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Healthy New Year! 12 Hacks to Make Every 2022 Month Healthier

AHA Publisher — Thu, 30 Dec 2021 08:00:16 +0000

Dr. Don Colbert – Every new year, you have a blank calendar before you. You have amazing opportunities to choose your dreams, goals and habits. You can also choose to support your health. You can make it a Healthy New Year! What do you want 2022 to be for you? How can you end 2022 healthier than you’re starting? Here is a month-by-month guide. Go through it quicker or slower, but use it to hit some of the hallmark goals for a healthy new year. Use this guide as a reference as you set your goals, and then move through healthy habits each month. JANUARY: DETERMINE WHAT YOU WANT IN YOUR HEALTHY NEW YEAR One of my favorite things about a New Year is the new beginning. To me, it feels like a gift. A blank story laid out before me, and I get to write the chapters. In January, take some time to decide what you want your 2022 story to be. Some people might call these goals or resolutions. I recommend starting with dreams and adventures. What do you want to accomplish? What dream do you want to make a reality? Is there an adventure you want to tackle? Write these down. Then, write what you need to change in your life, schedule or habits to accomplish them. Some tips for this part include: Dream Big. Shoot for the stars. It’s okay if it takes more than one year. But, aim for something that motivates you and puts a smile on your face. Determine if there’s one change you need to make in order to make it possible. Do you need to wake up 15 minutes earlier? Do you need to prioritize your own health? Do you need to set aside 20 minutes per day to start writing that book? Usually, there’s one big shift that allows other habits to flow more easily. Name the habits needed to accomplish your dream. Do you need to take class? Eat differently? Locate a friend? Be specific here. Are you stuck? Do you have a hard time sticking to new habits? No problem! Here are some great, actionable tips to help you! Whatever your goals and dreams, go for it! January is for new beginnings and an optimistic outlook for a New Year! FEBRUARY: NO EXCUSES – PRIORITIZE SLEEP Believe it or not, one of the best healthy habits you can develop is more sleep! Why? Sleep is one of the strongest immune-boosters available to you. It can support your immune function through your lymph system and help your body restore itself each day. In fact, it allows your body and brain to recoup, restore, and fight chronic illness. During sleep, your immune system releases cytokines which both promote sleep and fight illness. When you are awake, your body must do the work of being awake, moving, and maintaining an active brain. This takes most of its resources. When you are asleep, it can do maintenance on your body (1). Studies have found that sleep also promotes heart health, brain health, normalized blood sugars, and healthy blood pressure (2). What’s more, it encourages healthy moods and mental health, especially in the winter months (3). That’s a lot accomplished from this one change! To learn tips for improving sleep, check out thisarticle. MARCH: REVAMP YOUR DIET Of course, healthy habits have to include a great diet. If you’re ready to really support your health, from head to toe, consider getting into the Keto Zone® this year and adding intermittent fasting. First, the Keto Zone can help you obtain a healthy weight, omit harmful sugars, reduce carbohydrates, support healthy blood sugars, and support heart health (4, 5). The best way to get started is to get the book: Dr. Colbert’s Keto Zone Diet Book. You will find how to cut carbs and get into ketosis. Then, continue to follow our posts, recipes, Facebook groups, and more to keep going. You can also join our FREE 21-Day Keto Zone Challenge! To help you get into ketosis quickly, make sure you add Keto Zone® Instant Exogenous Ketone Powder. Exogenous ketones can boost energy, vastly reduce ketone flu, and slow cell aging (5). Then, you can take it a step farther and enjoy the benefits of intermittent fasting. Here’s a simple way: To fast 15-16 out of the 24 hours per day, finish eating at 7 pm each day, and fast with only non-carbohydrate liquids (like coffee) until 10 am or so. Then, utilize Keto Zone eating for 8 hours per day. There are many documented benefits to intermittent fasting. In fact, study after study has shown that intermittent fasting benefits body systems often affected by aging, including brain health, heart health, and blood sugars (6). APRIL: DRINK UP