5 Simple Habits for a Healthier New Year
Hello everyone!
2022 has begun, and I’m sure you’ve already started implementing some new habits and goals that you’re hoping will make this year more productive, healthy, and enjoyable.
In this post I want to share with you five unique healthy habits that offer a different take than the typical resolutions you may find throughout our society. These habits, if implemented consistently, will benefit and strengthen you both physically and mentally. They’re simple, affordable, and effective for improving long-term health and wellness.
1. Take clean, wholesome supplements
When it comes to preventive health care, the first area you want to improve is your diet. A low-carb, low-sugar diet is fantastic for your physical and mental health, but even our best efforts sometimes fall short when it comes to providing the body with complete vitamins and minerals.
Eating a nose-to-tail diet would be ideal, but not all of us have access to or an appetite for animal organs. Organs are *the* whole food our bodies need, and they provide appropriate amounts of essential vitamins and minerals in complimentary combinations (for example, the fish eggs I’ve recently started taking have generous amounts of natural vitamin D and vitamin K; vitamin K is necessary for the body to utilize vitamin D successfully, and is best sourced through *diet*. Or take the Vitamin A found in liver- it’s 97% bioavailable, compared to the 3% bioavailability of beta-carotene found in carrots).
I’ve been using Ancestral Supplements to fill in the areas where my diet may still leave something to be desired. They’re the highest quality nose-to-tail supplement you’ll find. Family-owned and operated out of Texas, they produce in small batches and offer top-notch customer service. The cost of these products is well worth it when you consider the preventive step you’re taking to avoid reactive health issues and expenses in the future.
2. Purify your drinking water
When it comes to making sure your water is clean to drink, you want to be using a Berkey Water Filter System.
Berkeys are actually so proficient in removing chemicals and impurities from water that they are considered to be a water purifier as opposed to simply a water filter. They are more long-lasting than any sort of Brita pitcher, and while the start-up cost is definitely an investment, in the long-run you end up saving money from not having to buy replacement filters and pieces so often. We use ours everyday, and have taken it with us on our vacations as well.
I have an upcoming post on drinking water, but in the mean time I encourage you to check out this one from @girlincalico .
3. Wear Blue Light Protection
If you don’t know what blue light is, it’s light produced within a particular wavelength and is produced naturally (in small amounts within sunlight) and artificially (within digital screens).
In it’s natural form, it’s perfectly safe for us. But in its artificial form, it is rather potent and can be harmful for our eyes and skin, and will disrupt our sleep-wake cycles. Blue light is emitted from electronics and all kind of digital screens.
With our society being so saturated with technology, we encounter blue light all the time. In small amounts, this isn’t really an issue. But chronic exposure does cause stress for our bodies.
This can be reduced by wearing glasses that have filters for blocking blue light waves; all have some sort of yellow filter which you can find in various strengths.
I try to wear my glasses when I know I’ll be in front of any screen for more than a few minutes. One of the most important times you can wear them is in the 2+ hours before you go to bed in the evenings, as blue light exposure can cause disruptions in your body’s natural melatonin production (a naturally occurring hormone that aids in sleep, and is supposed to be released within the body surrounding sundown to wind you down for the night) as well as your sleep-wake cycle.
Another way you can reduce your blue light exposure is by turning on Night Shift on your phone and other digital devices (if available). Night Shift increases the amount of warm light emitted by your screen and is great for the morning and evening hours.
4. Try Floor Sleeping
You guys, floor sleeping is so cool! No, I’m not crazy. Think about it- people slept on the ground for centuries. And were better for it.
Floor sleeping is exactly what it sounds like: sleeping the floor. Or really, sleeping on some sort of firm, level surface- it doesn’t *have* to be on the floor. This method of sleeping is fantastic for your skeletal health and alignment, and it allows for better circulation during the night hours.
