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Setting New Year Intentions

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The start of a new year is often an exciting time and an opportunity for reflection as many of us look back on the year prior and evaluate what worked (and what may not have). However, it can potentially bring an overwhelming feeling of stress about how we can be better moving forward. Changing your lifestyle is about baby steps, so follow these tips to create healthy habits that last.

Recognize your achievements

Upon reflecting on the past year, it can be easy to look down on yourself for fallbacks. But it’s important to remember how far you’ve come already. Perhaps a year ago you didn’t drink as much water or take frequent enough walks. Take note of the achievements you’ve made — no matter how small. Doing so will empower you to take more steps towards your end goal. Remember: change is not possible overnight, so the progress you made in 2021 is important to acknowledge.

Be intentional

As you start setting goals for the new year, think short and long term. There are 365 days for you to get that much closer to the best version of yourself. You may try breaking the year into chunks — perhaps in three-month increments. This will help you see your goals more clearly and make them more attainable.

For example, from January to March, you may strive towards 8 cups of water each day. From April to June, introduce a new exercise routine 3-5 days per week. During the months of July through September, motivate yourself to improve your gut health. Then close out the year by practicing meditation or journaling every day before bed. There are plenty of fun ways to prioritize a healthy lifestyle, so don’t be afraid to get creative with your approach.

Give yourself some grace

There will be days when you don’t eat enough vegetables or skip a workout, but that doesn’t mean you’re not on your way to a better lifestyle. Several things can get in the way of our health journey, including lack of sleep, financial concerns, problems at work, or trouble at home. Occasional slip-ups are part of the process, so when they happen, give yourself some grace. It won’t take long for your consistent practices to become habits. And the healthier you become physically and mentally, the more resilient you are to handle life stressors.

 

Ready to bring balance and vitality back into your life? Connect with us online or give us a call 901-312-7899.

What You Need to Know About Bladder Health

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Talking about bladder health may feel embarrassing at first, but managing it has never been more important. As we approach National Bladder Health Awareness Month, take the opportunity to get educated on the prevention, detection, and treatment of urologic diseases. Common conditions like overactive bladder and urinary tract infections affect millions of people every day. But following three simple steps can help you regain control of your bladder health and bring vitality back into your life.

Modify your lifestyle

Everyone’s bodies are different, so their lifestyles should be too. But a few rules of thumb remain true across the board: Drink more water, eat less red meat, introduce more greens. Consuming 6 cups of water per day can prevent kidney stones and watching what you eat is always essential. One idea that’s often overlooked is to get familiar with your family history. How much do you know about your father’s background? What about your grandmother’s health journey? Some urological issues can be impacted by smoking, such as kidney cancer or kidney stones. But others can be hereditary and sometimes preventable. Knowing where you stand will help you recognize the signs of any issues and get ahead of them.

Manage your stress

Did you know that managing your blood pressure can help decrease your risk of kidney disease? Our kidneys are vital to filtering waste and excess fluid from the blood and when they’re performing poorly, a potentially dangerous amount can build up in the body. Although because many symptoms develop over time, you may not be diagnosed until it’s too late. If you encounter frequent stress at work or at home, one way to prevent kidney disease is by finding healthy ways to cope with that stress. Mindfulness meditation — the practice of focusing your attention on your breath and the present moment — helps lower stress hormones and your blood pressure.

Prioritize exercise

A healthy heart can promote a healthy urologic system. That means getting 30 minutes of movement each day, at least 5 days a week. But don’t worry, it doesn’t take an expensive gym membership or high-intensity interval training to get the job done. There are plenty of ways to exercise at home or outside. Yoga in your bedroom when you first wake up, walking around your neighborhood before dinner, or doing chores around the house all “counts” as movement. Try to make it intentional, perhaps even bringing your significant other in on the fun.

Ready to bring balance and vitality back into your life? Connect with us online or give us a call 901-312-7899.

Healthy Together: How to Build a Lifestyle You and Your Partner Can Stick to

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If you’ve ever been inspired by a friend or colleague to get healthy, you know how exciting it can be to begin your own health journey. That initial inspiration can be enough to get started, but it’s not always enough to keep you going. Whether it’s a lack of resources or time or a lack of motivation, we’ve all been there. That’s what makes accountability and adaptability essential. 

Accountability

Research shows that if we have someone alongside us cooking healthy meals or working out, we’ll experience a higher chance of long-term success — not only in reaching but maintaining our health goals. If you’re inspired to follow a healthy lifestyle and have someone to hold you accountable, you’re much more likely to go to that workout class, or cook dinner instead of ordering takeout. It starts with creating a plan and having a reliable partner you can lean on for support. Work together to meal prep every Tuesday, or sign up for the same boot camp class on Saturday mornings. When you know someone — in this case, a loved one — is depending on you, you feel more inclined to show up for them. As a result, you show up for yourself. Not only that but spending time building healthy habits together will strengthen your relationship emotionally and build stronger connections with one another. 

Adaptability

There will be days when you don’t have time to exercise, or nights out with friends that don’t necessarily provide healthy meal options. This is perfectly okay! Be willing to adapt in ways that work best for you and your partner based on the unique circumstances that may come your way. The key is setting those boundaries ahead of time. Make note of any upcoming travel, hectic work weeks, etc. so you can plan ahead. Choose one day per week to give yourself some grace. Or have plan B’s for occasional slip-ups with your diet so you can easily shift.

Ready to bring balance and vitality back into your life? Connect with us online or give us a call at 901-312-7899.

Your Health Guide to Summer

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After spending several months self-quarantining at home, it’s no surprise that we’re all a bit anxious to get outside and enjoy the summer. But warmer temperatures can bring a few challenges when it comes to our health, so it’s important to get prepared in order to look and feel our best all summer long.

