Starting On Your Health Journey? Read This
I am a huge advocate for longevity, mindfulness and living with complete vitality, radiance and optimum health. I am so privileged to be living during an age where the research is abundant, health and wellness has skyrocketed and optimal living is at the forefront. However, many research studies and literature are skewed towards men. My goal here is to change this and start shifting the narrative towards sharing more information and offering more support for women. Through both studies and my personal experience, I’m here to share what works for me and how you can adapt this to your lifestyle!
If I was to start my health journey again, here’s where I would start… and you’ll notice one thing. These are all simple, quick things you can choose to do, for free!
Sleep. Sleep. Sleep.
I am sorry if this isn’t groundbreaking. But all health optimisation starts with sleep. Let’s go back to the basics. Research suggests, women need more sleep than men. Sleep is critical for biological processes - our nerve cells communicate and reorganise, supporting healthy brain function. The body repairs cells, restores energy, and releases molecules like hormones and proteins. Sleep also restores the body, aids with recovery, supports memory, and helps maintain energy levels. Start with better, longer, quality sleep.
Morning Sunlight
Rain, hail or shine, expose yourself to 10-15 minutes of sunlight in your eyes and on your body first thing. Ideally, within 10-30 minutes of waking. This helps support your mitochondria, resets your circadian rhythm and tells your body it’s time to wake up!
Take Time To Chew Your Food
With life being so busy and constantly being on the go, we often spend time chewing our food with our phone, standing up, sometimes even in the car! Taking time to be present with your food, chewing at least 25-30 times (yes, that many) can help decrease stress and gut inflammation.
5-10k Steps Per Day
Ditch the high intensity workouts - low impact movement all day everyday. Walking helps increase blood flow, causes less stress on the body, and can boost your energy levels also. Walking can help increase cardiovascular fitness, strengthen bones, reduce excess body fat and boost muscle endurance.
Reduce Your Toxic Burden
Recent research shows women put up to 160 different “ingredients” on their body before leaving the house everyday… from fragrances, to moisturisers, haircare, make up etc. By choosing to swap your current products with low-tox versions, you are helping lower the burden on your liver. While some other toxins are out of control (please don’t get caught up in stressing out about this!) You can also reduce the toxin load in your home - swap your highly toxic cleaning products for more low-tox options (there are also lots of recipes online that are easy to make), ditch the room sprays, throw out your plastic containers. Keep an eye out for a separate story around this.
Support Your Liver and Lymphatic System
With that said, support your liver through liver loving foods and your lymphatic system (essentially the sewerage system of our body). Choose leafy greens, cruciferous veggies, beets to support your liver and I love a good gua sha, lymphatic massage, dry body brushing and even sauna to help remove toxins. Coffee enemas are also a great way to support your body’s detoxification process at home!
Prioritise Strength Training
We often get so caught up in what we look like during our early 20’s (trust me I was the same), but training for longevity and your life ahead, will help you reap the rewards in leaps and bounds later in life. Choose to intentionally exercise with grounding exercises such as strength training - help boost your muscle mass earlier on in life to assist you as you age (this helps create the foundation in your life to do simple things like picking up your children or getting off the couch!)
Sit In Stillness For 10 Minutes A Day
If you’re struggling with how to meditate, find out some of my other favourite ways of meditating here. But sitting with stillness helps reduce our cortisol, regulate our nervous system , reduce stress and can potentially improve our mood. It also helps increase the grey matter in our brain (memory, controlling movement and regulating emotions).
Journaling & Gratitude
A healthy way to release stored emotions, problem solve and potentially reduce anxiety. The more “gratitude” we express, the more life shows us to be grateful for. Try to write 5-10 things you are grateful for at the beginning of every day and watch the magic unfold…
Avoid Processed Foods
I have put myself on a challenge to eliminate as many processed foods as possible. This means more work for me in terms of meal prepping, ensuring I am organised and choosing “healthier” options than food on the go. Avoiding processed foods helps reduce the toxic load on your liver, and eating whole, nutritious foods helps in leaps and bounds with your hormones, energy levels and overall vitality.
Eat Seasonally
Eating seasonally is eating in tune with nature’s rhymic cycles. Nature is so smart, offering us the foods and resources we need during each season. Ever wondered why citrus foods are more popular during the winter season? Our bodies’ need more support for our immune system, vitamin c and to support overall vitality. Eating seasonally is not only more intentional, it’s better for your wallet and even better for the environment!
Find A Likeminded Community
As humans, one of our basic needs is connection. Your vibe attracts your tribe, finding a group of likeminded women and a community that supports you, welcomes you unconditionally, helps you find your purpose, live with intention and feel divinely supported. Find your “people.”