Health Tips

Embracing a healthy lifestyle may seem overwhelming. It's easier if you take small steps at a time. The following health tips are changes you can incorporate into your day-to-day routine. Pick one or two to start. Gradually add new ones into your daily life. They will soon become new habits.

Nutrition

• Drink less caffeine, whether that's coffee or tea. Vickie's Tip: Reduce your total daily intake by only having coffee/tea in the morning; replace one cup each day with herbal tea, water, or juice; drink decaffeinated coffee or tea.
• Drink plenty of water - 6 to 8 cups a day. Vickie's Tip: Drink a glass of water before each meal; replace one of your daily coffee, tea or sodas with water; add a slice or lemon, lime or other fruit for flavor.
• Add one extra fresh fruit and one extra fresh vegetable to your daily diet. Vickie's Tip: Buy fruits and vegetables that are in season - usually cheaper and tastier.
• Eat one vegetarian meal a week. Vickie's Tip: Try other sources of protein e.g. beans, lentils, nuts, tofu and soy protein products.
• Eat organic produce and meat whenever possible. Vickie's Tip: Buy fresh organic produce from your local farmer - tastes great and it's good for the environment.
• Eat smaller portions. Your metabolism naturally slows down as you get older so you need fewer calories.
• Eat slowly and stop eating when you are full. Vickie's Tip: Forget what Mom said - you don't have to finish everything on your plate.
• Take a vitamin and mineral supplement. Even if you eat well, you may not get all the nutrients you need from food.
• Eat breakfast. Vickie's Tip: If you don't feel hungry, mix up a fruit smoothie with a tablespoon of soy protein powder. Soy protein powder can be found at your local health food store.
• Increase the amount of fiber in your daily diet. Fiber is found in fruits, vegetables, beans, seeds and whole grains.
• Eat less processed and refined food.
• Cut back on sugar. That goes along with eating less processed food. Vickie's Tip: If you are craving sweets, have fruit.

• Replace sugar with the natural sweetener, Stevia. Stevia can be used as a sweetener in your coffee or tea and also in baked goods. Vickie's Tip: I use it instead of sugar when making muffins. Click here for my favorite muffin recipes that have been adapted using Stevia powder concentrate.

• Eat before 8:00 p.m. If you are hungry later in the evening, fill up on fruit.
• Don't skip meals. It causes fatigue, poor concentration and slows down your metabolism.
• Avoid grocery shopping when you are hungry. Vickie's Tip: Shop with a list based on a weekly meal plan (see next tip).
• Prepare a weekly dinner menu and create a shopping list from the menu. Post the menu on your fridge.
• Vickie's Tip: Only have desserts on the weekend and none during the week. This is a routine my husband, Bill, started. Occasionally, the weekend starts on Friday evening!
• Remember, if it's not in the house, you can't eat it. This works for both junk food (if it's not there, you can't indulge) and healthy snacks (it's not there, when you can indulge).

Exercise and Fitness

• Pick an activity you enjoy. Exercise is less of a chore when you are having fun.
• What do you prefer - exercising outside or at an indoor gym?
• Do you like to work out alone or prefer the support of a buddy? This could be an opportunity for shared time with a family member or friend.
• Decide what days you will commit to exercising.
• Use the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Get off the bus one or two stops earlier, or park your car a couple of blocks from your destination. An easy way to add walking to your daily routine.

Health tips on nutrition and exercise are just one piece of the puzzle. Check out the tips to support your emotional and spiritual well-being.