#3 and #4 Healthy Tips You Already Know- But Are You Doing Them?

I missed a few days from writing due to some internet glitches with our service. So here are not 1 but 2 healthy tips that we all know but are probably not doing!  (FYI. Just a reminder that these tips are from a great website www.mindbodygreen.com. I am posting their 15 healthy tips over a span of 2 weeks!)

3. Get your rest

You need it. Turn off the television and smartphone and light up a candle. Take a bath or some deep breaths. Starting the rhythm of peaceful quietude at the end of your day is something that will change your entire state of being. Trust me, if the older version of you with two young kids and a full time career can figure out how to make it happen, so can you. And doing it now will help her a lot.

My comments:  Most people think of rest as sleeping. Well, I'd like to talk about rest in another way. Here is one of definition of rest: "Cessation of work, exertion or activity." I like this definition because it's what most of us rarely do! We are constantly on the go and our minds and bodies are pushed to do more! How much better would we feel, think and behave if we gave our bodies and our minds a chance to "rest?" One can only imagine!  But I'd like to think that we would feel happier, have more clarity and better focus, and we would definitely have more energy! So with all of these amazing benefits, why do we not give ourselves time to rest?  Here's my challenge to you. Today, take 5 minutes away from your phone, computer, or radio and sit in chair and close your eyes. Turn your attention to your breath and just listen. That's all! Just listen to your own breath for only 5 minutes. Then notice how you feel afterwards. 

4. Drink water

There are three main ways for toxins to leave your body: through urine, poop, and sweat. Drinking lots of water helps them on their way (and if you didn’t pick up on it yet, plants and moving daily will too). In addition having a hydrated body is a happy body, so fill up that water glass and throw away the soda

My comments: Ah, water. The very basis for all life. I am blessed to live in a country where water is plentiful. I have the ability to live everyday without having to worry about water for survival. But in most North American and European countries, we rarely drink enough water for our bodies and MIND to function properly.  Here are a few examples of how water impacts our bodies. Maybe one of them will stick out in your mind and motivate you to have at least 1 litre of water (in total) for the day! 

1. It's a lubricant: Without water, our joints would become stiff and unable to move! 
2. It's a transporter: Water transports nutrients and oxygen to our cells throughout our whole body and it carries away toxins and waste products our bodies don't need. 
3. It helps our brains function! Our brain is over 70% water and if we are dehydrated, our brain does not function properly. It becomes sluggish and slow. We can't afford that if we are constantly working with very little rest! 

Stay active and anything is possible!