Do your eyes glaze over the moment someone starts giving you health advice? We get it. No one likes to be told what to do, especially concerning their personal lifestyle habits. (They’re personal, after all!) So in the name of wellness, we’ve compiled a few wellness tips that are not only fun to do, but also easy on your bank account and daily schedule.
1. Laugh at least once a day.
Exercising your funny bone may be as important as exercising your heart. In case you haven’t heard, laughing is incredibly — unbelievably — good for you. It relaxes your entire body, relieving muscle tension and stress, decreases stress hormones, boosts immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, triggers the release of endorphins, improves pain, increases blood flow, burns calories, diffuses anger and may even help you live longer.
2. Drink water.
Besides helping your body function in every possible way, water may also boost your metabolism, making it a possible weight management tool. According to a study in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, drinking 500 milliliters of water was found to increase a person’s metabolic rate by 30%. This increase was observed within 10 minutes of drinking the water, and reached a maximum at 30 to 40 minutes. This metabolic increase was sustained for more than an hour!
3. Eat dark chocolate.
We truly can’t say it enough — dark chocolate can be good for you! In one study, cocoa and dark chocolate were found to have more antioxidant activity, polyphenols and flavanols than any other fruits tested — even blueberries and acai berries! The darker the chocolate the better. Dark chocolate is high in cocoa and low in sugar, making it a waist-friendly treat. Sorry, but the milk chocolate and white chocolate varieties don’t pack the same healthful benefits.
4. Read more!
Research indicates that reading reduces your stress levels by 68 %. But there’s more. Being a book worm may also boost your overall life satisfaction by helping you fall asleep, relieving anxiety and depression, strengthening your brain and vocabulary, and increasing your longevity.
5. Treat yourself!
We say this all the time (please forgive us) but treating yourself is clinically proven to boost your mood and your health. If you’re feeling a bit grumpy, consider your slump a little red flag or reminder that it’s time to mix things up with a treat! Self-care comes in all shapes and forms, from buying a new tea flavor to ordering your favorite skin care serum. Cat naps are another wonderful self-care treat that help to recharge your battery and break up your day. And best of all, they are free! Are you forgetting to treat yourself on a daily basis? Let us remind you! To learn more fun ways to boost wellness, we are here to help (and can’t wait, honestly!). Reach out today by calling 303.327.7300 or filling out our Contact Form, and we will be in touch with you shortly.
Sources used in this blog:
https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/88/12/6015/2661518
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-health-benefits-dark-chocolate