Like when we sit on a couch, or when we wear very cushy shoes, when we aren’t engaging our muscles they atrophy and weaken. Our bodies thrive when they encounter different kinds of pressure and resistance. Sleeping in a soft bed is no different: we get comfy and cozy and settle into one position for much of the night. Our backs and necks are not in neutral positions, and this contributes to stiffness and discomfort.
I slept on the floor for three months last summer, and I’m back to doing so with the new year. After transitioning, I find it to be just as comfortable, if not more so, than my regular bed. I see improvements in my posture, as well as a reduction of stiffness in my joints and lower back. I would highly recommend giving it a try (for more than a night or two, because it can take some adjustment).
5. Turn Wi-Fi Off
Every time you use, or even just see, a wireless device, EMFs are present. EMF stands for electromagnetic frequency, and these are a source of artificial, low-grade radiation.
EMFs are emitted from anything that wirelessly uses wi-fi/data/bluetooth/the internet; this includes smart tvs, cell phones, laptops, AirPods, smart watches, cars, etc (cordless phones can be included here). Our devices emit radiation that is harmful to our bodies long-term, especially when those devices are on our persons, such as when you have your laptop on your lap or your phone in a pant pocket (right on your reproductive organs) or in a shirt pocket (directly next to your heart), or when we are holding our phones to our ears (right next to our brains)…
One very prominent source of EMFs in our homes is the router box where we connect our wi-fi. This is the source of internet connection for every wireless device in our home, so it makes sense that it would be emitting some of the highest levels of EMFs.
A simple way to begin reducing your EMF exposure is to unplug your router at night. During this time we are supposed to be resting and allowing our bodies a restorative break, cleaning up the airwaves in this way can benefit your health in the long-term. Obviously, in this day and age, we can’t avoid EMFs completely. If you want a resource on the subject, the book EMF*d by Dr. Joseph Mercola is informative.
Additional ways you can reduce EMF exposure include: shutting down devices at night, or for cell phones putting them on airplane mode; keep your gadgets off your person as much as possible- the more distance between you and your devices, the less exposure you absorb (keeping cadets outside of your bedroom during night is helpful too); getting grounded (see post linked below); avoiding bluetooth capabilities; utilizing corded internet connections, etc.
*BONUS TIPS*
6. Get Grounded
Earthing, or grounding, is putting your bare skin in contact with the earth. It allows your body to absorb the electrons present within the ground, producing an anti-inflammatory affect within the body and helping to restore homeostasis. It’s easy, it’s free, and it’s so good for you! I have a lot more information on it, which you can read in my previous post on the topic, here.
7. Soak Up the Sun
I firmly believe the sunshine is one of the most underutilized sources of health and healing ever. We have been tricked by “experts” to believe it is dangerous, when it’s actually an incredible tool that is very necessary for our overall health (physical and mental) and wellness. As a society, we’ve avoided sunshine for several decades now, convinced it causes skin cancer and aging- and our health is continuing to decline. Coincidence? Unlikely. I encourage you to read my previous posts about sunshine here (part one) and here (part two) for more information.
I hope these ideas are helpful for you as we walk through this new year, and I pray that this year can be a healthier one for you with these being a starting point on the journey to overall wellness.
I have found them to be super helpful personally because they’re not the typical suggestions that are offered in the world of “healthy habits”, and they are not so broad as to be hard to apply to your specific lifestyle. If these feel overwhelming as a whole, pick one habit to start with and then build from there. Maya Angelou has a quote that I really love, and feel applies to much of life: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
You are the only one who can choose to take responsibility for your health. You have to be your own advocate. Do your research, be informed. Don’t be a passive participant in your own health. While we must remember that we are but vessels, and we don’t want to idolize our health; but we are also meant to be faithful stewards of these bodies the Lord has given us, that we may serve and honor Him rightly throughout life- and I pray our lives can be long, strong, and vibrant for His glory.
If you have any questions or comments, please let me know, because these are topics I love to share about!
Until next time…