Five Simple Habits to Improve Your Daily Health

When it comes to your health, baby steps can take you a long way.

Holistic healthcare is the practice of improving your lifestyle with the understanding that everything plays a role in your overall health and happiness, starting with the smallest of daily habits.

So, today, I’m sharing five simple practices you can start doing now to improve your daily health!

1. Tongue Scraping

Just because you’re asleep, doesn’t mean you’re not getting anything done. All those hours we spend getting shuteye are the perfect opportunity for our bodies to enter their “rest and digest” phase, where we naturally begin to process and detox everything we’ve ingested. This can cause tons of bacteria to move up the GI tract and settle in our mouth.

Start your day by brushing your teeth and scraping your tongue from back to front to remove all the toxins you detoxed throughout the night. Not only will this help put an early end to “morning breath,” but it will go a long ways towards improving your oral and gut health.

There are plenty of options for tongue scrapers online, but I personally think MasterMedi is a great way to go.

2. Hydration

Most of us know that we need to stay hydrated, but this is your reminder to actually do it!

Proper hydration supports so much of our wellbeing, from our digestion to our circulation to our temperature regulation and more. Not drinking enough water is one of the main causes of fatigue, as well, which makes every part of our days a little harder.

While the standard advice of eight glasses of water a day is a good place to start, most people who live active lifestyles need far more to keep hydrated. According to the Mayo Clinic, men should be drinking upwards of 16 glasses (3.7 liters) a day, while women should be drinking 12 (2.7 liters). But even then, there are plenty of factors that could cause you to drink even more.

The best advice is to keep a water bottle (I love these MUKOKO glass bottles) around at all times and remind yourself to keep drinking regularly, particularly in the morning, as we often become dehydrated while sleeping. You can look to add electrolytes like LMNT to your water to help improve hydration even more. 

3. Some Mindfulness Practice

In today’s world, our mental health can sometimes feel like a luxury we can’t afford. But you have to make it a priority. Stress, anxiety, and depression are not just symptoms of our everyday life problems — they can be the cause of numerous diseases and ailments that affect our bodies.

Creating space for at least one mindfulness practice a day can help you reduce cortisol levels, decreasing your risk for headaches, weight gain, poor sleep, increased blood pressure, gut troubles, and much more.

Start with setting aside just 10 minutes a day for yourself. I promise you’ll notice a difference! And if you’re not sure where to begin, you can start by picking up a wellness journal or finding some guided meditation prompts. There are also tons of free yoga classes online for you to do in your own time. Yoga with Kassandra is one of my favorites!

4. Move Every Hour

Not everyone has ample exercise time during a busy work week, but at the very least, it is important to make sure that you’re not sedentary all day. Even for those who spend a typical day in front of the computer, set a reminder to get up from your desk every hour and move about your home or office.

The daily goal should be to achieve 10,000 steps. If that feels daunting, work for incremental improvements, building the habit into your workday until you find a pattern that works for you.

And if you don’t have the ability to move around or are simply looking to switch it up, try doing a mini workout at your desk. Bala Bands are a great way to get a little more out of everyday movements and activities.

The point is that sitting all day is not good for you. It can lead to weight gain, poor circulation, cardiovascular disease, and bad posture. Simply by breaking up your day with a little movement can him increase blood flow, boost your energy levels, and alleviate muscle tension.

5. Have a Nightly Routine

A good night’s sleep may be the first step to a healthy day, but the first step to a good night’s sleep is a healthy nighttime routine.

Our bodies aren’t programmed to fall asleep whenever we tell them to. That’s why it’s critical that we set ourself up with a regular routine of winding down and relaxation to signal to our bodies that it’s time to go to bed.

First things first is to avoid screen time as much as possible. Put the phones away, turn off the television, and opt for a book instead. Consider meditating, yoga, taking a bath, or other soothing activities. It’s never a bad idea to add a cup of sleepy tea to your routine, either.

And once you get into the bedroom, make sure it’s relaxing as possible. Red light is known to be very calming, so maybe dedicate a lamp to a red lightbulb. And don’t be afraid to invest in a mattress and pillow that supports your sleep style — that’s where you’ll spend about a third of your life!

The goal is to lower the cortisol levels in your body and initiate your natural circadian rhythm to spike melatonin and bring you towards a natural and fruitful night’s rest.  

Don’t just sleep — sleep well!

Want to Learn More About Your Health?

Maximize your wellbeing by taking part in my Personal Nutrition Program.

I work with my clients one-on-one to learn about their daily habits, goals, and health history to devise a six-week nutrition program that works for them.

Reach out today for a free 20-minute consultation that’ll have you on the path towards feeling great!