100 ways to improve your health – both mentally and physically

The funny thing with health is that every little counts. But it actually counts both ways. Positive and negative impacts on it, no matter how tiny, can add up with a compounding effect. Therefore a lot of us actually get health, being healthy, or becoming healthier a bit wrong: all we’d have to do is create a system that helps facilitate tiny, healthy benefits in our everyday life and over time, we should be able to see the positive results.

Because let’s be honest, we’ve got plenty of experience with the negatives this way. A pack of cigarettes a day doesn’t seem much, but over years it leads to serious health issues. A candy bar a day may not feel too indulgent, yet over time, it may lead to cavities and other dental health issues, weight gain, blood sugar problems and so on.

Now, this is not to say don’t eat candy bars, far from it, because we’re all massive fans of the thing. This example is only to represent the effect of small changes over a period of time and the compounding effect these additions can have on your life in either a positive way or negative.

So we thought we’d collect at least a 100 actions you can implement in your life to improve your health, and to incorporate them into your daily routine as habits.

1. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.
2. Choose leaner meats.
3. Choose fruit as a dessert.
4. Take the stairs instead of lifts.
5. Bike to work if possible.
6. Improve your posture by sitting up straight and strengthening your core muscles.
7. Eat as many colourful vegetables in one meal as possible.
8. Add more fibre to your diet.
9. Eat more probiotic food like kefir, yoghurt or kimchi.
10. Drink a cup of herbal tea in the afternoon.
11. Start your meditation practice – at least one hour a day.
12. Go for a walk after dinner.
13. Stretch your body daily, with a little bit of yoga after you wake up.
14. Limit your alcohol intake, or cut out alcohol completely. Inspect your relationship with alcohol while you’re at it.
15. Eat more home cooked meals and try to eat less processed foods and ready made dinners.
16. Avoid deep frying – give the air fryer a try, it’s just as crispy but without the added oil.
17. Open your windows in the mornings to let a bit of fresh air in.
18. Aim for at least 7 hours of sleep every night. If it isn’t an option right now, you can compensate with naps 🙂
19. Chew your food properly, don’t eat food in a rush.
20. Whilst eating, pay attention to your food and get rid of distractions like smart phones or the TV during a meal.
21. Drink fruit infused water throughout the day.
22. Finish your dinner at least 3 hours before going to bed
23. Floss your teeth to keep them healthy.
24. Brush your teeth at least twice a day.
25. Limit your processed sugar intake – swap cane sugar to erythritol or stevia.
26. Exercise for at least 5 minutes a day – small changes make massive difference over time!
27. Repeat a few favourite positive affirmations every morning when you look in the mirror.
28. Do not bring your phone, tablet or laptop into bed before sleep, allow your mind to wind down before bedtime.
29. Take active breaks when working, stand up and move your body around a bit every hours.
30. When on work break, don’t forget to work your eyes and the muscles in them too – try and look from left to right and back to stretch your eyes.
31. Eat organic products of the ‘dirty dozen’: strawberries, spinach, kale, nectarines, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, pears, tomatoes, celery, potatoes. 

    

     

32. Add air-purifying plants to your home such as Areca Palm or Snake Plant – as recommended by NASA.
33. Smile at yourself in the mirror. Force your face to grin, even if you don’t feel like it. Trust us, the results will follow.
34. Cut down on fizzy drinks and juices – eat the raw fruit/ vegetable instead, or infuse some carbonated water to add some taste.
35. Eat more leafy greens by drinking them – cold pressed juice or a smoothie, you won’t even notice they’re there.
36. Choose a smaller plate for your meals and pay attention how full you get and when.
37. Present your food nicely on your plate – first we eat with our eyes, only then with our mouths.
38. Don’t go shopping hungry. Even if you’re just window shopping, have a healthy snack on you before you attack some sugary drinks or fast food for a quick pick-me-up.
39. Try and aim for 10.000 steps a day. Although now we know this dates back to an old Japanese commercial, going for a long walk has many benefits.
40. Change your bedsheets and pillow covers every week.
41. Limit your caffeine intake to avoid anxiety and caffeine buzz followed by a dip.
42. Avoid very hot showers – damages your skin and can be harmful to your face as well, especially if you have sensitive skin.
43. Moisturise your skin.
44. Reduce your salt intake by following a low sodium diet.
45. Listen to relaxing music – calm your mind.
46. Be kind to others and learn to forgive.
47. Be more present – ruminating on your past that you cannot change, or the future that isn’t even here yet does no good.
48. Talk to a friend when you are feeling tired or low.
49. Incorporate a little bit of cardio exercise to your workout routine.
50. Make sure you use weights as well – either your own bodyweight or dumbbells, but weight training is super beneficial.
51. Deep clean your house monthly, but do the small jobs every day. Allocate 20 minutes each day to tidy up and focus on one area of your home to keep clean.
52. Avoid chemicals or harsh cleaning products – opt for natural cleaners instead.
53. Eat more whole grains.
54. Try journalling – write down your feelings, whatever comes to mind. Pro tip: don’t keep a fancy journal as you will feel it’s a waste for your ‘unorganised’ thoughts. A simple notebook will do, just jot down what’s in you head and get on with your day.
55. Laugh more. Watch comedians, comedies, memes – anything that makes you laugh out loud.
56. Cuddle for at least 8 seconds.
57. Have a social media detox every weekend. #offline48
58. Do not Google your symptoms if you’re ill. Go see your doctor, ask for expert advice.
59. Follow a skincare routine specific to you, find out what works best and stick with it.
60. Add turmeric to your diet – golden milk is a fantastic anti-inflammatory drink, and it is delicious! 

