5 Steps to Kick Start Your Well-Being

If the journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step, your journey toward a much improved physical well-being begins with just a few small adjustments. Many people don't realize that living healthy often DOESN'T require a massive lifestyle change. You just need to make a few small adjustments along the way to really unlock that healthy, happy life you've always dreamed of.

Drink More Water

This may seem like simple advice, but it doesn't make it any less true. Making an effort to drink as much water as possible and to stay hydrated at all times is one of the keys to kick-starting your body's physical well-being. Nutritionist Heidi Skolnik, M.S. said, "Water provides no sodium, which helps the body hold onto water and helps fluid get to the right places in the body, like muscles and blood." Experts agree that the minimum you should be shooting for is around eight glasses of water per day.

As a general rule of thumb, any time you physically exert yourself or sweat for any length of time, try to drink a glass or two of water to compensate. Or if you know you're going to be exercising for an hour, try to fill an average-sized water bottle and at the very least drink that amount before you're done with your session.

However, you absolutely need to keep in mind that this does NOT mean you should drink water as much as you can every single day. Though it is rare, drinking an extreme amount of water in a relatively short time frame can be incredibly dangerous to your overall health. This is a condition called hyponatremia, which is sometimes also referred to as water intoxication. Drinking too much water causes the level of sodium in your blood to drop too low, which can not only make you ill - it can actually be fatal in certain conditions.

Get as Much Sleep as You Can

Many people don't realize that sleep doesn't just feel good - it's also the way that your body restores itself. Your body's cells repair themselves while you sleep and the brain gets a much-needed opportunity to reboot. Studies have shown that an average adult in the United States needs between seven to eight hours of sleep each night for the full effect.

According to the Chicago Tribune, 43% of people surveyed said they don't get enough sleep at least four out of the seven nights of a week. Phyllis Zee, medical director at the Center for Circadian and Sleep Medicine, said that the biggest issue was that people just aren't putting a big enough priority on sleep. "We're not maintaining a regular sleep and wake time, it seems to be something that's expendable," she said.

In this particular situation, one thing you'll definitely want to do is manage your expectations. Nobody is saying that you need to get seven to eight hours of sleep seven days a week, 365 days per year or you'll be a failure or get ill or something like that. Sometimes things happen and the occasional late night (or early morning) is going to be necessary. However, try as frequently as possible to get into a normal sleeping habit that makes those seven to eight hours easier to get than they may be right now. If that means going to bed and waking up an hour earlier than you normally do, so be it.

Additionally, try to refrain from using electronics at least an hour before bed, as those bright LED and LCD lights can play havoc with your circadian rhythms, which can actually make it more difficult for your body to achieve REM.

You Are What You Eat

Sometimes making the healthy option for lunch or dinner isn't the easiest, but it is absolutely the most important. Making an effort to forego fast food and choose healthy alternatives instead starts strengthening your body's natural defenses almost immediately and can give you a much-needed boost of energy to get through the rest of the day.

If you're having a hard time finding meals to eat while on-the-go, consider preparing healthy meals for the day ahead of time while you're at home and taking them with you throughout your travels.

Vegetables Are Your Friend

In addition to eating a healthy diet, maintaining a diet of fruits and vegetables is a great way to keep your body energized. This, in turn, goes a long way toward keeping you healthy. Whenever possible, always choose organic fruits and vegetables because they don't have any type of chemical contamination.

This doesn't even necessarily mean that you have to have a side of carrots with every meal for the rest of your life, so long as you're smart about increasing your vegetable intake. For example, did you know garlic isn't just an antimicrobial agent, but it's also a great way to give your immune system a natural boost at the same time? If you're a garlic fan, consider adding it to some of the meals that you cook to unlock these benefits without even realizing that you'd done something in the first place. Just be careful to add it to foods that you've already prepared, as the heat from cooking can actually negate one of the key ingredients in garlic that is so healthy.

Try to Stay Physically Active

You don't have to suddenly become a weightlifting superstar, but making an effort to stay as physically active as possible goes a long way toward keeping you healthy and kick-starting your physical well being. Not only does it improve blood cholesterol levels, but it also helps to manage your blood pressure, prevent bone loss, manage stress and more.

Again: this does not mean that you have to invest in an expensive gym membership or have thousands of dollars worth of equipment installed in your home. According to guidelines that were released by the American Heart Association, even just 30 minutes of moderate walking five days a week can help you both burn calories and lead a healthier life.

Also, consider the fact that walking for just 15 minutes four times per day burns just as many calories as a single one hour walk. If you don't have a free hour in your schedule, try breaking it up into smaller, more manageable goals instead to accomplish much the same thing in a much easier way.

If you'd like to find out more about how you can kick start your physical well-being and lead the healthy lifestyle you've always wanted, don't hesitate to contact MrVitaHerbs today.