5 Ways To Improve Your Health Today

People like lists, right? We like things that are actionable immediately? This is a to-do list of items that, when practiced regularly, can have a profound effect on our health. This list is not sophisticated or individualized or all-inclusive but it is a great place to start.

1. Eat real food
   • If it has an ingredient list, comes in a bag or a box ready to eat… don’t eat it.
   • Fill half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables, the other half is split between protein, healthy fat, and a nutrient dense starch (ie sweet potato, squash).
   • Eliminate processed and refined sugars and grains.
   • Eliminate industrial seed oils (ie canola, vegetable, soybean) in favor of heart healthy oils (ie Olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil).
2. Prioritize 7-9 hours of sleep
   • Practice good sleep hygiene in a dark, cool, room, free from technology.
   • Soothing bedtime routine, like a bath, book, journaling and breathing.
   • Go to bed at the same bedtime and wake up at the same time regardless of the day of the week.
3. Move your body
   • Get at least 30 min of physical activity every day, ideally outside.
   • Get up and move for a few minutes for every 2 hours of sitting (ie squats, jumping jacks, pushups, walking)
4. Connect with nature
   • Let the sun hit your eyes first thing in the morning.
   • Spend time outside noticing the sky, trees, birds, smells, and feel of the breeze.
5. Connect with your community
   • Make plans to socialize, phone a friend or family member, wave to your neighbor.

These are things that draw on our biology as humans living in a mismatch with our environment and cultural expectations. Try them out and let me know how it goes.