7 Ways to Increase Your Health
Do you know that the very act of smiling can benefit your mental
health? So often people think that good health and happiness require
great effort. They buy the most expensive vitamins. They think they
have to engage in strenuous exercise every day to stay healthy. They
seek out the “guru of the month” to help them navigate their way
through life.
All of these things, of course, can benefit you, the fact is, sometimes
it’s the simplest things in life that can give us the greatest
benefits. Here, then, are 7 simple ways to increase your mood and your
health.
1. Eat your fruits and vegetables. Admit it, mother was
right. Fruits and vegetables are good for you. They contain nutrients
which help fight illness and disease. They also give you energy to
confront the stressors in life. Remember to eat fruits and vegetables
from all color groups (tomatoes, broccoli, blueberries, etc.); as the
different color groups contain nutrients with many different benefits.
And, if eating the required daily amount is too daunting, you might try
juicing, which is a convenient way to consume the required amount of
fruits and vegetables.
2. Sleep. That’s right, sleep. Getting
the right amount of sleep helps the body to rejuvenate and allows one
to work through their everyday problems through dreaming. How much
sleep is enough sleep? Experts say the average adult needs between 7 to
8 hours a night (uninterrupted sleep being ideal). Teenagers need more
sleep, about 9 hours on average. Can you function on just a few hours
of sleep a night? Sure, but sooner or later the sleep deficit will
catch up with you. And, consider this: research has shown people who
sleep very little or too much tend to die earlier. Again, the right
amount of sleep is important.
3. Get some sunlight. Not only can
sunlight add to your mood, but it supplies necessary vitamin D. The
body converts sunshine to vitamin D, which promotes the absorption of
calcium, which in turn is necessary for healthy bones and teeth. Of
course, take precautions not to stay out long enough to get burned.
Start out slow, about 5-10 minutes a day. Some experts recommend 10-15
minutes of sunshine 3 times a week.
4. Practice some form of
relaxation exercises daily. This could be in the form of meditation,
self-hypnosis, imagery, or just simply sitting quietly with your eyes
closed and taking three deep breaths. Sitting outside and just looking
at the clouds is a good idea, too. The point is to slow down.
5.
Before going to bed at night write down all the good things that
happened to you that day, or perhaps all the things you’re grateful for
in your life. Yes, you may have to really search for something good
that happened, but take notice of anything, no matter how small. Even
if it’s just a good parking space you snagged at the grocery store.
Sometimes the act of noticing the small things gives way to bigger,
more wonderful things happening in our lives.
6. Take a walk. Walking can have a calming effect, as well as giving you needed exercise.
7.
Remember to smile, even if you have to force it at first. If you need
help smiling, pick up the comics section of the newspaper, or turn on
the comedy channel on tv. Smiling and laughing can have enormous
benefits on your health and well being.
Now, of course, these
are just simple things, but sometimes simple things can have great
benefits. However, if you have serious depression or a medical
condition, you should consult a professional mental health expert or
physician.