DAY 1 — Kicking Off BlogHer’s 61 Days To Better Health
What does better health mean to you? Eating better? Losing weight? Getting more exercise? Reducing stress? Well, it’s actually all of those things, and more. It’s also something different for everyone. I’m going to be taking a holistic approach for the next 61 days, looking at all aspects of healthy living. Some things may seem like common sense, but it’s funny how we often need a little nudge or reminder.
The truth is…Better health isn’t hard, it’s simply a choice. A mindset. A decision. It’s not about making radical changes overnight that set you up for failure. It’s about making gradual changes that you can adapt into your lifestyle and maintain.
So, each day for the next 61 days, I’ll be giving you a little tip or suggestion that can help you achieve better health. Don’t worry, it’s not a pass or fail challenge, and success is measured only by you. Try to keep in mind that even the smallest healthy changes are better than no changes at all.
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DAY 2 — You are what you eat.
Do you know what you’re eating? I know it sounds silly, but you would really be surprised how much you can eat when you’re just not paying attention. It’s not always about how much you ate; what about your food choices? Are you eating processed food all day? Do you eat anything healthy at all?
Try this. Get yourself an inexpensive date book or calendar, specifically to record what you eat and drink each day. Keep track for a week or two. You may realize you’re eating more than you thought. Is there something you can cut back on? Is there something unhealthy you can replace with something healthy?
As you start making changes to your diet, keep writing down what you’re eating on the calendar, and take one more step. At the end of each day, mark the date with a little happy face or sad face, that reflects your overall feelings for the day. For example…If you where feeling sick, or sad, or tired, give yourself a sad face. If you were feeling happy, well and energetic, give yourself a smiley face. You may be pleasantly surprised to see the relationship between making healthy food choices and your overall mood.
It’s also nice to be able to go back and look at your calendar on the days you are feeling low. Because sometimes when we are feeling sad or depressed, we can’t remember that we ever felt happy. Seeing it on the calender could be just what you need to get over the hump.
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DAY 3 – Keep you heart healthy.
You can keep your heart healthy while reducing stress and burning calories. How? Try to get 10 to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise each day. Even a small amount of activity can have a large effect on your overall heart health. It’s not really important what you do to get yourself moving and your heart pumping, as long as you do something.
Do you have young kids? Put on some fun music and dance around for a couple of songs with them (it’s actually pretty fun, even if you’re all by yourself). Dancing around the house can lift your spirits and qualifies as aerobic exercise. The best part is, you don’t have to be a good dancer. Good dancing and bad dancing have the same health benefits. Dancing Queen by Abba, has always been one of my personal favorites. I also went through a Frank Sinatra My Way phase. Do you have a favorite song to dance to?
Walk, ride a bike, use a treadmill, take an aerobics class, dance…It doesn’t matter what you do, just as long as you are doing it. Find something that works for you and do it. Start slow, even if it’s just five minutes a day, and gradually work your way up to 30 minutes.
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DAY 4 – Reducing Stress and Anxiety
By now, if you are like me, your election stress level is through the roof. But, it’s time to let go of your stress. Once you have placed your vote, the outcome is out of your hands (let’s face it, it was never in our hands). So, why worry about something that you will not be able to change? Regardless of the outcome, you will wake-up tomorrow morning, and your life will go on as it always has.
So, I want you to try something. Right now, as you read this brief post, I want you to slowly take a deep breath in, and slowly let it out. OK, that was good, but you know you can do better.
Now, do it again. Take a very slow and deep breath in. And now exhale…slowly. Do you feel a little better now? It’s amazing what getting a little more oxygen into our bodies can do for us, and how quickly it happens.
Let’s take it one step farther. This time, slowly breathe in peace, love, hope, and anything that makes you feel calm. Now, slowly release your breath, exhaling your fears, worries, and stress. If you’re alone, close your eyes while you do this. Take another minute or two, and breathe a few more times, slowly and deeply. Visualizing yourself breathing in the good, and exhaling the negative.
