10 Steps to a Flawless Day

0 Processed Foods

Eat less from a box, and more from the earth. If a “food” is full of ingredients you can’t even pronounce, it’s probably best to avoid it. Processed foods are stripped of the fiber, vitamins, and enzymes that would usually assist in their digestion, making it harder for your body to them break down. Eating fresh, whole foods is surprisingly affordable and delicious!
Next time you need a snack, challenge yourself to pass up the packaged food and grab something you could have picked from a garden.

1 Hour of Exercise

Driving to work, sitting at a desk all day, driving home, sitting and watching evening television. For some, the amount of sitting throughout the day versus the amount you stand, walk, climb stairs, etc. can be alarming. Experts have linked higher heart disease, diabetes, and even specific cancers such as colon cancer to our sedentary lifestyles. Exercise speeds up metabolism, increases the release of feel good endorphins, and boosts immunity! Put down the remote, call up a friend and go for a walk, run some stairs, throw around a Frisbee, play tag with your kids! The opportunities for a fun workout are endless.

2 Cups of Herbal Tea

There is rarely a bad time for a cup of tea. Herbal teas are lovely and nourishing to your body. You can choose a green tea for an afternoon pick me up rather than a cup of coffee. Or instead of tossing and turning at night with monkey chatter in your head, try a nerve tonic tea such as chamomile or lemon balm to help you slip into a sound sleep. You can even “drink your multivitamin” through herbal teas. Plants such as nettle, oat straw, and alfalfa have high vitamin and mineral content to help fill your dietary needs.

3 Moments of Gratitude
Stop what you’re doing and think what you have to be thankful for. Gratitude is relative but finding small things to be grateful for can help change the way you scan the world. Instead of getting in that habit of viewing the world around you with a pessimistic lens, stop 3 times a day and reflect on something or someone that you feel blessed to have.

4 Screen Breaks

Do you ever feel like the screens of all of our electronics are energy sucking vortexes? Life today demands a certain amount of exposure to screens; it’s very hard to avoid them completely. But as for anything, moderation is key. An over abundance of screen time has been linked with sleeping issues, bad posture, weight gain, lack of social skills, and diminishing eye sight. Make sure to stop 5 times a day and give your body a break; stretch, walk, breathe.

5 Hugs

Love is essential to humans and is often called the strongest force in the universe. Giving and receiving affection has been well studied for its positive effects on human health. Hugs are just one of the many forms of affection that trigger the pituitary to release the “love hormone” oxytocin which has a cascade of health positive benefits. And guess what? It’s free for you to give! Squeeze your kids, your siblings, your parent, co-works, friends, heck squeeze a stranger!
The world would be a much better place if we all gave 5 hugs a day.

6 Smiles for Strangers

There is something so uplifting about smiling at a stranger and them smiling back. You have no idea who that person is, what they do, what’s going on in their lives at that moment, yet you still made a connection. For all you know, that could have been the first acknowledgment they’ve gotten in days! Start the contagious spread of smiling today  🙂

7 am Wake Up Time

Beautiful things happen in the morning. Yes, we all love to sleep but getting up at a good time will start your day off on a positive note. This will ensure that you’ll have enough time to eat a good breakfast, and will be able to get ready calmly instead of a chaotic mess!

8 Cups of Water

Water is our most vital source of energy. It drives the enzymatic activity that’s behind every metabolic process in the body. You’re 75% water! This is why without it, you feel tired, heavy, confused and unlike yourself. A chronic lack of water can lead to weight gain, high blood pressure, joint stiffness, and premature aging. Challenge yourself to 8 cups of water a day. To make it more exciting, try adding herbs like mint or basil along with refreshing fruits or veggies, like cucumber or grapefruit- yum!

9 Minutes of Laughter
How good is a long laugh?
That kind of laugh where at the end you are weeping, and you feel like you just did an intensive ab workout. Well, it turns out laughing really is a mini workout! Your body under goes physical changes when you laugh: muscles in your face and body contract, your pulse, and blood pressure go up, and you breathe faster which sends more oxygen to your tissues!

10 pm Sleep time
Keeping a healthy sleep pattern, even on weekends, can help maintain the rhythm of your body’s internal clock, which can help you fall asleep and wake up more easily. If you’re someone who struggles with sleep, challenge yourself to go to bed and wake up at the same time, no matter what day of the week it is.

References:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/mental-wealth/201402/gray-matters-too-much-screen-time-damages-the-brain

http://www.safespaceprotection.com/electrostress-from-computers-laptops.aspx

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389