New beginnings in 2013

With Christmas festivities now merging into New Years Eve celebrations, it is likely that many of us are beginning to think about the possibilities 2013 holds.

From a health perspective, we can keep it simple … and achievable. Ask yourself honestly if your diet and lifestyle are working for you, and also what would make you truly happy. If you want to make serious inroads into your goals, you want a sound, calm, energised base from which to work, meaning these things really need to be in order. The ticking over of the calendar is as good a time as any to begin working toward improving your sense of well being in a deep, sustainable way.

Once you pinpoint the areas for improvement, think about steps you can take to make positive changes. Remember to be flexible with these steps as you go, because sometimes your best intentions don’t always go to plan …

Here are 10 steps that spring to mind to get the ball rolling toward a peaceful, healthy and sustainable way of life for your whole family:

1. Increase your intake of fresh, seasonal, nutrient-dense whole foods –  real food delivers the body what it requires in order to refuel, heal, stay young and healthy, while also invigorating the immune system. Remember, food is your medicine.
2. Minimise processed food – our body was not designed to eat these products, which are seriously deficient in beneficial nutrients, contain high levels of sodium, trans fats, sugar and artificial colours, and are full of preservatives.
3. Minimise sugar intake – especially refined sugar, which can be found in  soft drinks, cakes and sweets. Excessive sugar consumption can lead to diabetes, obesity, tooth decay and other health issues.
4. Exercise – schedule a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise most days. It can be as pedestrian as walking, or as intense as crossfit-style training. Five sessions is a number associated with beneficial effects on depression, and it certainly keeps you energised, with other positive effects on your weight, sleep, and mood. It also reduces your risk of developing disease.
5. Rest & Relaxation – the other side of exercise. The body needs to rehydrate and repair muscle to ensure it burns fats and calories and not muscle. Just ask any athlete! By deep breathing, yoga, listening to music, tai chi or massage we can improve our overall physical and emotional health. Specifically, it can reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep and reduce chronic pain.
6. Nature – Being out in nature and putting your bare feet on the earth reduces anxiety and/or depression, increases Vitamin D intake, improves sleep and gives us a break from technology.
7. Play – especially with our kids. Whether it’s a board game, craft or sport in the backyard, once again we can escape the gravitational pull of TV and gadgets. Bonding increases our children’s confidence by making them feel important and loved, and helps develops their social skills. Oh, and it’s fun!
8. Hydration – we should be drinking 8-10 glasses a day. Proper hydration helps the digestive system, rids of the body of waste, improves metabolic processes and flushes out toxins.
9. Support – the best way to ensure the success of your resolutions is to have support from family and friends, but feel free to develop the hard edge required to get it done on your own! If you feel the need, reach out to groups or to a health coach who can support and guide you, step-by-step, to achieve your goals.
10. Purpose – it is important for self esteem and confidence to continue growing as a person. Having a purpose or goal (family or business-related) keeps your outlook positive and focussed on improvement. It also gives you regular feedback and satisfaction.

Contact me today to find out how I can support you to achieve your goals.

All my best wishes for the New Year!

Salute,

Bren x