WELLNESS HABITS
Here are Wholeness Health’s Top 10 Wellness Habits/ Facts:
1. Get Enough Sleep.
Getting enough sleep is the most fundamental principle that you can do for your health. Getting enough sleep sets your body up to maintain its immune system adequately, helps with metabolic functions and memories, as well as regulating your body weight by regulating hunger hormones. It is critical for adults that want to live a long and healthy life to aim for 7-9 hours sleep per night. Sleep plays a vital role in maintaining your circadian rhythm or internal biological clock. This clock runs on an approximately 24-hour schedule controlling your sleep-wake cycle. This clock plays many roles including influencing your metabolism, inflammation throughout your body, and how you respond to stress.
Poor sleep quality and not getting enough sleep has been shown to have been linked to many adverse effects, including increased risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, as well as impaired focus and decision-making on a day to day bases and lastly not enough sleep has been linked to increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. For good health and to stay optimality healthy long team getting enough each night should be made a high priority.
2. Natural sunlight/ exposure first thing when waking in the morning.
Do yourself a favor and when waking in the mornings and get natural sunlight/ exposure. By exposing yourself to natural light for the first 30 to 60 minutes after waking this regulates your circadian rhythm (your body’s internal clock) and allows your biological processes to be activated such as hormones, that respond to external cues (light exposure). Getting this type of sun exposure has been shown to increase alertness, boost mood, lower stress levels, and improve sleep quality.
3. Cook at Home.
It has been shown that by cooking your meals at home, you’re able to have greater control over what ingredients you’re adding to meals as well as the portions sizes you are consuming. This is important as this allows us as individuals to control the fats, sugar and salt contents of our foods, and we all know that these components of foods play havoc on our health. This means that you can ensure that you’re meeting your daily fruits and vegetables serves.
4. Add more Vegetables and Fruits to meals.
By adding more vegetables and fruits into your diet you are loading your body with prebiotic fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which all have incredible health effects, not to mention allowing your body to feel satisfied from our food/ meal. By consuming more vegetables and fruits studies have shown that people tend to live longer and have a lower risk for heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and lower risk of diseases/ illnesses.
5. Eat your Protein!
To ensure you have the best chance at optimizing your health, eat your protein sources.
This nutrient is vital for optimal health, as it provides the raw materials our body need to create new tissues and new cells. It also provides the body with a source of energy and can aid in you feeling fuller for longer. Having a high protein intake may boost your metabolic rate which is particularly important for maintenance of a moderate body weight.
6. Minimize your Sugar Intake.
To obtain optimal health is has been recommended to minimize your daily sugar intake. Over consumption of sugar can lead to detrimental health effects and diseases including heart disease, obesity, kidney and liver disfunction and type 2 diabetes.
Excessive sugar consumption has been shown to also lead to increased cortisol production, causing various physical and mental symptoms, such as fatigue, anxiety, and poor immunity.
High levels of sugar intake over time can cause your body to become insulin resistant resulting in a continuous increase in cortisol levels which contribute to stress and health issues. By consuming excessive sugar, it also can cause your body to lose essential nutrients like magnesium, B vitamins, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, and probiotics, which can then lead to impacts on your overall well-being and mental health.
If you are wanting to consume something sweet, try to keep it to natural sources like fresh fruit or homemade baked goods where you can ensure that the sugar content is low.
7. Limit Refined Carbohydrates.
What are refined carbohydrates? These are carbohydrates that have gone through a manufacturing process that removes most of their nutritional value. This manufacturing process can cause the food to lose its fiber, vitamins, minerals, and polyphenols.
When it comes to carbs there are three main types of carbohydrates: simple carbs, starches, and fiber. This nutrient is extremely important as it provides your body with energy. However, when it comes down to the quality of the food that contains carbohydrates this is what can impact your health in the long term.
