By Sheryl Kraft, original full content published on mysocalledmidlife.net
August is Wellness Month, and more specifically, Wednesday, August 15, is National Relaxation Day!
And yes, every day should be wellness day, but too many of us let self-care and wellness take a back seat in our busy live.
If you already practice wellness, then maybe you don’t need a reminder. I try really hard to remember to incorporate wellness into each day, but my feeling is that there’s always something new to learn and discover.
In honor of Wellness Day, here are 15 ways to support your wellness. Some include product recommendations and others are things you can easily incorporate into each day.
• Drink more water. Water lubricates joints—especially important as we age—and transports nutrients for energy and health. Some people don’t drink enough water because, it’s a bit ho-hum. The water infusion drops can change that.
• Nourish your skin. Your skin— your body’s largest organ—takes a lot of abuse, especially in the summer when the heat and humidity can make it wilt.
• Get outside and exercise. Yes, it’s been pretty hot, but consider swapping the air conditioned gym for an outdoor workout instead. You’ll reap the benefits of a psychological boost that an indoor environment can’t compete with. There’s been lots of research that points to the therapeutic benefits of exercising in “green spaces.”
• Streamline your snacks. Eating between meals is OK and won’t pack on extra pounds—if you do it right. That means swapping out those ready-made smoothies and granola bars for things like air popped popcorn, celery or carrot sticks, and making your own smoothies using fresh or frozen fruit or veggies and plain yogurt or milk. Another easy way to have your snacks and eat them too: Never eat directly out of the bag or box. Take out a sensible portion, put it in a bowl, then put the rest away.
• Toss the pantyhose. I love wearing dresses and skirts with bare legs in the summer but this so-called midlife has gifted me with various spots and spider veins that I’d rather cover up. And since my legs never tan, Find a way to cheat on the sun with lotions and bronzers.
• Practice deep breathing. Stress has a way of interfering with your breathing. You may not mean to do it, but when you’re stressed you hold your breath or take much shallower breaths. And then? Your whole body tenses, creating muscle tension and maybe even pain. There are so many ways to breathe, and the 4-4-8 technique is just one of the many:
1. Breathe in through your nose for a count of four, bringing the breath into your abdomen.
2. Hold your breath for a count of four.
3. Breathe out through your mouth with a whooshing sound for a count of eight. Ahhhhh.
• Cut back on sugar. Excess sugar consumption is linked to diabetes and heart disease and can make you feel tired. The number to aim for is six teaspoons per day, says the American Heart Assoc. Get your sugar fix but do it smarter: add blueberries to your yogurt or cereal, drink plain water, use spices like cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice in place of sugar and roast veggies like parsnips, carrots and tomatoes – which turn sweet when roasted.
• Care for your cuticles. When cuticles are dry and jagged, it’s tempting to pick, chew or cut them. And with that, you’re risking infection or irritation. Your cuticles are there for a reason—they provide a barrier and protect your nail matrix. Rather than cut them, you should gently push them back with a wooden orange stick.
• Treat yourself to a spa treatment. You can’t compete with a spa for the ultimate in self-care and relaxation.
• Give yourself a massage. If you can’t get to a spa or it’s too costly, you can still indulge with one of Wahl’s products, like its deep-knead massage wrap is the perfect way to get a spa-like heated, shiatsu-style massage.
• Slow down. It always feels like there’s not enough time to get everything done, but when you spend your days in a feverish rush, you miss out on special subtleties and nuances that elude notice. Slow walking is actually a way of actively meditating. And yes, you can meditate without really trying.
• Be kind to your eyes. Make sure to get annual eye exams, eat a well-balanced diet, and, if you smoke, quit. Also wear sunglasses and use safety eyewear or protective goggles where necessary. If you work at a computer, look 20 feet away from your screen for 20 seconds every 20 minutes and take a 15-minute break at least every two hours.
• Stretch. Beginning your day with a good stretch preserves mobility and independence as you age, helps keep your muscles flexible and strong and protects your joints and muscles from injury. The most important areas for mobility are in your lower extremities, say experts at Harvard Medical School.
• Read food labels. It’s an easy— and effective—way to check your nutrition and stay accountable. Decode food labels with this helpful book by dietician and nutrition expert Bonnie Taub-Dix, Read It Before You Eat It.
• Pamper your lips. Your lips have thinner skin surrounding them and have no oil glands. With the passage of time, lips loose volume, making them even more vulnerable. Resist the urge to lick your lips or breathe through your mouth, which can dry them out even more.