AND ADD ICE Drinking more water is a simple habit, but not necessarily an easy one. Throughout your day, drink 80 ounces or more water. It’s important to your health! In fact, one study found that increasing water consumption by 2 liters per day improved skin condition and physiology, even in those who already consumed high amounts of water (7). It can also improve digestive health, reduce incidence of headaches, reduce stressful moods and feelings of overwhelm, and boost metabolism (if you’re drinking ice-water) (8). Next, you can use ice-water in an altogether different way. Try ice-water showers (or at least a cold blast during your shower). Why? When your body is exposed to very cold water, it uses brown fat cells to warm itself. These cells are extremely advantageous for metabolism. What’s more, ice-cold showers have been found in studies to activate “white fat” by making it act more like “brown fat”(9). In time, your body will naturally burn more calories the more brown fat you have. Studies have also found that ice-cold plunges reduce sick days (10). MAY: GROW A GARDEN OR AT LEAST GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY While you may think the only benefit of gardening is the food you harvest, there’s actually many healthy benefits when you put your hands in soil. In fact, studies have found that gardening is a great stress reducer and promotes feelings of calm and well-being (11). What’s more, gardening is a great excuse to get outside and be active. Take advantage of the time using your muscles and increasing vitamin D production from the sun. Of course, the harvest is great, too. When you add more greens, herbs, and vegetables to your diet, you consume the same components plants use to grow and flourish, like chlorophyll. You can get these amazing components from your bounty or Divine Health® Organic Fermented Green Supremefood®. Plant compounds are great for plants and humans alike (12)! JUNE: GET MOVING AND GET OUTSIDE There are so many great options for exercise and movement. The key is to find one you love, you look forward to, and get your body moving! If you don’t know what you love, try walking, running, yoga, aerobics, classes, biking, hiking, swimming, lifting weights, or others. And, if you can, get outside! Whether it’s just a short walk or a ride on a bike, God has given us a huge gift: the outdoors elevate our moods. Not only is any activity good for our muscles, hearts, and brains, outdoor-activity specifically has been shown to improve mood and depression (13). What’s more, if the sun is shining, your body will make Vitamin D, an immune- stimulating vitamin, while enjoying the immune-enhancing benefits of exercise itself (14). JULY: CHECK YOURSELF – ARE YOU LAUGHING EACH DAY? Let’s add a joyful habit. Laughter. Have you ever wondered why we laugh? Why did God give us this gift? It is an amazing health-promoting habit. The more you can build laughter into your daily life, the more you’ll reduce cortisol, improve your mood, and decrease depression (15, 16). These, in turn, will encourage healthy immune function. Interestingly, multiple studies show that the benefits of smiling and laughter are experienced whether it’s real or fake. So, fake it if you need to, and get in a good belly laugh each day. AUGUST: CONNECT WITH OTHERS At least once per year, make sure you feel good about your connections. Far-away friends, local friends, family, and groups. God has created us for relationships, and they are important for overall health and healthy immune function. In fact, positive relationships can improve your mood and decrease stress. This, in turn, can promote a strong immune system (17). To maintain relationships even when you can’t always be with each other in-person: Invest in the relationships within your household, neighborhoods, and towns. Head to a park for a pick-up game, watch movies together, take walks, invite friends for simple gatherings, and create other ways to make great memories together. Stay in touch with loved ones however you can. Write letters and send cards. Use technology to video-call, send videos to friends, and keep in touch. Social media can be a negative addiction if left unchecked, but it can also be a great way to feel a sense of community if you’re away from loved ones. Be proactive and initiate re-connections if you’d like! Maintain the relationships that are important to you. It’s good for your health and immune function! SEPTEMBER: ADD NATURE’S BEST STRESS-RELIEF Almost every habit on this list reduces stress. Reducing stress is a foundational health habit that