Research has been shown that diets high in refined carbs may increase the risk of many health conditions, including those relating to: metabolic health, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and insulin resistance, heart health, such as heart disease and high blood pressure and brain health, such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Common sources of refined carbs include white bread, white rice, white flour, processed corn and ultra-processed snacks, like potato chips and candy. By swapping out some refined carbs for unrefined versions can make a large difference in your diet and your health. When consuming carbohydrates be sure to choose wholegrains as they contain more fiber, vitamins E and B12, iron, zinc, and magnesium.
8. Hydration.
Why is staying Hydrated so important for good health?
Water plays an essential part of a healthy balanced diet. Over half of our human body is made up of water. We as humans need water to help digest the food we consume and by drinking water this helps our bodies absorb nutrients. Water also helps us get rid of waste products in our bodies, stops constipation and helps to regulate our bodies temperatures and helps with cell reproduction.
It also helps us to create saliva which helps us chew, taste and swallow the food we consume. It also helps keep our teeth and mouth healthy.
At least 50 – 80% of the human body is made up of water.
So how much water should we be drinking a day?
This varies from person to person and depends on depends on a range of things including: Your age, what you consume, what the temperature the food, whether you have a medical condition, how your metabolism works and if you are exercising daily.
As a rule, it is recommended that;
- Males need about 10 cups (2.6 litres or 2600mL) of fluids every day
- Females need about 8 cups (2.1 litres or 2100mL) of fluids a day — add another cup a day if you're pregnant or breastfeeding
- Children need about 4 to 5 cups of fluids a day
- Teenagers need 6 to 8 cups of fluids a day.
Consuming water daily is especially important for children and older people.
Tips to stay Hydrated.
Always carrying a water bottle with you, pre pare ahead and keep chilled water in the fridge on hot day, add flavoring to your water with lemon, strawberries or mint if you find it hard to drink plain tap water and lastly always have drinking water on the table when you're eating.
9. Limit Alcohol.
Try and limit your alcohol intake weekly by making yourself aware of some helpful facts associated with alcohol.
Follow the Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol. These guidelines are based on scientific research and evidence.
These guidelines have recently been reviewed by the National Health and Medical Research Council.
The new guidelines state that if you’re a healthy adult; To reduce the risk of damage from alcohol-related disease or injury, healthy men and women should drink no more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day.
The less you choose to drink, the lower your risk of harm from alcohol. For some people, not drinking at all is the safest option.
A standard drink contains 10 g of pure alcohol. Many drinks have more than 1 standard drink in them. Check the label on your bottle or container, or refer to the Standard Drinks Guide, to see how many standard drinks are in it.
Facts to limiting your alcohol intake.
By reducing your limit or quitting alcohol it can improve your life in many ways by:
- It can improve your mood and sleep quality.
- It can increase your energy levels.
- Improve your relationships with your loved ones due to being present more often.
- It can help you perform better at work due to being able to focus more clearly.
- It lowers your risk of long-term health problems such as cancer and heart disease.
Keeping these benefits in mind next time you decide to drink alcohol, as it can help you to stay motivated and on track.
10. Be Active Daily.
It is no secret that physical activity or exercising can improve your health and reduce the risk of developing several diseases such as; cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and types of cancer.
It is recommended that in order to gain the immediate and long-term health benefits as individuals we need to participate in a minimum of 30 minutes of physical activity or exercise per day.
Most importantly if you do participate in this you can improve your quality of life.
Some benefits of part taking in regular physical activity include:
- Reducing your risk of a heart attack
- Can help to manage your weight better
- Help to lower blood cholesterol level
- Lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes and some cancers
- Helps to lower blood pressure
- Have stronger bones, muscles and joints and lower risk of developing osteoporosis.
- Helps your body to have more energy, out you in a better mood, feel more relaxed and gain a sleep better.
Ways to increase your Physical Activity:
This can start with very small changes such as;
- Going for a walk or cycle in instead of using the car.
- Planning a walk with a friend or an active activity can be a great way to get your steps in for the day.
- If you get the tram, train or bus to work, it’s a good idea to get off at a stop earlier and walking the rest of the way.
- If you have children walking your children to school if not to far is always a great way to get your steps in for the day.
