Do you feel like you would be healthier, or could be healthier, but you just don’t have the time? Well, my friend, here are some suggestions to make YOUR health your top priority.. even on a tight schedule!
1. Prioritize always having a healthful breakfast at home, which should always include a good source of protein.
Why is this worth your time!?
Because it will provide you with long lasting energy, sustain your appetite so you’re not starving by mid-morning, and start your day off with nutrients! So even if you have to grab a meal or snack on the go later on (that may not be totally 100% clean and non-dead), you’ve at least got some a.m. nutrients to back you up.
See my post http://www.vivanutrition.net/2012/04/12/5-nutrition-tips-to-tolerate-exams/ for suggestions on easy ways to sneak protein into your breakfasts.
2. Keep Healthy Snacks on Hand.
Buy fresh fruit at the beginning of each week. Chop up veggies and store them in containers with filtered water to snack on. I find it easy to make 1 or 2 cups of quinoa on a Sunday evening to have on hand during the week. Makes a great addition to salads, a perfect substitute for oatmeal or accompaniment to any veggie/protein dish. Hard boiled eggs also make great snacks. If you spend one or two hours each week on a free evening, it can make all the difference in how you eat during the week. It will set you up for success, my friend!
3. An easy way to get your greens: liquid chlorophyll.
Liquid chlorophyll is mega cleansing for the body and comes from the green parts of plants and veggies – aka the most nutrient dense parts! Adding a few droppers to your filtered water on a daily basis will be ahh-mazing for you and provide you with energy too! They can usually be found in smaller, easily transported bottles that you can bring along with you to work or school. If you find it a little too “plant” tasting, a squeeze of fresh lemon can be added to cut the edge off.
4. Say no to the sugar devil.
Avoid drinking pop and concentrated fruit juices. You are just consuming empty calories from an undesirable source! Refined sugars wear down your immune system and interfere with the absorption of the good nutrients you are eating.
If you’re in search of something with flavour, consider drinking iced herbal teas with a squeeze of lemon, or just plain old lemon/lime water. If you can, add some ginger for a kick and a digestive aid with a metabolism boost.
Can’t go without sugar in your coffee or tea? Substitute your sugar sources (refined sugars such as white sugar, brown sugar, splenda, nutrasweet, etc.) with natural sweeteners like honey (raw is always best) or Stevia, an all natural sugar source derived from a plant, zero calories. Stevia can be purchased in individual packets. Convenient to bring them from home, right? You can find Stevia at your local health food store.
5. Take a whole food multi vitamin & probiotic daily.
Consider a whole food multi and probiotic like a bit of a healthy-you insurance policy.
If you find it hard to get enough nutrients during the day, you will have these little capsules to help you out. Emphasis on WHOLE FOOD multivitamin to ensure you actually absorb the vitamins! Synthetically derived vitamins and minerals are not guaranteed to be absorbed very much, if at all.
Probiotics have endless benefits. Not only does your gut love these friendly little guys, but so does your immune system and skin. Probiotics help the good nutrients you are eating to be assimilated properly and are said to help with producing B vitamins – the anti-stress vitamin – woot woot!
6. Chew Your Food.
Yup, chew it! Even if you only get a 15 minute lunch break, chewing your food is of utmost importance. You’ll digest it much easier, reducing bloating and/or fatigue and you’ll properly get the nutrients from what you’re eating is providing you with. You’ll also become full when you are actually full which will help to avoid over-eating (a culprit often linked to weight gain.)
7. Schedule Your Water Drinking.
I can totally testify that it is hard to remember to drink water when you’re busy during the day. So I make sure I set aside time to remind myself.
For example, if you drive to work in the morning – bring a reusable water bottle or to-go cup of herbal tea with you to drink on the way. Refill it on your way home. If necessary, remember to drink water by the certain tasks present in your routine. That could be drinking water while you watch your evening TV show or drinking water as you check your emails at work. You’ll feel the benefits of this, I promise.
8. Refer to the Clean Fifteen and Dirty Dozen when shopping for produce.
Great resources to tell you which foods are best purchased organic and which ones have been tested low for pesticides and can be purchased non-organic. Check it out here: http://healthtalkwomen.com/sarahs-column/eat-smarter-the-clean-fifteen-and-dirty-dozen/
9. Use good quality fats for cooking.
I personally love cooking with unrefined organic coconut oil. It’s a favourite because of it’s stability; more stable than olive oil at higher temperatures and provides an abundance of health benefits being antiviral, anti fungal, antibacterial and anti parasitic. Extra virgin olive oil can be used on low temperatures. Butter and ghee (clarified butter) are also acceptable. Say no to processed vegetable oils and margarine especially! They are damaging to your health.
10. Make time for the most important person in your life: YOU
This is essential. Schedule it if you have to. Try getting at least 20-30 minutes each day uninterrupted by yourself doing something that relaxes you. Your nervous system will rejoice and you’ll feel your stress levels decline.
Oh-so relaxing!
