Too often you find yourself complicating your health and feel overwhelmed whether or not we are doing enough. Maybe even intimidated with the constant flow of information clawing for your attention dragging you back and forth between what you should or should not do.
Instead of trying to do everything under the sun to take care of your health which only leaves you feeling burnt in the end, let’s focus on the foundations first and then build upon it once you feel ready.
According to Kealohi Naipo, a Registered Native Hawaiian Dietitian, “Health really is beyond just food and fitness.”
So before you try perineum sunning (Yes, it’s a thing and no, we do not suggest you to try), make sure you get the 3 Essential Tips for Wellness down.
3 Essential Tips For Wellness
1. MANAGE YOUR STRESS LEVELS
Stress is good. But too much stress is bad. Yes that can seem confusing but our abilities to cope with stress depends on how much stress our bodies can handle. But what causes stress? Waking up in the morning because of the alarm clock or sunlight beaming through the window is a stress response. Exercising, eating, driving in traffic, arguing with your significant other are all stressors.
The main stress hormone is known as cortisol and the more cortisol your body releases the higher your blood pressure goes and if you don’t have ways to calm yourself – then your body begins to shut down.
Now there are ways for you to manage your stress levels but you must acknowledge where the stress is coming from. Traffic? Listen to a podcast or audio book to make the experience more beneficial for you. Work get the best of you? Either find a new job or think of a positive outlet you can do to compensate for the negative stress – exercise always works for many of us.
2. Adequate Sleep
This may be a challenge for you, especially with those late night Netflix binges. It is suggested that 7+ hours of sleep at night is the most optimal. “Adequate sleep allows the body and mind to recharge,” Kealohi shares, “also, people who get less than 6 hours of sleep per night have higher levels of cortisol.”
If you are looking at ways to improve your night routine, here are a 11 Tips to Help You Sleep Better
You are probably shaking your head thinking, “7 hours of sleep at night sounds amazing.” We are shaking our heads with you but aren’t we all a work in progress?
3. DRINK WATER
Sounds so simple but yet many of us need a constant reminder to hydrate. Kealohi states, “Drinking 8-10 cups per day helps to lubricate joints, protect spinal cord, regulate temperature and eliminate waste.” If you take part in intense exercise, you’d have to drink more cups of water to replenish the water loss from your sweat session.
Hydration Tip: Before bed, leave a cup of water next to your night stand or at the sink so the first thing you do upon waking is drink a glass of water. Then it’s coffee time.
Kealohi Naipo
@kealohi.nutritionist
