13 Health Hacks to get more out of life

With so many of us busier than ever we are always looking for ways we can make ourselves feel better, perform more efficiently and get more out of each day. While holistic health and nutrition is much more than a quick fix, here are some of my favourite things that make each day better.

1. Get out of bed when you wake up.

When we wake up our bodies natural cortisol (a natural stress hormone) levels start to rise, this happens so that we can get things done in the morning, when you lie in, or press the snooze button and you don’t use the adrenaline released by the cortisol then you are raising your stress levels and will cause your body to go into a fight or flight response. Being in this state of stress will make mornings more difficult to deal with, so get out of bed and get a good start to your day.

2. Drink a glass of room temperature or warm water in the morning.

Drinking warm or room temperature water as part of your morning routine is another great way to get yourself ready for the day. After eight hours of sleep our body can be slightly dehydrated. Drinking water will clear toxins, stimulate digestive fire and enhance your metabolism.

You will feel the effects immediately, clear head, more energy and you’re more likely to snack less throughout the morning.

3. Move it, move anything.  

Our bodies are designed to move. Doing 5 minutes of stretching after your morning lemon water can make a huge difference to the way your body feels. As we all have different body types there are more optimum times of the day for exercise. You can find out yours using the Ayurveda doshas, or simply by experimenting.

Try exercising in the morning after waking up, or on the way to work, lunch time, after work, after tea or before bed. Once you find a time that works best for you then a style is next.

Some body types do better with high intensity training, weights, cardio or a combination. Some do better with yoga, walking, dancing or swimming. Some people do better with group or team activity and some prefer to move on their own. As a rule, I recommend whichever gets you excited enough to get up and move and makes you feel good during and afterwards.

4. Breathing / meditation / mindfulness.

Yes, that’s right. You knew it was going to be in here, didn’t’ you?
As a health hack, meditation may just be the most important next to water and sleep. Meditation has benefits not only for your physical health but also for your mental, spiritual and emotional health too.  Meditation reduces stress, decreases anxiety and depression, decreases negative thoughts, increases immune function, increases focus and attention, can change your brain by improving memory and many more benefits. It also helps us be less judgemental and reactive. By taking as little as five minutes a day to just sit still and breathe you will reap many health benefits.

5. Tongue Scraping.

Your oral health can have so many implications on your overall health. Your mouth is the gateway between your environment and your mind and body. A daily tongue scraping removes any build up on the tongue. In Ayurveda tongue scraping is said to remove any toxic residue, like bad bacteria. Tongue scraping also helps us to improve our taste, which means we will need less salt and sugar. Not only does tongue scraping aid digestion, it also helps us to remove the taste memory of treats we may have had, which reduces the craving to have more.

6. Daily mantra or afformations.

You’ve probably heard it before “change your thoughts and change your life” -Dr Wayne Dyer or that positive thoughts create positive results. When I first started using affirmations it was so hard to even look at myself in the mirror let alone say ‘I love you Lucy’ but with more practice not only did I come to believe what I was saying but it has created a positive thought pattern in my head so that positive thoughts have become a habit. It’s almost impossible for me to follow a negative thought pattern through to the end. Mantras or affirmations can be a simple as “I love you, I forgive you’ or more specific such as “I am whole and complete, and I am ready to share my life with another wonderful being”

One of the best ways to start with this is to ask questions. Afformations is a term coined by Noah St John in his book The secret code to success, and are an effective twist on affirmations. Afformations come in the form of a question, and will open up your mind and energy to possibilities. “Why am I so good at looking after my health?” “How does it get any better than this?”

7. Sleep Routine and Patterns.

Having a great sleep routine can help set you up for a good night of truly restorative sleep. Starting every sleep routine by turning off any technology an hour before bed is optimum. Followed by activities that will help you unwind or get you ready for the next day.

Some people like to read or journal, do some stretches or get things like clothes or food prepped for the morning. It’s great to have a regular bedtime, this helps your body really unwind and get the most sleep possible. Our bodies love routine as much as kids do and a good sleep can make all the difference.

Getting enough restorative sleep can help to maintain a healthy weight, keep your stress levels down, increase your mental clarity and patience, and improve immune function and healing.

8. Mindful Eating.

As there are many different body types this one can vary slightly, however as a rule we want to have 50% vegetables, 25% protein, 25% carbohydrates plus some healthy fats and oils. Vegetables are key to healthy nutrition; they provide so many essentials for our diets. Proteins can come in many forms and carbs can too.

Over the year’s meal sizes have grown and people are eating more than ever. This is partly due to having less nutritional value in the food we eat and partly because of mental and emotional stress. 

As you are more mindful of eating and chewing slowly you will give your bodies time to digest and your hormones will kick in and stop you from wanting that second serve or that big dessert. You need to give your body time to digest your main meal, as food doesn’t pass through to your small intestines, immediately.

9. Reducing the amount of sugars and starches you eat.

There are three types of carbohydrates; fibre, sugar and starch. Eating bread, pasta, potatoes, rice and other refined grain carbs like these cause sugary surges which can cause weight gain and type 2 diabetes.

These foods are rapidly passed through the stomach and into the small intestine and converted to energy. It is recommended to avoid sugar and starches while re-balancing your gut microbiota as the bad bacteria thrive on these foods. Eating whole food sources of carbs is the best way to get the long-lasting energy your body needs and to help your brain focus, as a rule whole food sources of carbs can be 25% of the food on your plate.

10. Dry Body Brushing.

This might not be a very well-known technique, but it does wonders for your body. Not only helping to activate the lymphatic system but also helps improve circulation and love for your body. This technique which is using a natural bristle brush to stroke your body in long movements towards your heart, can help spread energy through the chakras, open the pores to release toxins, soften deposits of hard fat and skin, calm the mind and reduce muscle tension.

11. Low tox your home and body.

Removing chemicals and synthetic fragrances from your home can make a big difference. Chemicals can cause several health problems and so many of these nasties are being put straight on your skin with your beauty routine. Synthetic fragrances in perfumes, soaps, air fresheners, candles, detergents and more are known hormone disrupters. Which means it affects your body and the systems inside it. Cleaning and Beauty can be healthy and natural and do good for both you, your family and the environment.

12. Get sexy.

Sex and more importantly orgasms keep your immune system healthy, lowers blood pressure, burns calories, relieves stress, makes you look and feel younger, helps you sleep better, decreases pain, decreases the risk of prostate cancer in men, alleviates cramps for women, increases energy and creativity.

Orgasms keep us present; they make us glow; they give us permission to let go and be vulnerable and express ourselves completely. When we are sexually expressive, we are happier and more connected, it benefits our physical, emotional and spiritual health.

You don’t need to be in a relationship to experience these benefits, self-pleasure can also bring you to health, wealth and happiness. It’s not all about intercourse, it’s about the quality of the pleasure and how you are harvesting your sexual energy.  

13. Declutter your space.

Removing clutter from your home, helps to clear negative energy and create mental space. Having less things in your house gives space for light, air and positive energy to move around.

From your wardrobe to your bookshelf to your Tupperware drawer, de-cluttering can save you time and money.

There’s an old saying “messy bed, messy head” de-clutter your space to clear space in your mind too. Surround yourself only with beautiful things that truly make you happy.

Need help?

If you’d like help with any of the steps here or to start on your healthy, happy and harmonious life today, you can book a 20 minute discovery call with me here: Book Now