By making these small changes to your day you can reap the health benefits and live a longer, happier and healthy life.
1. Get Enough Sleep.
Getting enough sleep is the most fundamental principle that you can do for your health. Getting enough sleep sets your body up to maintain its immune system adequately, helps with metabolic functions and memories, as well as regulating your body weight by regulating hunger hormones. It is critical for adults that want to live a long and healthy life to aim for 7-9 hours sleep per night. Sleep plays a vital role in maintaining your circadian rhythm or internal biological clock. This clock runs on an approximately 24-hour schedule controlling your sleep-wake cycle. This clock plays many roles including influencing your metabolism, inflammation throughout your body, and how you respond to stress.
Poor sleep quality and not getting enough sleep has been shown to have been linked to many adverse effects, including increased risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, as well as impaired focus and decision-making on a day to day bases and lastly not enough sleep has been linked to increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. For good health and to stay optimality healthy long team getting enough each night should be made a high priority.
2. Natural sunlight/ exposure first thing when waking in the morning.
Do yourself a favor and when waking in the mornings and get natural sunlight/ exposure. By exposing yourself to natural light for the first 30 to 60 minutes after waking this regulates your circadian rhythm (your body’s internal clock) and allows your biological processes to be activated such as hormones, that respond to external cues (light exposure). Getting this type of sun exposure has been shown to increase alertness, boost mood, lower stress levels, and improve sleep quality.
3. Cook at Home.
It has been shown that by cooking your meals at home, you’re able to have greater control over what ingredients you’re adding to meals as well as the portions sizes you are consuming. This is important as this allows us as individuals to control the fats, sugar and salt contents of our foods, and we all know that these components of foods play havoc on our health. This means that you can ensure that you’re meeting your daily fruits and vegetables serves.
4. Add more Vegetables and Fruits to meals.
By adding more vegetables and fruits into your diet you are loading your body with prebiotic fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which all have incredible health effects, not to mention allowing your body to feel satisfied from our food/ meal. By consuming more vegetables and fruits studies have shown that people tend to live longer and have a lower risk for heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and lower risk of diseases/ illnesses.
5. Eat your Protein!
To ensure you have the best chance at optimizing your health, eat your protein sources.
This nutrient is vital for optimal health, as it provides the raw materials our body need to create new tissues and new cells. It also provides the body with a source of energy and can aid in you feeling fuller for longer. Having a high protein intake may boost your metabolic rate which is particularly important for maintenance of a moderate body weight.
6. Minimize your Sugar Intake.
To obtain optimal health is has been recommended to minimize your daily sugar intake. Over consumption of sugar can lead to detrimental health effects and diseases including heart disease, obesity, kidney and liver disfunction and type 2 diabetes.
Excessive sugar consumption has been shown to also lead to increased cortisol production, causing various physical and mental symptoms, such as fatigue, anxiety, and poor immunity.
High levels of sugar intake over time can cause your body to become insulin resistant resulting in a continuous increase in cortisol levels which contribute to stress and health issues. By consuming excessive sugar, it also can cause your body to lose essential nutrients like magnesium, B vitamins, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, and probiotics, which can then lead to impacts on your overall well-being and mental health.
If you are wanting to consume something sweet, try to keep it to natural sources like fresh fruit or homemade baked goods where you can ensure that the sugar content is low.
7. Limit Refined Carbohydrates.
What are refined carbohydrates? These are carbohydrates that have gone through a manufacturing process that removes most of their nutritional value. This manufacturing process can cause the food to lose its fiber, vitamins, minerals, and polyphenols.
When it comes to carbs there are three main types of carbohydrates: simple carbs, starches, and fiber. This nutrient is extremely important as it provides your body with energy. However, when it comes down to the quality of the food that contains carbohydrates this is what can impact your health in the long term.
Research has been shown that diets high in refined carbs may increase the risk of many health conditions, including those relating to: metabolic health, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and insulin resistance, heart health, such as heart disease and high blood pressure and brain health, such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Common sources of refined carbs include white bread, white rice, white flour, processed corn and ultra-processed snacks, like potato chips and candy. By swapping out some refined carbs for unrefined versions can make a large difference in your diet and your health. When consuming carbohydrates be sure to choose wholegrains as they contain more fiber, vitamins E and B12, iron, zinc, and magnesium.