Better, now?
If possible, go do something else that makes you feel more calm and relaxed. Have a cup of herbal tea, take a bubble bath, turn off the television, read a book, take a walk outside, call a friend, hug your kids. If you feel the stress creeping back in, simply let it go.
This is something you can (and should) do often. Each day, try to become more conscious of your breathing. You will probably notice that you are taking very shallow breaths most of the time. To combat that…Make an effort to take some deep, slow, and purposeful breaths each day. You will be doing your body good, and your mind, too.
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DAY 5 – Turn off the TV and get to bed early.
Pick a time in the evening (at least a few hours before your bedtime), and don’t eat past that time. It sounds like it should be easy to do. But if you’re like me, the few hours before going to bed is prime time for grazing. And that’s bad. I found turning off the television before bedtime can help reduce the temptation to sit and snack. I do best when I make up my mind to get in bed earlier than normal, and read until I’m too tired to keep my eyes open any longer.
The first few nights are going to be tough, especially if you’re in the habit of staying up late watching television. But that’s all it is, a habit, an unhealthy habit. You can choose to change your habit to a healthy one. Give it a try for a week or two, and see if you notice a difference. You might even lose a view pounds.
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DAY 6 – Buy Organic – The Healthier Choice For You and the Environment
Buying organic can be more expensive, but in many cases the benefits of buying organic outweighs the cost. The best way to help bring down the cost of organic food, is to create more demand for it. Do you know how to do that? It’s very simple. We create more demand for organic food, by buying it.
You may not realize this, but as consumers, we have a lot of influence over manufacturers and suppliers. And if we want more organic products, we can get them. Learn more about the influence we have and the benefits of buying organic, from Big Green Purse.
Though some green products, such as organic milk or chlorine-free toilet paper, cost more than conventional products, the whole point to living an eco-friendly lifestyle is to use – and buy – less overall.
Diane MacEachern, author of the new book Big Green Purse: Use Your Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World (Penguin Group, 2008, $17.95 paperback), said consumers should stop and think before buying any product, green or not.
Once you’ve made the decision to buy organic, the next step is to understand the labeling, because it can be very confusing (and misleading).
For example, the words “all natural” may sound good, but they don’t mean much. Unless the label says USDA Certified Organic, the product did not go through the rigorous certification process that organic products must go through. Don’t be fooled by deceptive labeling, The words “all natural” and “naturally grown” can be slapped on just about any product.
Do you buy organic?
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DAY 7 – Eating Healthy, The Green Way
When it comes to eating healthy, not all foods are created equal. In fact, much of the fresh vegetables in your supermarket are grown using pesticides, while the milk and meat is filled with hormones and antibiotics. So what can you do? How can you make healthier and greener food choices?
Whenever possible, buy local, this saves on energy that is otherwise wasted on transportation.
From Woman Tribune…
Here is a list of the top 10 produce you should most definitely be buying organic, every time.
1. Peaches – pesticide load: 100
2. Apples – pesticide load: 96
3. Bell Peppers – pesticide load: 86
4. Celery – pesticide load: 85
5. Nectarines – pesticide load: 84
6. Strawberries – pesticide load: 83
7. Cherries – pesticide load: 75
8. Lettuce – pesticide load: 69
9. Grapes (imported) – pesticide load: 68
10. Pears – pesticide load: 65
For healthier green vegetables, buy local or organic (specifically USDA Certified Organic). Even better, grow your own. Planting your own vegetable garden can be hard work, but it can also be a lot of fun. If you don’t live in an area where having your own vegetable garden is possible, check out the AeroGarden, and grow your own vegetables inside – I wish I had one of these babies.
When it comes to milk, buy organic, or consider trying soy milk. If you’re thinking “yuk” – at the very least, don’t buy your milk in plastic containers.
What about meat? Again, buy organic. Also, for better health, try to avoid red meat whenever possible. Chicken and fish are a much healthier and greener choice.