    

     

61. Eat when you are hungry. If you had a late breakfast, you might not want to take your lunch break at 12 noon, just for the sake of it. Wait until your body signals you.
62. Declutter your workspace and home every now and then. Try the one in- one out rule: if you purchase something new, something else will have to go so either sell it, donate it, gift it or trash it.
63. Everything in moderation.
64.  Don’t weigh yourself anymore – use photos of yourself as a measure, or if your goal is weight loss, use a tape measure instead. But keep your focus on how working out makes you feel, rather than measurable figures.
65. Add more protein to your diet – we don’t seem to consume enough protein in the general western diets.
66. Use visualisation – if you can imagine, you can make it become your truth.
67. Try dry brushing, from your feet towards your heart – it improves circulation and tightens your skin.
68. Create family traditions – around celebrations like birthdays or Christmas, your children will remember these forever.
69. Notice when you’re eating emotionally. Keep asking yourself why, until you get to the core of the matter at hand.
70. Try what works better for your body, intermittent fasting or many smaller meals throughout the day. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to eating, follow what’s more intuitive for you.
71. Avoid watching or reading the news before bedtime.
72. Regularly express your emotions – to a friend you trust, or even to a therapist.
73. Don’t be afraid to ask for help – people are more than happy to be of service.
74. Write a to-do list in the evening, before bed, for the next day. Leave your thoughts on paper so they don’t keep you up at night.
75. Make learning new things a priority.
76. Read books that make you feel good – self help or self improvement is important, but have you tried a light novel instead?
77. Listen to audiobooks or podcasts.
78. Attend seminars and workshops on subjects that are important to you.
79. Be part of a community – either online or in person, community is what makes us human.
80. Let go of perfectionism – aim for just getting it done rather than wanting to make it perfect.
81. Practice saying no – find out who you are and what you are, what you need, and if something doesn’t serve you, say no to it.
82. Forgive yourself and others. Don’t hold grudges and stop punishing yourself.
83. Let go of expectations – they often lead to disappointment anyway.
84. Catch yourself criticising others.
85. Don’t let the opinions of other dictate how you feel about yourself.
86. Keep a list of your achievements.
87. Keep a list of praise and compliments – visit it when you feel inadequate or low.
88. Do things at your own pace.
89. Have a hobby. Something you cannot or will not monetise, something that’s only for you to enjoy creating.
90. Gratitude – think of 3 things you are grateful for in your life, every day.
91. Unfollow people that make you feel bad about yourself in any way on social media.
92. Leave your phone in a separate room for the night – keep an alarm clock in your bedroom instead.
93. Play with a pet. Pets make this world a better place.
94. Pray. Doesn’t have to follow any ecclesiastical practice, just do it the way it feels right for you.
95. Remember that we are all connected, we are all just human beings trying to do our best.
96. Choose your day’s priority and main task and tick that off your list first (eat the frog).
97. Create daily, weekly, monthly, yearly goals and write them down. A goal without a plan is just a wish.
98. Give gardening a go. Try and grow something of your own. You’ll feel extremely proud and connected to Earth and nature.
99. If you think you’re failing, find healthy coping mechanisms that are appropriate for your situation, whether those are problem-focused or emotion-focused coping techniques.
100. In the end, all of the above may seem overwhelming, and if that’s true for you, our last tip is just to take it step by step, or take no steps at all, really, if that’t what you need in the moment.

If you were to follow all of the above advices, you surely would be extremely tired by the end of the day, would have no time to do anything including work, so let’s just say that living a perfectly balanced life is quite unrealistic. And that is not why we wrote this list. What we aim to achieve with all of the above, is for you to pick and choose what you need, leave the rest behind, and act on what feels natural to you under the circumstances you are in.

And with other things in life, to be able to stick with any of the above practices, you are going to have to find your WHY. Without that, it’s all just a list of great promises and empty words. Simon Sinek wrote his book, Start With Why. “He started a movement to inspire people to do the things that inspire them. Millions of people now understand the concept of the Golden Circle.” To find your why and understand more about this phenomenon, you can purchase his book here

Now, what will you take away from this post? Is there anything you will implement? Let us know in a comment below.