Healthy Habits for 2014 and Beyond

Hello there, and welcome to my first post on my new blog!  I am a Registered Nurse, Life Coach, and a Holistic Nutrition Specialist.  I am passionate about becoming and staying healthy, and want to pass that on to others.  I thought I would start the new year off by posting some habits that if you adopt, will surely improve your health.  So let's get started...

DRINK MORE WATER
I know you have heard this one before, but drinking enough water is essential for our health.  Almost every reaction that takes place in our bodies uses water.  It is what makes up about 2/3 of our body, and without enough water, we can't have optimum health.  Sure, we can function in a slightly dehydrated state, but we can't thrive.  We are talking optimum health here, and drinking enough water will get you on the right track.  If you only make one change, this should be it.
Here is a basic way to figure out how much water you should consume daily.  Divide your weight in pounds by 2.  This is the number of ounces you should start out drinking.  If you live in a dry or extremely hot or cold environment, live at higher altitudes, exercise, are pregnant or breastfeeding, you may need to add more ounces to keep up with your body's needs.  For example, I weigh 126 pounds.  126/2 = 63.  I should be drinking at least 63 ounces every day.  Since I live at altitude, it is cold and dry now, and I exercise, I need to add a few more ounces.  You will know you are drinking enough water when your urine is very light yellow.  If it is darker than that, increase your water intake.
Start out by slowly increasing your water intake, and drink it throughout the day, not all at once.  It is ok and probably better, to take a few days or a week to let your body adjust to the higher volume of water you will be consuming.

JUST SAY NO TO PROCESSED FOODS
This one may be a little more difficult to do, but I guarantee you will see an improvement in your health and the way you feel if you ditch the processed foods.   Whole books have been written on this subject, so it would be exhaustive to go into all the details in this post, but take my word for it...there are no nutrients in processed foods that you can't get from whole foods.  Processed foods contain all kinds of artificial ingredients (colors and flavors), preservatives, lots of added sugars and salt, not to mention all the derivatives of genetically modified corn, soy, and cottonseed, that we don't even know what we are eating. (Read-BAD for you!)   Our bodies sees these ingredients as toxins, and can't function optimally when they are constantly trying to detoxify.
During your transition to eliminate processed foods, replace the traditional ones with healthier organic options.  Read the labels, and make sure you are not buying anything that contains artificial ingredients.  Reduce your intake and replace processed food snacks with fresh whole foods like fruits and veggies.  Which leads to the next healthy habit...

EAT YOUR VEGGIES (and FRUITS)
Your Mom was right.  Vegetables are good for you, and will help you grow big and strong!  If you are like most Americans, you aren't eating enough fresh fruits and veggies.  Nothing is more nutrition packed than fresh produce.  This is where you are going to get the most bang for your buck as far as vitamins and minerals are concerned.  No artificial ingredients, preservatives, added sugars or salts.   Just pure nutritious goodness.
Try to eat dark leafy greens at least once a day.  (And no, iceberg lettuce does not count as a dark leafy green!)  These are the greens that are green.  If it is green, it counts!  Eat more greens!
Fruits tend to get a bad rap because they contain sugar.  Critics say sugar is sugar, and while that has an element of truth, not all sugars are created equal.  Fruits contain fructose, and yes, that is a type of sugar.  But it is not a refined sugar, the type of sugar you should stay away from.  When you eat a fruit, you are also getting lots of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and water that your body needs.  When you eat a refined sugar, you are not getting any nutrition, just empty calories.  So do what your Mom says, and eat your fruit!

DITCH THE ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS
Doesn't the word "artificial" raise a red flag?  Stop polluting your body with artificial ingredients!  You may not be getting any calories when you consume foods/drinks that are sweetened artificially, but your body reacts to artificial sweeteners the same way it reacts to real sugar.  It triggers your body's insulin response, and some studies show this may lead to the development of diabetes.  Not to mention the fact that you are filling your precious body with another toxin.

FAD DIETS BE GONE!
In my opinion, the best "diet" to go on is one that actually works...a whole foods based diet.  This is not so much a diet in the traditional sense of elimination and deprivation, but one in which you eat mostly whole foods.  These are the foods that you can eat like you just picked them from your own garden or tree or plant.  Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and beans.  There are no calories to count, carbs to avoid or excess protein to consume.  Just pure, healthy, nutritious food the way Mother Nature intended it to be.  Your body will respond with more energy, less illness, and you will feel more alive than ever before.  I know this to be true.  :)
When most of what you eat is healthy and nutritious, you will find yourself craving less of the processed 'junk'.  Your body will want you to eat healthy foods, and you will feel much better.  Indulging your desire for a processed treat may make you realize you don't even like it anymore!

MOVE IT, MOVE IT, MOVE IT...YOU'VE GOT TO...MOVE IT!
It's as simple as that...move it!  Increase your activity, and you will see the benefits.  Whether you join a gym, do yoga in your living room, go for a walk at lunch, or train for a marathon, movement does your body good.
We all know this to be true, but find it difficult to find the time to "exercise".  Adopting the thought to be active is a much more positive attitude and doesn't have the negative connotations associated with the word "exercise".  Make little adjustments to your daily routines at first if you need to.  Park farther away from the store front, take the stairs instead of the elevator.  If you have a desk job, get up and stretch or go for a walk around the office every hour.  Baby steps will get you started, and you will be on the road to better health.

LOVE YOURSELF
I saved this one for last, but it is probably the most important one of all.  Without self love, where are you?  Do you hate something about the way you are?  What good is it doing you to hate it?  Love yourself.  Tell yourself you are perfect just the way you are.  If there is something you want to change, that is ok, but know that where you are right now is where you are right now, wanting that change for the better.  And where is a more perfect place to be?  Love yourself.  Embrace the beauty of who you are.  Know that you are perfect, right now, in this moment.  Then smile.  :)

If you made it this far, thanks for sticking with me.  I know all these things work, because I adopted them myself just last year.  It sounds cliche to say I feel better, have more energy, sleep better, have a flat stomach, yadda, yadda, yadda, but it is true.  I have adopted a healthy lifestyle attitude, and it has worked for me.  It hasn't always been easy, but it can be done.  I hope it works for you, too.

In Wellness,
K