1. Add to your diet rather than restrict it. When it comes to making nutritional changes, we often think about eliminating things from our daily food intake. But emotional attachment to food is a challenging relationship, and feeling deprived can quickly sabotage your goals. Avoid this and make positive changes by adding things into your daily food intake rather than eliminating things. Here are some important and easy ways to do this:
•Increase your daily water intake by 16oz. This will keep you feeling full longer, increase your energy level and improve your cognitive abilities.
•Twice per day, add a variety of vegetables, such as carrots, celery or cauliflower, as a snack item. This will decrease the volume you eat at meals and will keep your energy level stable.
•Twice a week, substitute a second vegetable choice at dinner instead of potatoes or grains. Focus on dark, leafy greens such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, spinach and kale. Vegetables lower blood pressure, provide cancer fighting properties and are a healthy source of carbohydrates.
•Not a breakfast person? Don’t skip it! Having a healthy breakfast will help you make better food choices during the day. Try a fruit-based shake with spirulina or a whole food-based protein powder.
Once you start to add small healthy choices into your day rather than restrict yourself, you may see weight loss, improved energy, lower blood pressure and better sleep. In addition, you may begin to make bigger changes to your diet, which will allow you to live a long, healthy life.
~ Heather Gregory, clinical nutritionist & owner, Heather Gregory Nutrition
5.. Harness the Power of Words. To make 2014 your best year yet, start every day with this simple, life-changing affirmation. Do it for 100 days with faith in the power of these words to nurture both your body and your soul:
God grant me another day and in appreciation of that gift I will fulfill it with more love, self respect, and appreciation of others who are part of that big canvas I paint for my journey. I will take good care of my body by exercising and nourishing it with love and care, my mind by focusing on positive thoughts and actions and my spirit by being grateful for the miracle of my life. Today, I will choose people and circumstances that will help me on my path of total wellness and happiness, and so it is.
Do your best to learn it by heart and say it in your day-to-day routine. It doesn’t have to be only in the morning. It can be said anytime during day or night. It is also useful in stressful or negative situations. Before you say the affirmation, always take a few slow, deep breaths. Pass on the affirmation to anyone you feel will benefit from it in their daily life. It is a gift you receive and a gift you can share.
~ Jean Pierre Marques, grand master teacher yoga, martial arts, meditation behavioral & spiritual therapist, Coronado Yoga & Wellness Center
3. Get your chompers checked. When it comes to your oral health in 2014, make a resolution to have your dentist evaluate your teeth for acid erosion and wear. Your teeth can last as long as you do if the tooth structure doesn’t disintegrate. However, acid erosion and wear occur very gradually and are difficult to notice. Major culprits that contribute to this damage are soda, flavored waters, energy and sports drinks, coffee, wine, and sour candies (so for this and many other reasons it would be wise to add another health resolution to ditch them). Some people are more sensitive to the damage and can experience a faster rate of wear than others, and letting too much time pass without getting a checkup can take a real toll on your teeth. Once acid erosion has become a problem, it makes it very difficult for your dentist to restore your smile back to normal form and function. Signs and symptoms include sensitivity, worn areas, translucency, cracks, chipping and discoloration. Don’t let 2014 come and go without a couple of visits to your dentist.
~ Dr. Suzanne Popp, DDS, Advanced Cosmetic Dentistry
4. Take a Deeeeeep Breath. Creating a New Year’s resolution is often about a fresh start. That being said, the breath is a natural starting place. In yoga, Pranayama is a deep breathing exercise composed of two Sanskrit words: Prana, which means life force or vital energy (more particularly, the breath), and ayama, which means to extend or draw out. Together, this word comes to mean “the extension of the life force.” This deep breathing exercise takes us from our hectic, over stimulated lives, where we constantly run our adrenaline and are subjected to elevated stress…and brings us into the present moment.
If your aim is to have a healthy, fulfilling 2014 with less stress and more composure, make it a resolution to adapt this simple but vital breathing exercise. Putting it simply, inhale through the nose, filling your lungs to the very top, then exhale through the mouth, using your strength to force all the old, stale air out. Repeat, taking in more air than you did on the previous breath. Start with ten breaths every morning for a month; in February increase it to two sets of 10. This breath is the foundation for vibrant radiant health.
~ Barbra Chakos, yoga instructor, Coronado Hot Yoga
2. Get your spine in line. Being healthy is about functioning optimally — not merely the absence of symptoms or pain. We brush our teeth so they stay healthy, not because they hurt. The same goes for spinal health — getting adjusted is not just a remedy, but rather a practice that helps keep your body functioning at its best. Your nervous system controls every cell, tissue, organ and muscle in your body, and having it run at its optimal function will allow your body to express health as it was designed. Physical, chemical and emotional stressors in our everyday life can cause interference in the nervous system. In 2014, combat those stressors by getting your spine aligned. A
chiropractic adjustment to the spinal column removes interference from the nervous system so that the body can regulate itself naturally. Furthermore, the spinal nerves in our nervous system are covered in a myelin sheath, which is nourished by B-12. Get a B-12 shot to help keep your nervous system a well-oiled machine. Remember: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
~ Dr. Kerry Keiser, chiropractor, Discover Wellness Coronado
6. Update your at-home hair care. Looking your best can certainly help you feel your best, so don’t forget to include hair health in your 2014 wellness resolutions. It may come as a surprise that a major cause of damage and abuse to your hair isn’t a chemical service at all, rather it’s the products (or lack thereof) used at home. Whether you have natural or chemically treated hair, make 2014 the year of lustrous locks by adding a leave-in conditioner to your hair-care routine. Coronadans are lucky enough to spend much of our time at the beach, pool or on a boat year round, but all that exposure to sand, saltwater and sun can wreak havoc on your hair. (Choose a conditioner that contains an SPF. We diligently put sunscreen on our skin; why would we ignore our scalp and hair?) Apply a leave-in conditioner to make the post washing comb-out easier and reduce breakage. Leave-ins come in either a lotion or a spray — either should be applied to the ends first then worked toward the roots. After applying a leave-in, avoid boar bristle brushes on wet hair and use either a wide tooth comb or a paddle brush with wide set bristles to comb out your hair.
