouse, parent, employee, etc, etc. The most interesting people are those that don’t paint themselves into one corner. Personally I love my work but make time for play, I enjoy my 2 sons but also like spending time with friends, love physically demanding exercise but enjoy reading and relaxing too. The bottom line is that it’s good to wear a variety of hats proudly and not let your life just become about one thing.
10. Use the help of experts. As a chiropractor, I help people alleviate their pain and improve their health by ensuring their nerves are working properly. Other recommendations I make to my patients (depending on their needs) include seeing acupuncturists, massage therapists, personal trainers, psychologists and other health specialists.
For more information visit www.NewBodyChiro.com, find us on Facebook (New Body Chiropractic and Wellness Center) or call (303) 347-9906.