8. Hydration.
Why is staying Hydrated so important for good health?
Water plays an essential part of a healthy balanced diet. Over half of our human body is made up of water. We as humans need water to help digest the food we consume and by drinking water this helps our bodies absorb nutrients. Water also helps us get rid of waste products in our bodies, stops constipation and helps to regulate our bodies temperatures and helps with cell reproduction.
It also helps us to create saliva which helps us chew, taste and swallow the food we consume. It also helps keep our teeth and mouth healthy.
At least 50 – 80% of the human body is made up of water.
So how much water should we be drinking a day?
This varies from person to person and depends on depends on a range of things including: Your age, what you consume, what the temperature the food, whether you have a medical condition, how your metabolism works and if you are exercising daily.
As a rule, it is recommended that;
- Males need about 10 cups (2.6 litres or 2600mL) of fluids every day
- Females need about 8 cups (2.1 litres or 2100mL) of fluids a day — add another cup a day if you're pregnant or breastfeeding
- Children need about 4 to 5 cups of fluids a day
- Teenagers need 6 to 8 cups of fluids a day.
Consuming water daily is especially important for children and older people.
Tips to stay Hydrated.
Always carrying a water bottle with you, pre pare ahead and keep chilled water in the fridge on hot day, add flavoring to your water with lemon, strawberries or mint if you find it hard to drink plain tap water and lastly always have drinking water on the table when you're eating.
9. Limit Alcohol.
Try and limit your alcohol intake weekly by making yourself aware of some helpful facts associated with alcohol.
Follow the Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol. These guidelines are based on scientific research and evidence.
These guidelines have recently been reviewed by the National Health and Medical Research Council.
The new guidelines state that if you’re a healthy adult; To reduce the risk of damage from alcohol-related disease or injury, healthy men and women should drink no more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day.
The less you choose to drink, the lower your risk of harm from alcohol. For some people, not drinking at all is the safest option.
A standard drink contains 10 g of pure alcohol. Many drinks have more than 1 standard drink in them. Check the label on your bottle or container, or refer to the Standard Drinks Guide, to see how many standard drinks are in it.
Facts to limiting your alcohol intake.
By reducing your limit or quitting alcohol it can improve your life in many ways by:
- It can improve your mood and sleep quality.
- It can increase your energy levels.
- Improve your relationships with your loved ones due to being present more often.
- It can help you perform better at work due to being able to focus more clearly.
- It lowers your risk of long-term health problems such as cancer and heart disease.
Keeping these benefits in mind next time you decide to drink alcohol, as it can help you to stay motivated and on track.
10. Be Active Daily.
It is no secret that physical activity or exercising can improve your health and reduce the risk of developing several diseases such as; cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and types of cancer.
It is recommended that in order to gain the immediate and long-term health benefits as individuals we need to participate in a minimum of 30 minutes of physical activity or exercise per day.
Most importantly if you do participate in this you can improve your quality of life.
Some benefits of part taking in regular physical activity include:
- Reducing your risk of a heart attack
- Can help to manage your weight better
- Help to lower blood cholesterol level
- Lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes and some cancers
- Helps to lower blood pressure
- Have stronger bones, muscles and joints and lower risk of developing osteoporosis.
- Helps your body to have more energy, out you in a better mood, feel more relaxed and gain a sleep better.
Ways to increase your Physical Activity:
This can start with very small changes such as;
- Going for a walk or cycle in instead of using the car.
- Planning a walk with a friend or an active activity can be a great way to get your steps in for the day.
- If you get the tram, train or bus to work, it’s a good idea to get off at a stop earlier and walking the rest of the way.
- If you have children walking your children to school if not to far is always a great way to get your steps in for the day.
By making these small changes to your day you can reap the health benefits and live a longer, happier and healthy life.
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