Tips For A Healthier Winter

Today is Winter.  In a couple of days, it will be warmer.  We are in that “mixed-up Missouri weather” time of year, when it can’t make up its mind.  It’s a good time to think of how we can keep working on being healthy, while cooped up inside. 
I’m going to list several things and in later posts, I'll go into further detail.  Health is how we sleep, eat, move, and feel outside and inside.  It is a measure of how we function.  You know how eating or drinking some things like sweets and alcohol makes you feel versus a good meal of veggies and meat.  You know how you feel after a good night’s rest versus a sleepless night or stressful day.   
Sleep: 

• Get out at first light and look in the direction, not directly at the Sun. This helps reset circadian rhythms. 

• No phone an hour before bed. 

• Dim the lights and hour before bed. 

• Once you are in bed, tense your whole body for 20 seconds, then release it.  This can help improve deep sleep. 

Diet: 

• Eat real food.  Most of what real food is on the outside walls of the grocery store; meat, produce.  The aisles are where the poison lives.   

• Read labels.  If you don’t know what it’s made of, don’t eat it.  Believe it or not, Citric Acid is made from mold, not citric fruit.   

• Cook your own meals.  It has been shown that eating at home is a major factor in making a difference in how much processed food you consume. 

• Drink more water. 

• Eat your food in the following order: veggies, meat, starches, sweets.  This makes a big difference in glucose levels.  If you wear a glucose monitor, you’ll see the proof. 

• Move 10 minutes after meals.  Within an hour of eating, move for 10 minutes, whether it is walking, yoga, dancing or cleaning house. This will also keep glucose levels down. 

Exercise: 

• Seated calf raises.  Sitting with feet flat on the floor, just raise the heels up and down.  Calf muscles are important for veinous blood to return to the heart and doing this increases your metabolism. 

• Arm Rows.  Sitting tall, reach arms straight out in front of you at shoulder height.  Pull back, squeezing the shoulder blades together.  This will help strengthen the upper back, stretch out chest and is perfect for all of you that sit all day or slouch. 

• Knee raises.  Lower back pain?  Weak abs?  Sit tall, arms can be overhead or resting on thighs.  Lift one knee and back down, then the other.  Try to do at least 10 for each side.  This strengthens the hip flexors and abdominal muscles.  Then get up and walk for a minute or two, to stretch out. 

We were built to move and work our bodies.  We are not much different from our ancient ancestors 10,000 years ago.  They had to hunt and forage for food, build their shelters and tools, and didn’t have recliners or soft beds.  They squatted to sit and were not still for long periods of time.  They ate diets with lots of roughage and had strong teeth as a result.  They were nose breathers too.  You don’t see any old skulls with crooked teeth, and their bones were strong from using their muscles and bodies.  10,000 years from now will our bones be dust because they are so weak?  It makes me wonder. 
Don’t let Winter set you back on your health journey.  Keep working on creative ways to take care of you.  You got this! ​