promotes health throughout your body (17). It’s a top habit for your healthy new year You can take it to the next level. In addition to healthy daily habits, add nature’s best stress relief. It’s Hemp Oil. Hemp oil, specifically nano-particle oils like those in Dr. Colbert’s Nano-Science Hemp Oil, promotes health across the body’s systems. It is a broad-spectrum hemp oil that is organically grown, vegan, and GMO-free. In terms of health, Hemp Oil has been shown to support healthy, stable moods (18), promote stress relief and normalized cortisol levels, support comfortable, healthy joints (19), encourage healthy sleep habits (20), promote healthy skin with fewer irregularities and blemishes (21), support healthy brain and nervous system functions (22), and encourage healthy cardiovascular functions and normalized inflammatory actions (23). What an amazing oil for overall health and stress! OCTOBER: STRETCH FOR A YOUTHFUL BODY AND A HEALTHY NEW YEAR Stretching and maintaining (or improving) flexibility can literally change your body and your life. Amazingly, just 3-5 minutes of stretching can be enough. Stretch in the morning or before bed. Believe it or not, as you gain flexibility in your spinal cord, you’ll improve your posture, range of motion of your limbs, and support cardiovascular health. There’s more. It turns out that trunk flexibility directly represents the flexibility of your arteries. As crazy as it sounds, researchers have found that poor trunk flexibility is associated with stiff arteries. This means that keeping your body flexible enough to touch your toes means better artery health and blood pressure (24). NOVEMBER: LET GRATITUDE AND OPTIMISM RULE If you’re interested in your health, let gratitude and optimism rule. One great way is to start (or restart) a gratitude journal. You may have started one during the Thanksgiving and the Holiday Season in previous years. Or, this idea may be new to you. Gratitude journals, focusing on small daily blessings, are powerful. Being grateful is associated with better mental, emotional, and physical health and immunity (25). To start a gratitude journal, first simply get a pen and a paper, or a journal. Next, write 5-10 “gratitudes” per day. They can be big or small things. You can write them throughout the day, or at the beginning or end. It’s time to let gratitude rule. Choose to focus on simple gratitudes each day as one of your new year lifestyle habits. DECEMBER: PRAY THROUGHOUT THE DAY FOR A HEALTHY NEW YEAR Prayer is not a last-ditch effort for health or spirituality, but a foundation for your relationship with God. It also affects your mental health, physical health, and entire well-being. In fact, prayer releases control from you and...

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Stressed? 11 Surprising Tools to Combat Daily Stress

AHA Publisher — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 07:00:48 +0000

Dr. Don Colbert – “Stressed” seems to be the baseline state for many modern adults. It’s no wonder. Lives have become more stressful in the last couple years. Seemingly normal everyday decisions and life, from healthcare to kids’ schooling to taking care of aging parents weigh heavy. It is vital that we proactively combat daily stress throughout each day. Why? Stress isn’t just an uncomfortable feeling. It’s actually a progression of reactions in your body that can have devastating health consequences both directly and indirectly. Directly, chronic elevated cortisol (the “stress hormone”) wreaks havoc on body systems. Indirectly, stress can lead us to long lasting feelings of depression, unhealthy eating, isolation, reduced motivation and more. How Stress Affects Your Health High levels of mental stress can be devastating to your brain, your health, your relationships, and your immune system. Chronically elevated cortisol levels can affect all our body’s systems. Cortisol is a hormone that’s released by the adrenal glands when the body faces stress. In modern times, this stress is often more mental than physical and usually has no outlet. For many, it’s chronic. It builds. And, it does damage. High blood cortisol levels are correlated with weight gain and impaired loss, altered blood pressure, negative impacts on mood, sleep and energy, an increased incidence of blood sugar and heart health issues, and potentially lower brain volume and memory challenges (1). What can you do? Try our 10 Effective Tools to Combat Daily Stress! 