Protect your skin

Spending time in the sun can help your body produce vitamin D, but too much of it can cause skin damage and potentially cancer. As a precautionary measure, it’s important to limit your exposure to the sun as best you can. This may mean wearing a swimsuit covering when you’re not in the pool or tossing on a hat and 100% UV protection sunglasses before your afternoon walk.

Did you know that not all sunscreens have the same ingredients? Whether you shop at your local grocery store or online, it’s difficult to know what to look for and which to avoid. And while it’s easy to grab the inexpensive bottle, that doesn’t mean it’s always the safest. For instance, some brands may include harmful chemicals that irritate the skin more than they protect it. When choosing a product, avoid any added fragrances or parabens. What you want to look for bottles with zinc oxide as the main active ingredient and a high SPF. Remember, what goes on your skin goes into your body.

Get Moving

Regular exercise promotes heart health, strengthens muscles and joints, and improves your balance and coordination. But if your gym hasn’t opened back up yet, or you’re still concerned about social distancing, you may not know where to start. Thankfully, as the temperature gets warmer, it’s easier to get moving outdoors. Not only does outdoor activity promote your physical health, it also helps reduce stress and anxiety, fight depression, and promote wellbeing.

Whether you prefer hiking, playing tag in the backyard with your grandkids, or swimming laps in the pool — make it a goal to move your body for 30 minutes a day, and do so safely.  This means following the tips listed above, like reapplying sunscreen regularly, wearing proper clothing, and drinking plenty of water before, during, and after exercise. Aim to get activities like gardening or mowing the lawn out of the way before noon or after 3 pm, when the sunlight isn’t as intense.

Eat right and stay hydrated

Summer goes by fast, so you don’t want the primary focus to be on your eating habits. However, it’s important to find a happy medium between deprivation and overconsumption. If you’re like most of us, the Saturday barbecue at your neighbor’s house can very quickly turn into an all-day food and beverage buffet. You don’t want to skip any social get-togethers, but you do want to plan ahead.

The trick is not to show up to an event hungry, as you’re more likely to overeat that way. Instead, eat a snack before you go that’s packed with veggies, protein, healthy fats, and fiber. Once you get to the event, you can treat yourself to a small helping of your favorite dish without feeling like you overindulged. Don’t deprive yourself, just focus on balance.

Whether you’re consuming alcoholic beverages or not, make it a habit to sip on water throughout the day — especially if you’re out in the sun. For low-calorie flavor, you may add slices of cucumber or your favorite fruit to a water pitcher in the refrigerator. And if you do consume alcohol, find mixers that aren’t high in processed sugar and never drink on an empty stomach. Additionally, be sure to snack on foods that promote liver health like almonds, broccoli, and blueberries.

Please contact us to learn more about bringing balance and vitality back to your life.

How to Detox Your Body Naturally

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During the stay-at-home order, we all had to make significant adjustments to our lifestyle. Between being unable to go to the gym and limiting our trips to the grocery, take-out may have become the new normal and our exercise routines likely took a back seat. Understandably, self-isolation has been a hindrance to our health. If you’re struggling with stress eating or simply want to hit your body’s reset button, a natural detox may be just what you’re looking for.

What is a detox and how does it work?

For some people, the term “detox” brings a feeling of skepticism. But it’s not nearly as intimidating as you may think. Detoxification has been practiced for decades as a way to cleanse the body. While your body can naturally filter blood, process nutrients, and remove toxins on its own through the liver (among other organs), a detox can help support this process. Here is a list of a few of the health benefits you may experience during and after a detox:

  • Increased energy and less fatigue
  • A stronger immune system
  • Clearer skin and healthier hair
  • More balanced hormones (ie. less frequent mood swings, headaches, etc.)
  • Improved digestion

How do I detox naturally?

A common misconception about detoxification is that you have to drink green juice all day to reap the health benefits. Like anything else, a detox can be taken to the extreme by fasting, juicing, food restricting and consuming an excessive amount of supplements. But don’t let these deter you from trying. Here are six simple and natural ways to detox the body:

  • Eliminate food and beverages that irritate the gut. This includes caffeine, gluten, alcohol, saturated fats, and processed sugar. The first few days may be difficult, but after a week, your body will start to adapt. Try removing these products from your diet for 21-30 days.
  • Introduce more anti-inflammatory foods into your diet that are high in antioxidants, like broccoli, kale, grapefruit, avocados, and cauliflower. This can be an exciting opportunity to get creative in the kitchen and try new recipes throughout the week.
  • Drink a glass of warm water with fresh lemon as soon as you wake up in the morning and continue to stay hydrated throughout the day. If you normally start your day with coffee, opt for green tea instead. This will contribute to clearer skin, better digestion, and stronger joints.
  • Move your body. As the weather gets warmer, there will be plenty of ways to get fit outdoors. Whether it’s yoga in the park or a jog around your neighborhood, sweating is a great way to detox the lymphatic system.
  • As long as you’re removing the toxins from your body, you might as well work on cleansing your mind as well. Yoga, meditation, or journaling are great tools to help you focus on your mental health, remove negative thought patterns, and restore your mind.
  • Soak in the tub for 15 minutes before bed. For added relaxation, drop in a 1/2 cup of baking soda, a few tablespoons of ground ginger, 1 cup of Epsom salt, and 5-10 drops of essential oil.

Above all else, it’s important to practice detoxification safely. If you have questions, please reach out to your holistic health practitioner or medical physician. Please contact us to learn more about bringing balance and vitality back to your life.