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DAY 8 – Fish…The Greener Meat
When it comes to eating meat, the most healthy choice is also the greenest choice – fish. However, not all fish are created equal. Many are contaminated with pollutants and other toxins (such as mercury). So choosing the correct fish is important. Here is some help on choosing the best “eco-friendly” fish…
This site might be helpful, it’s the Seafood Selector.
Another problem is labeling. Just like the misleading labeling of “organic” foods. Often, the labels on seafood are misleading.
For example, for years we have heard about how healthy Salmon is for us. But recently we’ve been told that “farm raised” salmon was bad, and we should choose “wild” salmon instead. Wild salmon isn’t farm raised, but farm raised salmon isn’t usually labeled farm raised. For instance, if you buy “Atlantic” salmon, that is farm raised. Yup. No kidding. It doesn’t make any sense, but it is true.
And it doesn’t stop there. I started buying frozen “wild” salmon, and recently looked closer at the packaging. On the front of the package, in large letters, it said…Fresh Caught Wild Salmon. Then in a tiny spot on the back of the package, and in very small letters, it said something like…certified healthy farm raised salmon. Talk about a contradiction. I’d like to see how they freshly “catch” farm raised salmon, it must not be a very challenging.
All I can say is…buyer beware. Read the labels closely. And, if you have to buy “farm raised” fish of any kind, check the label for what country it’s from. The closer the better. Farm raised fish from the United States, would be a better eco-choice, than farm raised from China.
Renaissance Trophy Wife has has a great post explaining the new Country-of-Origin labeling. She also has a great post on organic labeling.
Have you ever been mislead with deceptive labeling on seafood?
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DAY 9 – Why You Should Switch To Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products
Did you know chemicals in your cleaning products can be making you and your family sick? But what can you do?
You can make sure all of your cleaning products; like laundry detergents, dishwasher detergents, surface cleaners, and bathroom cleaners are nontoxic and made with plant-based ingredients. Here are a few you can probably pick up in your local market…
Or, if you’re willing to go the extra mile, make your own cleaning products.
Did you ever consider making your own cleaning products? Not only is this a more eco-friendly cleaning option, but in these hard economic times, you’ll save a bunch of money, too.
Products needed:
- Oranges, Lemons, or Limes (scent of your choice)
- White-distilled Vinegar
- Baking Soda
- Dishwashing soap
- Water *Note some recipes will call for ammonia, you may substitute three tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice in it’s place.
The citric acid found in these fruits can make for a different kind of “punch”, one that packs a lot of cleaning power! By mixing any of these juices with water in a spray bottle, you can clean a multitude of messes, including grease. By adding vinegar, you are doubling up on the acidity. This household concoction, that rivals the harshest of chemicals, can effectively kill most mold, bacteria, and germs. From Vinegartips.com , I will list just a few of the (many) household cleaner “recipes” they provide…
[*A quick note: If you or someone in your family has asthma or any other respiratory condition, avoid using ammonia.]
Do you use eco-friendly cleaning products? Do you make your own? Tell me about it in comments.
Also See:
Are You Unknowingly Making Your Child Sick with Everyday Cleaning Product?
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DAY 10 – Green Fitness
You don’t need to get a gym membership in order to stay fit. Electrically powered exercise machines in your home and fitness centers require large amounts of energy to operate and are not eco-friendly.
So what are some better options?
If you want to get in shape, the eco-way, get outside and experience nature while you workout.
You can walk, bike, or jog through the park (or your neighborhood) once or twice a week. Not only will you get great health benefits, but there is also a sense of peace that you acquire from being in a natural setting. Breathe in the fresh air, feel the wind on your face, and the sun on your skin. You don’t receive any of that with a gym membership.
But what if outdoor exercise isn’t an option for you? You could create a little home gym without using equipment that requires electricity. Here are a few ideas…
- Dumbells
- Jump ropes
- Resistance bands
- Self-powered cardio machines; like bikes and rowing machines.
What are some of your eco-friendly fitness tips?