11 Surprising Tools to Combat Daily Stress 1. ADD NATURE’S BEST STRESS RELIEF EACH DAY Did you know there’s an all-natural oil that is effective against stress? Hemp oil, specifically nano-particle oils like those in Dr. Colbert’s Nano-Science Hemp Oil, promotes health across the body’s systems. It is a broad-spectrum hemp oil that is organically grown, vegan, and GMO-free. In terms of health, it have been shown to: Support healthy, stable moods (2) Promote stress relief and normalized cortisol levels Support comfortable, healthy joints (3) Encourage healthy sleep habits (4) Promote healthy skin with fewer irregularities and blemishes (5) Support healthy brain and nervous system functions (6) Encourage healthy cardiovascular functions and normalized inflammatory actions (7) Why it’s surprising: Hemp oil is more effective than most plant compounds at combating stress! 2. CALMLY BREATHE IN AND OUT Did you know you can combat stress with your lungs? It’s true. You can calm your heart, your brain, and your body by breathing calmly. Try this: While pressing your tongue strongly against the roof of your mouth, breathe in slowly. Then, allow your tongue to completely relax and lower, even allowing your mouth to hang open if you want, and slowly breathe out. Do this for an entire minute. Why it’s surprising: Breathing is one of the most simple human function. Controlling it can help you control your stress. 3. EXERCISE, OUTDOORS IF POSSIBLE When you exercise, you release your body’s own ability to combat stress. In fact, studies suggest that exercise can improve anxiety symptoms or stressed moods especially in those who have a history of dealing with chronic stress (15). It’s interesting. Exercise can actually increase stress hormones acutely. However, these hormones quickly decrease back to healthy levels and long-term stress outcomes improve (8). What’s more, moods improve when you get outside. If you don’t know where to start, start walking. Here are 10 Amazing Benefits of Walking! Why it’s surprising: We all know exercise is good for you. You can double your stress reduction by getting outside while exercising! 4. LAUGH ANY CHANCE YOU GET, ESPECIALLY WITH FRIENDS & LOVED ONES If life doesn’t seem pleasant, fun, or funny at the moment, you’ll have to go out of your way to proactively laugh. It may seem silly. But, if you prioritize laughter, you will reduce stress. Start by reading your favorite funny author, spending time with a great friend, listening or watching a favorite comedian or show, or hanging out with children. Amazingly, laughter is considered a scientific, effective, non-invasive therapy for improved mental health and mood. In fact, it’s been found that laughter alters dopamine and serotonin activity, and causes an increase in endorphins. These chemicals decrease discomfort, cortisol (9), and depressed moods (10). Why it’s surprising: Laughter is such a gift in the human experience. Indulge in it for a free stress-buster. 5. STAY HYDRATED WITH A STRESS-BUSTING TEA Did you know that dehydration can increase cortisol? Dehydration is linked to increased saliva and blood cortisol. Amazingly, multiple studies have found that dehydrated athletes have more circulating cortisol than hydrated ones (11). Of course, water is a great choice for hydration. But, you can take it a step further and drink cortisol-reducing black and/or green tea. Tea is a health-promoting drink that you can use as a tool to combat stress daily. In studies, tea consumers reported a higher “sense of relaxation,” lower blood platelet activation, better heart health indicators, brain health, oral health, and a fiery metabolism (14). Take it one step further and flavor your tea with Organic Fermented Green Supremefood®. Why it’s surprising:Many think tea itself is dehydrating. It’s only a very gentle diuretic and can be used for stress-busting hydration. 6. GET INTO THE KETO ZONE® TO EAT HEALTHY FOODS THROUGHOUT THE DAY You can also combat daily stress by improving your diet. A haphazard diet, a high-sugar diet, or an ultra-processed diet can be detrimental to your health and stress levels. Here’s how to improve your diet : Ditch the low-calorie, high-carb diets. Often, dieters following these strategies are left feeling hungry. Hunger promotes feelings of overwhelm and stress. Increase foods that promote satiety and satisfaction like healthy fats. Remove processed sugars and carbohydrates from your diet as much as possible. Sugars lead to energy crashes and increased feelings of stress. How? The best way to get started is to get the book: Dr. Colbert’s Keto Zone Diet Book. You will find how to cut carbs and get into ketosis. Then, continue to follow our posts, recipes, Facebook groups, and more to keep going. You can also join our FREE 21-Day Keto Zone Challenge! Why it’s surprising: Many people eat without thinking it affects their mental health. What you eat matters when it comes to stress. 