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February rides on the coattails of January’s ambitious New Year’s resolutions… no matter how good those Super Bowl snacks looked! And whether you’ve kept your goals high on your priority list (good for you!) or they’ve escaped your mind somewhere between juggling your job, getting the kids to basketball and ballet practice, swearing you had those coupons at check-out, and fighting off the flu (there goes the gym!) relax and take a deep breath--today is a new day in your Nutritious Life!
So stop thinking about what you’re trying to prevent this year--whether it’s weight gain or high cholesterol--and picture what you are trying to build. February is your month to “flip the switch” by focusing on what you can do for your body, not what you can’t do or have. In fact, that’s what my new book, The O2 Diet is all about! Based on the Nutritious Life philosophy, these 5 tips will help you make this your most nutritious year yet:
Stress less: A cup of tea really does relieve stress. British researchers had two groups of people drink black tea four times a day for 6 weeks. Half of the group had real tea, and half had tea with all of the active ingredients removed. After the participants were asked to perform stressful tasks, cortisol (a stress hormone) levels of real tea drinkers had dropped 47 percent, compared to just 27 percent for the fake tea. Bonus: research shows that people who drink three or more cups of tea daily are biologically younger than their actual age by about five years.
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Nutritious Life Tip: Switch it up! White black, oolong, and green teas all come from the same plant and have similar amounts of caffeine, but green tea is richer in antioxidants called catechins, which may trigger weight loss by stimulating the body to burn calories and decrease body fat. Aim for 2 cups per day.
Get more sleep: Most of us fight sleep--the average person gets 6.9 hours per night—but it’s making us gain weight! The risk of developing obesity rises 23 percent with just 6 hours of sleep per night. Remember, zzz’s don’t stand for lazy—during sleep, our body removes free radicals that build during waking hours—talk about an antioxidant boost for an overworked brain!
Make time for exercise: About 25% of us fight this too! Exercise does more than help you lose weight—it’s actually more important to your overall health than weight control is. Research shows that even obese people who exercise regularly (this includes walking!) live longer, feel better, and are less likely to suffer from serious health problems compared to normal-weight people who never break a sweat.
Pamper yourself (inside and out): Make every meal a gift to your body. Eat more fish to reap anti-inflammatory omega-3s with each bite, drizzle honey on your oatmeal for its antimicrobial properties, snack on fiber-rich foods like apples, avocados, and whole-grain crackers, and hydrate with a salad chock-full of juicy fruits & vegetables. Foods rich in vitamins A, C, and E (think Apricots, Citrus fruits, Eggs) help skin fight off wrinkles and sun damage as well as renew itself at a healthy pace.
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Nutritious Life Tip: It’s a new year—time to toss your old beauty products! Start fresh with a DIY facial scrub: Mix ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, 7 finely chopped almonds, and 7 mashed blueberries. Bursting with vitamin C, blueberries are treat for thirsty winter skin.
Nourish with love: Up to 30% of people who struggle with their weight also report problems with sex drive, desire, or performance. The good news is that not only does losing weight help your sex life, but having sex helps your weight loss by burning calories—research ranked the activity as a mild-to-moderate intensity exercise that benefits heart health as much as brisk walking! Bonus: Oxytocin—a hormone released in both men and women after orgasm, through cuddling, and even by simply holding hands—acts as a soothing antioxidant and may make it easier for people to stick to their diets.
Finally, living a Nutritious Life means enjoying a conscious indulgence once in a while—especially on Valentine’s Day. In fact, the abundance of antioxidants found in dark chocolate make it a heart-healthy treat worth loving, so go ahead and enjoy it!
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