~ Ashley Gill-Kehr, owner, Salon de Ville
7. Supplement a healthful diet with vitamins, antioxidants, and adaptogens. Make a resolution in 2014 to take appropriate supplements for helping the body to perform at optimum levels. Start with a good quality, age-appropriate multivitamin that will help give your body the daily nutrients needed to function properly and make up for nutrients you may be missing in your diet. Antioxidants are also very important in helping our natural detoxification processes and protecting us from the free radicals we are exposed to on a daily basis. Glutathione, which is produced in the liver from the amino acids cysteine, glutamic acid and glycine, is a great choice. This powerful antioxidant helps defend the body against oxidative damage primarily caused by pollutants and helps to protect cells and tissues of the arteries, brain, heart, kidneys, liver, lungs and skin. Another great supplement to take on in 2014 is an herb called eleuthero root. Also known as “Siberian ginseng,” this amazing herb is classified as an adaptogen, (and considered the “king” adaptogen), protecting the body and boosting its various systems against the negative effects of many forms of life stressors. This super herb fights fatigue, regulates blood sugar levels, improves oxygen uptake in muscles, normalizes body temperature, supports immunity and bolsters endocrine function. As always, please consult your healthcare professional before starting any new diet and/or supplement regime.
~ Melissa Fleming, healthy living specialist, Boney’s Bayside Market
8. Jumpstart diet success through journaling. The old adage “you are what you eat” is only partially true. In reality, you are what you digest. Your digestive health is directly linked to every single system in your body, so you want to do what’s best for it. In 2014, rather than obsessing over how much you eat, resolve to take a look at your intake through a different lens. Pay attention to how your body physically reacts to certain foods. The best way to start this process is to journal everything you eat and, more importantly, take careful note of how those foods make you feel. Learning how to listen to your body is essential to good health. Commit to keeping a simple three-column journal, which will help you keep track of: 1) what you eat throughout the day; 2) how you feel right after you eat; and 3) how you feel later in the day. You’ll get a better picture of your eating habits and discover which foods make you feel great and which may not agree with your digestive system. Paying attention to what you eat and what makes you feel your best will help you make more healthful choices for you and your bio-individuality.
~ Jennifer Geiss, holistic health coach, www.jennifergeiss.com
9. Hydrate skin the right way. The classic “cleanse, tone, moisturize” regimen is a well-known skin care must. And with the onset of cold, dry winter months ahead, the final step becomes even more imperative. When it comes to moisturizing in 2014, the emphasis should be on correcting and assisting our skin’s natural oils and lipid barrier to restore balance and encourage healthy, normal hydration. Dehydrated skin can be the result of anything from poor dietary and lifestyle choices to hormonal imbalances and UV over-exposure. A hyaluronic acid serum is a perfect solution for all skin types because it is “bio-available” (naturally produced by the body) and will not only correct your lipid barrier but will effectively keep you hydrated throughout the day. Topical hydrating serums do more than just add moisture — they create balance and support the skin’s natural hydration process. Another imperative for skin hydration is applying a daily sun block with either a zinc or titanium oxide formulation for effective protection from harmful UV rays. It will fight DNA damage and keep your natural moisture within your epidermis.
~Teresa Buenaflor, clinical master aesthetician, ITEC, owner, Bellassima Sea Spa
10. Adopt the “no pain, more gain” mindset. Effectively balancing exercise, work, rest and play can bring us closer to a sense of health and well-being. In particular, a good place to start is finding balance in getting physically fit. Many of us have been taught the “no pain, no gain” approach to exercise, which is why we often struggle with maintaining a fitness routine. Exercise is a challenge — to breach new levels of fitness we need to step outside our comfort zones — but it shouldn’t be painful. Pain when exercising means muscle and joint strain and an increased risk for injury. Take a fresh approach to exercise by beginning with an activity and exertion level that doesn’t leave you in pain. For example, begin walking a short distance for a few days. Only add greater distance once you have established comfort. Start slow and progress gradually. This approach works for any type of exercise you find rewarding and enjoyable. Exercising with the mindset of “no pain, more gain” will lower your risk of injury and ultimately help you achieve your fitness goals in the long term.
~ Julie Lively, Pilates instructor and guild certified Feldenkrais PractitionerCM, Bamboo Vitality