7. PRAY WITH GRATITUDE No matter the conflicts you’re facing, the practice of daily gratitude and prayer can change everything. In fact, practicing gratitude has been proven to support decreased cortisol and stress levels. Moreover, prayer is a wonderful gift for spiritual health. Prayer is thought to increase the secretion of neurotransmitters, such as dopamine. These compounds decrease cortisol while promoting relaxation, focus, and motivation. Of course, for believers, prayer and gratitude to God goes beyond mental health. Our spiritual health is the foundation of everything else! Why it’s surprising: Gratitude and prayer are available to you all day, every day. You can choose them and thereby choose to reduce your stress. 8. CLEAR THE CALENDAR Some stress is self-induced. Sometimes, we say “yes” to too many activities. Sometimes, we are required to live within a busy schedule. As much as it’s dependent on you, clear your schedule to combat daily stress. It’s okay to spend time at home with little to do. It’s okay to allow kids to play without a “formal class or structure.” Give yourself a break. Why it’s surprising: While we often feel like stress is heaped onto us, many times we simply over-schedule ourselves and our families. It’s okay to do less. Slow and simple lives have a lot of health benefits. 9. USE POSITIVE LANGUAGE AND THOUGHTS TO SOOTHE STRESS Your words can shape your world. In fact, you have a lot of power to combat daily stress with your language. In fact, even when patients are recovering from chronic illness, optimistic language and optimism have been shown to improve outcomes (12). How? Use the word “challenges” rather than “problems.” Talk about difficult or new situations as opportunities to grow and learn. Acknowledge stressful situations and discuss helpful actions such as prayer, talking, and habits to address them. Avoid using absolute terms like “always” and “never,” and acknowledge difficult seasons with hopefulness. Talk to yourself with love and care, just as you would to a friend. Capture and replace negative self-talk with positive. What’s more, optimism is thought by some to be a fountain of youth! That’s some great news. Something that won’t cost you a dime can help you reduce stress while increasing youthfulness! Why it’s surprising: You can change your entire day by changing the way you talk to yourself and think. Start “capturing” the negative and flipping it to the positive. 10. PUT DOWN THE PHONE AND THE REMOTE Sure, we all need to “tune in” to know what is happening in the world. However, increasingly, we’re tuning in too much. We are now inundated with news nonstop. We see struggles from every corner of the world, sometimes truthfully and sometimes grossly exaggerated. What’s this doing to our stress levels? Recent studies suggest more media consumption means more feelings of stress, depression, and anxiety (15). Instead of tuning into a device for countless hours, get your news in small doses from a trusted source. Then, proactively put it down and tune into your physical world and the people present in your life. Why is this surprising? For many, stress actually increases media consumption, which can then exacerbate stress. It takes proactive action to stop this negative cycle. 11. PRIORITIZE SLEEP No matter the situation, you can combat daily stress and improve mental health with adequate sleep. In fact, adults should all aim to get 7-9 hours of good quality sleep each night. While adequate sleep is not always easy or even feasible, it’s a crucial health habit. The alternative, lack of sleep, can impair melatonin levels and cortisol, increase the risk of metabolic issues and weight gain, and generally deteriorate well-being. What’s more, an overload of stress can be the cause of poor sleep (13), making the sleep-stress cycle a potential threat to health. Aim for more sleep and less stress this week! Why it’s surprising: Sleep is not a waste of time. In fact, it may be the most important activity when it comes to mental health. Bottom Line Life is not easy, and it feels like it’s getting tougher in many ways. Decide today that your health is priceless to you. Combat daily stress with our tools. Every other part of your life will benefit from less cortisol. Take action today! To read the original article click here.

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