Changing your lifestyle is very difficult to do. It takes discipline, planning, and requires accountability for the changes to stick. While there are no shortcuts in life, the following are a few easy to implement changes that can make dramatic changes in your health right away.
1. Get Some Sun in the Mornings
Exposing our bodies to sunlight first thing in the morning promotes the production of melatonin in the eye and brain. You likely know that melatonin helps regulate our sleep cycle, but did you know it is also a powerful antioxidant? Morning sunlight promotes cell autophagy and ultimately leads to increased natural energy and decreased risk of disease! Even a 10 minute walk in the sunlight (skip the sunglasses) will boost melatonin levels and could lead to better day and a longer life.
2. Drink Alkaline Water
Alkaline water is high in minerals such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium. If you are active, this water is fantastic to replenish your system. For sedentary people, this water could potentially help balance the pH in your blood. If you can get this water from a natural source such as a spring or well in your community even better! Bottom line: Alkaline water has benefits for all types of people and you should be drinking it at least in addition to tap/bottled water.
3. Wear Blue Light Blocking Glasses at Night
The blue light that is emitted from screens disrupts our natural sleep cycles. Our brain processes this light as daylight and tells our body "WAKE UP! ITS DAYTIME!". You can invest $15 in a pair of blue light blockers and throw them on whenever it is dark out and you are scrolling through your phone or watching the tube. This is a very simple way to help regulate one of your most important systems: Sleep.
4. Drink Half of Your Body Weight (Lbs) in Water (Oz) Every Day
Our bodies NEED water to operate. Our brain, our cells, our tissues, the list goes on. If you wake up in a dehydrated state and don't drink enough water, your body will flat out not function properly. When we wake up, we are in a dehydrated state. 1/4 of your daily intake should be drank right when you wake up so your system can begin functioning in an optimal state. How hard is it to chug 2 glasses of water when you wake up?!
Example: If you weight 160 lbs, you should be drinking a minimum of 80 oz of water per day. 20 oz should be drank upon waking up.
Eat Well, Sleep Well, and Move Well!
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