Another Ten Trusted Tips to Follow for Your Health

We recently posted Top Ten Trusted Health Tips to Follow, giving ten top health tips, five for mornings and five for evenings.

Here are a further ten tips which can be carried out at any time of the day.

1.  Calf raises to boost circulation

Raising your calves is a simple but effective way to boost circulation.  The repeated contraction and relaxation of calf muscles helps to act as a natural pump to send blood back to the heart.

If you can strengthen your calves, you will enhance venous return, reducing the feeling of heaviness or fatigue.  A couple of minutes to spare?  Rise on the balls of your feet before slowly lowering your heels.

2.  Start a "Use it up" box for your refrigerator

A clear open container is perfect for popping in any vegetables or other items that need to be used up within the next day or two.  Keep that container at eye level as a reminder!

3.  Increase your regular workout by ten per cent each week

Improve your health and fitness with some progressive overload.  Depending on what exercise you are doing, try to make progress week by week.  You can add load, volume, increase the difficulty level of exercises or decrease the rest periods.  But no more than ten per cent per week!

4.  Family stretches before bed

Something to do with family members before bedtime is simple stretches and breathing exercises.  This is a good way to include and teach your children about mindfulness and calm as well as allowing you time to be extra present together with space for a slower five to ten minutes of winding down.

5.  Boost bowel movements with a step

Our bowels are an essential part of our anatomy.  Boost your pelvic health by using a step or stool that raises your feet off the floor, bringing your knees above the level of your hips when having a bowel movement.  You will create a squat position, helping to avoid constipation and the risk of hemorrhoids.

6.  Take a warm bath or shower before bed

Taking either a warm bath or shower about an hour or less before bed will help to lower your core body temperature, helping to promote sleep.  Pair with an essential oil for added soothing benefits.  

7.  Carry out a facial massage

Such a massage, carried out a couple of times per week, will reduce jaw tension and puffiness.   Cleanse the face first and we suggest using our Simply Face Oil to give you some slip leeway for the massage.   This is a very therapeutic way to refresh your face.

8.  Enjoy a chocolate treat

But make sure such a treat is dark chocolate.   This is a great sources of polyphenols (antioxidants for the gut) helping to improve your gut microbiome.

And it tastes good too!

9.  Get those legs up!

Whenever you have a hectic day, take a five or ten minute rest with your legs raised.  It will make the next task a lot more manageable.  Use a sofa if available or if not, lie on the floor with the back of your calves on a chair, focusing on your breathing with your hands on your stomach or your heart.  

If you suffer from lower back pain, lie on the floor with your legs bent and feet resting on the seat of a dining room chair.  Stay still for at least twenty minutes.  You will notice a big difference to your back afterwards.

10.  Walk after every meal

Quite a tall order but if you can aim for a ten to fifteen minute walk after each meal, you will improve your digestion, regulate blood sugar levels and reduce any feelings of sluggishness.

And it will also clear your mind!

SOURCES: 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19955752/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36129742/