Is it time for a Health Kick?
Is it time for a Health Kick?
Our Naturopath Diane gives us her five easiest tips to stay on top of your health..
Now, is as good a time as ever, to focus on improving your health and supporting your body – not just for yourself but for others around you.
Here are Diane’s 5 tips:
- Mind-set check.
Psychological well-being is the number one priority for getting on the road to better health. Before making changes, it’s really important to take an “inventory” about how you are feeling. Making lifestyle changes needs to be embraced with a smile and with a sense of self-nurturing. Changing your diet with gritted teeth or sadness, can lead to potential backfire. Self medicating with food is common, so if you are overwhelmed, sad, depressed, anxious or angry, invest in a few therapy sessions with a good psychologist, or at the very least read self help books or talk to a friend.
- Good sleep
Everyone has their own chronometer, however MOST people need at least 8 hours sleep, with the hours before midnight being the most important. A good sleep will not only improve your mood and energy, but it will allow time for your body’s cells to remove debris and rejuvenate. This is important for all cellular processes, which in turn supports each system of the body, including your immune system. There is also evidence that good sleep quality patterns, plays a role in preventing dementia as the brain works at clearing itself of beta-amyloid.
- Food glorious food
When monitoring dietary choices, the best thing to do is remove highly processed food, anything white such as white bread, white pasta and sugar.
Beginning your day with a good quality protein, starts you on the right track and stops those mid morning cravings for something sweet. Always make sure your diet is predominantly composed of plant food, plant food really is a medicine. They contain important nutrients that support your overall health.
It is important to note that for any diet where entire healthy food groups are being taken out, is temporary. The Ketogenic Diet is usually a 6 week plan then done in cycles of 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off. Taking out foods, unless they’re just junk, can start to hurt your microbiome by starving it of particular nutrients. A starved microbiome contributes to weight gain, ill health overall and increased food sensitivity/reactivity. This is a great reason to be supervised by a professional when making big changes to your diet.
- Hormonal Balance
Hormones effect mood and energy levels, weight, fluid retention, stress levels, immunity and menstrual irregularities. Whether this is from high cortisol, low testosterone, low progrestorne or oestrogen dominance – there is a non-invasive test is available that can accurately provide a profile of where imbalances lie. A practitioner such as a Naturopath or Integrative Medical Practitioner can guide you through, how best to treat things.
- Monitoring and Support
Studies have shown that the most successful health kicks involve a degree of monitoring, this maintains accountability and helps keep you on track. Another plus is that there is so much information “out there” it can get confusing and downright scary. To check in with someone such as your Personal Trainer, Naturopath or even just a friend who is a great influence will help you enjoy the process and attain your goals.
Nothing changes, unless nothing changes.
For more information or to book a consult with our in-house Naturopath Diane Pascoe, book online today!
